Tracy Chapman
A black-and-white photograph of Chapman looking down
Studio album by
Tracy Chapman
ReleasedApril 5, 1988 (1988-04-05)
Recorded1987–88
StudioPowertrax, Hollywood, California
Genre
Length36:11
LabelElektra
ProducerDavid Kershenbaum
Tracy Chapman chronology
Tracy Chapman
(1988)		 Crossroads
(1989)
Singles from Tracy Chapman
  1. "Fast Car"
    Released: April 1988
  2. "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution"
    Released: July 1988
  3. "Baby Can I Hold You"
    Released: October 1988

Tracy Chapman is the debut album by American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, released on April 5, 1988, by Elektra Records. The album was recorded at the Powertrax studio in Hollywood, California. In 1987, Chapman was discovered by fellow Tufts University student Brian Koppelman. He offered to show her work to his father, who owned a successful publishing company; however, she did not consider the offer to be serious. After multiple performances, however, Koppelman found a demo tape of her singing her single "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution", which he promoted to radio stations, and she was eventually signed to Elektra Records.

In early attempts to produce the first album, many producers turned down Chapman as they did not favor her musical direction. David Kershenbaum, however, decided to produce it as he wanted to record an acoustic music album. It was recorded in Hollywood, California, in eight weeks. Most of the writing is based on political and social causes.

Tracy Chapman gained critical acclaim from a wide majority of music critics, praising the simplicity, Chapman's vocal ability and her political and social lyrical content. The album received commercial success in most of the countries it was released, making it to the top of the charts in many countries, including Austria, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. It peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 and was certified six-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with sales exceeding over six million copies in the United States alone.

Three singles were released from the album, with the most commercially successful single being "Fast Car". The song was performed at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute. It rose to the top ten on the US Billboard Hot 100 and also did well in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and other European countries. Tracy Chapman is one of the best-selling albums of all time with sales of over 20 million copies worldwide.

"Fast Car" was later recorded by country music singer Luke Combs for his 2023 album Gettin' Old, from which it was released as the second single. Combs' rendition of the song reached number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, making Chapman the first black woman to solely write a country number one.[3] Additionally, it reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100, higher than Chapman's original version.[4]

Background

In 1987, Chapman was discovered by fellow Tufts University student Brian Koppelman. In an interview, Koppelman said, "I was helping organize a boycott protest against apartheid at school, and [someone] told me there was this great protest singer I should get to play at the rally."[5] He went to see Chapman perform at a coffeehouse called Cappuccino. He said "Tracy walked onstage, and it was like an epiphany. Her presence, her voice, her songs, her sincerity—it all came across."[5]

After this, Koppelman told Chapman that his father, Charles Koppelman, was at the time a co-owner of SBK Publishing and that he could help her make a record. She did not consider the offer seriously.[5]

Koppelman was still very interested in Chapman, and he attended most of her shows. Chapman finally agreed to talk to him, but she did not record any demos for him. He later discovered that she had recorded demos at the Tufts' radio station WMFO for copyright purposes.[5] Her demo of the song "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution" was taken to radio stations and, after the success, he copied it and took it to his father.[5]

According to the interview, "He immediately got the picture and flew up to see her". Her demo led her to a signing a contract with Elektra Records. Chapman said, "I have to say that I never thought I would get a contract with a major record label [...] All the time since I was a kid listening to records and the radio, I didn't think there was any indication that record people would find the kind of music that I did marketable. Especially when I was singing songs like 'Talkin' 'bout a Revolution' during the Seventies [...] I didn't see a place for me there."[5]

Producer David Kershenbaum said that the album was "made for the right reasons".[5] "There was a set of ideas that we wanted to communicate, and we felt if we were truthful and loyal to those ideas, then people would pick up on the emotion and the lyrical content that was there."[5]

Recording

Chapman started writing songs when she was immediately signed to Elektra Records. Koppelman started finding producers for the album with the demo tape of her single "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution". However, she was turned down due to the popularity of dance-pop and synthpop at the time.[5] They then found David Kershenbaum, who recalled later: "I'd been looking for something acoustic to do for some time . . . There was a sense in the industry of a slight boredom with everything out there and that people might be willing to listen again to lyrics and to someone who made statements."[5]

Chapman's greatest concern during her meetings with Kershenbaum was that the integrity of her songs remain intact, because she wanted to record "real simple". Kershenbaum said, "I wanted to make sure that she was in front, vocally and thematically, and that everything was built around her."[5] Every song that was featured on the result of the studio album was featured on her demo tape, except for "Fast Car", which resulted as one of the last songs recorded on the album. Kershenbaum recalled that the first time she sang and performed it for him, he "loved it the minute I [he] heard it."[5]

The album was, in total, recorded in eight weeks at Powertrax, Kershenbaum's Hollywood studio.[5][6] Interviewed in 2002 by The Guardian, Kershenbaum stated that a lot of the public wanted "what she had" and said, "And they weren't getting it. She got there at the right moment with stuff that was good."[7] Chapman was also interviewed and talked about the background of the album. She said, "The first record [Tracy Chapman] is seen as being more social commentary . . . more political. But I think that's just all about perspective."[7]

In an interview with The Guardian in 2008, Chapman said: "My first record was almost not my first record."[8] The proposed producer for the studio album was killed in a car accident and the record company called in someone far less experienced to take over.[8]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
Los Angeles Times[10]
NME8/10[11]
Orlando Sentinel[12]
The Philadelphia Inquirer[13]
Pitchfork9.4/10[14]
Q[15]
Rolling Stone[16]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[17]
The Village VoiceB+[18]

Tracy Chapman received acclaim from music critics. According to Rolling Stone, Chapman "caught everyone's ear in the hair-metal late Eighties" with the album.[19] Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic wrote, "Arriving with little fanfare in the spring of 1988, Tracy Chapman's eponymous debut album became one of the key records of the Bush era, providing a touchstone for the entire PC movement while reviving the singer-songwriter tradition."[9] According to Erlewine, "the juxtaposition of contemporary themes and classic production precisely is what makes the album distinctive – it brings the traditions into the present."[9] He highlighted the album as her best album of her whole discography.[20] Robert Christgau was less enthusiastic in his review for The Village Voice. He found "Fast Car" and "Mountains o' Things" very perceptive and Chapman an innately gifted singer but was disappointed by the presence of "begged questions" and "naive left-folkie truisms" such as "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution" and "Why": "She's too good for such condescension ... Get real, girl."[18]

Awards

31st Annual Grammy Awards

Grammy Awards
Year Work Award Result Ref
1989 Tracy Chapman Album of the Year Nominated [21]
Best Contemporary Folk Album Won
"Fast Car" Song of the Year Nominated
Record of the Year Nominated
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Won
Tracy Chapman Best New Artist Won
David Kershenbaum Producer of the Year Nominated [22]

Commercial response

Just two weeks after its release, the album sold one million copies worldwide, becoming a big commercial success.[7] In total, it sold over 20 million copies worldwide and is one of the first albums by a female artist to have more than 10 million copies sold worldwide.[23]

Legacy

In 1989, the album was rated No. 10 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Albums of the 80s". In 2003, the album was ranked No. 261 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time", No. 263 in a 2012 revised list,[24] and No. 256 in a 2020 revised list.[25]

Slant Magazine listed the album at No. 49 on its list of "Best Albums of the 1980s".[26]

The album was critically acclaimed and helped to revive the singer-songwriter tradition.[9]

Track listing

All songs written by Tracy Chapman.

No.TitleLength
1."Talkin' 'bout a Revolution"2:40
2."Fast Car"4:57
3."Across the Lines"3:25
4."Behind the Wall"1:50
5."Baby Can I Hold You"3:14
6."Mountains o' Things"4:39
7."She's Got Her Ticket"3:57
8."Why?"2:06
9."For My Lover"3:12
10."If Not Now…"3:01
11."For You"3:10

Personnel

Adapted credits from the album's booklet.[27]

Musicians

Production

Charts

Sales and certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF)[66] 2× Platinum 120,000^
Australia (ARIA)[67] 7× Platinum 490,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[68] 2× Platinum 100,000*
Belgium (BEA)[69] Platinum 50,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[70] Platinum 250,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[71] 3× Platinum 300,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[72]
sales since 2011 		6× Platinum 120,000‡
France (SNEP)[73] Diamond 1,000,000*
Germany (BVMI)[74] 9× Gold 2,250,000^
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong)[75] Platinum 20,000*
India (IMI) — 6,500[76]
Ireland (IRMA)[77] 9× Platinum 145,000[77]
Italy
sales 1988-1989 		— 700,000[78]
Italy (FIMI)[79]
sales since 2009 		Gold 25,000*
Netherlands (NVPI)[80] Platinum 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[81] Platinum 15,000^
Portugal (AFP)[82] Platinum 40,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[83] 3× Platinum 350,000[84]
Sweden (GLF)[85] Gold 50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[86] 4× Platinum 200,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[87] 9× Platinum 2,668,869[88]
United States (RIAA)[89] 6× Platinum 6,000,000^
Summaries
Worldwide — 20,000,000[23]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Fast Car: Behind the Song That Drove Tracy Chapman to Fame".
  2. ↑ Blender Staff (May 2003). "500 CDs You Must Own Before You Die!". Blender. New York: Dennis Publishing Ltd. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  3. ↑ Bernstein, Jonathan (June 30, 2023). "Tracy Chapman Will Become the First Black Woman to Score a Number One Country Song as Sole Writer". RollingStone.com.
  4. ↑ "Luke Combs Chart History – Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "100 Best Albums of the Eighties: Tracy Chapman, 'Tracy Chapman'". Rolling Stone. November 16, 1989. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  6. ↑ Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs. Discogs.
  7. 1 2 3 Saturday September 28, 2002 Gary Younge interviews Tracy Chapman | Music | The Guardian.
  8. 1 2 Amy Fleming (October 31, 2008). "Amy Fleming on Tracy Chapman, the quiet revolutionary | Life and style". The Guardian. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman". AllMusic. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
  10. ↑ Hilburn, Robert; Hunt, Dennis; Morden, Darryl; Willman, Chris; Sims, Tammy; Strauss, Duncan; Grein, Paul; Johnson, Connie; Garza, Janiss; Boehm, Mike; Hochman, Steve; Waller, Don (December 11, 1988). "Do You Hear What They Hear?: U2 Starts Pop Top 40 List". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  11. ↑ Brown, Len (April 23, 1988). "Cold Comfort". NME. p. 34.
  12. ↑ Duffy, Thom (June 12, 1988). "Tracy Chapman". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  13. ↑ Tucker, Ken (April 24, 1988). "Music with humor from Leonard Cohen". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  14. ↑ Gaillot, Ann-Derrick (January 20, 2019). "Tracy Chapman: Tracy Chapman". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  15. ↑ "Tracy Chapman: Tracy Chapman". Q. No. 20. May 1988.
  16. ↑ Pond, Steve (June 2, 1988). "Tracy Chapman: Tracy Chapman". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 2, 2007. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
  17. ↑ Evans, Paul (2004). "Tracy Chapman". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 153. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  18. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (May 24, 1988). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
  19. ↑ "500 Greatest Albums of All Time: Tracy Chapman, 'Tracy Chapman'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 2, 2012. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  20. ↑ Tracy Chapman – Music Biography, Credits and Discography : Allmusic.
  21. ↑ "Tracy Chapman". Grammy Awards. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  22. ↑ "David Kershenbaum". Grammy Awards. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  23. 1 2 Wernick, Adam (November 20, 2015). "Tracy Chapman's new greatest hits album celebrates a quietly powerful legacy". Public Radio International. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  24. ↑ "500 Greatest Albums of All Time Rolling Stone's definitive list of the 500 greatest albums of all time". Rolling Stone. 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  25. ↑ "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. September 22, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  26. ↑ "The 100 Best Albums of the 1980s | Feature". Slant Magazine. March 5, 2012. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  27. ↑ Tracy Chapman (booklet). Tracy Chapman. Elektra. 1988. CD 60774.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  28. ↑ "Outras paradas - Argentina". Jornal do Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). January 23, 1989. p. 30. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  30. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  31. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  32. ↑ "Item: 5335 - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. July 17, 2013. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  33. ↑ "Danishcharts.dk – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  34. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  35. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  36. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  37. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  38. ↑ "Charts.nz – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  39. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  40. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  41. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  42. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  43. ↑ "Tracy Chapman | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  44. ↑ "Tracy Chapman Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  45. ↑ "Tracy Chapman Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  46. ↑ "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 1988". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  47. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1988". austriancharts.at. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  48. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – CD 1988". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  49. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  50. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1988". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  51. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1988". hitparade.ch. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  52. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1988". Billboard. January 2, 2013. Archived from the original on January 23, 2015. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  53. ↑ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1988". Billboard. January 2, 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  54. ↑ "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 1989". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  55. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1989". austriancharts.at. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  56. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1989". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  57. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  58. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1989". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  59. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1989". hitparade.ch. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  60. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1989". Billboard. January 2, 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  61. ↑ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 1999". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  62. ↑ "The Official UK Albums Chart 2001" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  63. ↑ "UK Year-End Charts 2002" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  64. ↑ "The Official UK Albums Chart 2003" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  65. ↑ "Ireland's Top 50 biggest female artist albums". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on March 6, 2019. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  66. ↑ "Discos de oro y platino" (in Spanish). Cámara Argentina de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  67. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  68. ↑ "Austrian album certifications – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  69. ↑ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 1998". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  70. ↑ "Brazilian album certifications – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  71. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman". Music Canada. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  72. ↑ "Danish album certifications – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  73. ↑ "French album certifications – Tracy Chapman – 1er Album" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  74. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Tracy Chapman; 'Tracy Chapman')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  75. ↑ "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1989". IFPI Hong Kong.
  76. ↑ "Madonna's 'Prayer' Selling Well In India" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 101, no. 17. April 29, 1989. p. 66. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  77. 1 2 "Back on track". The Irish Times. November 28, 1998. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  78. ↑ Caroli, Daniele (December 9, 1989). "Italy > Talent Challenges" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 101, no. 49. p. I-8. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved July 25, 2020 – via World Radio History.
  79. ↑ "Italian album certifications – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved December 30, 2014. Select "2014" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Tracy Chapman" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Album e Compilation" under "Sezione".
  80. ↑ "Dutch album certifications – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved August 25, 2018. Enter Tracy Chapman in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1988 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  81. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
  82. ↑ Tenente, Fernando (April 14, 1990). "INTERNATIONAL: Floyd, Kaoma Top Sellers In Portugal Certs" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 102, no. 15. p. 69. Retrieved November 28, 2020 – via World Radio History.
  83. ↑ Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (PDF) (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. p. 956. ISBN 84-8048-639-2. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  84. ↑ Campos, Santiago (November 4, 1989). "Tracy Chapman saltó a la fama en el homenaje a Nelson Mandela". Diario de Burgos (in Spanish). p. 40. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  85. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 17, 2011. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  86. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Tracy Chapman')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  87. ↑ "British album certifications – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  88. ↑ Jones, Alan (January 29, 2016). "Official Charts Analysis: Bowie album chart domination continues". Music Week. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  89. ↑ "American album certifications – Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.