Fast Car
Encyclopedia
"Fast Car" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter
Tracy Chapman
. It was released as a single in April 1988 from her self-titled 1988 debut album Tracy Chapman
. Her appearance on the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute
was the catalyst for the song's becoming a top 10 hit in the US, peaking at number 6 on the Hot 100, and a top 10 hit the UK, peaking at number 5 on the UK chart.
In April 2011 the song re-entered the UK singles chart
. During a midweek update (April 20) the song was placed in the 4th position; it managed to hold onto this place until the singles chart on April 24, thus overtaking its original peak position from 1988. Kristian Leontiou's
2005 single version also charted at number 88 that same day.
, she falls victim to the cycle of poverty
, as her life begins to mirror her mother's: her partner remains largely unemployed and becomes an alcoholic. She is left alone with her children while her partner spends time drinking with friends. Finally, after getting a job that will support her family, she comes to accept her life as the way it is and to give up chasing empty dreams. She tells her partner to leave her; to take "your fast car and keep on driving." The final refrain is sung in variation, changing from "We gotta make a decision, leave tonight or live and die this way" to "You gotta make a decision, leave tonight or live and die this way."
ranked the song number 165 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It is Chapman's only song on the list (and the highest ranking song both written and performed by a female performer). In April 2011 the track also hit the UK top ten at number 4 after Michael Collings performed it on Britain's Got Talent
.
(ft. Kina Grannis
), R.E.M.
, The Flying Pickets
, Swimming With Dolphins
, Hundred Reasons
, Xiu Xiu
, Vertical Horizon
, Even Nine, Darwin's Waiting Room
, Jesse James
, The Love Project, Amazing Transparent Man
, Matchbox Twenty
, MYMP
, The Wilkinsons
and by solo singers Mutya Buena
, Kristian Leontiou
, Wayne Wonder
, David Usher
, Linda Pritchard
, Christian Kane
, Mark Wilkinson
and Hitomi Yaida
. In 2010 Kelly Clarkson
and Daughtry
performed a duet of the song in concert. It was also sampled by the rap group Nice & Smooth
in their hit song "Sometimes I Rhyme Slow", making it a hit within the hip hop community as well. British rapper Example
also samples the song in his song "I Need a Fast Car" which appeared on his mixtape We Didn't Invent the Remix
.
In 1991, British soul singer Gabrielle
recorded a demo of her song "Dreams
" which featured a sample of "Fast Car". When it was released commercially in 1993 the sample of "Fast Car" was removed because of legal issues, but the version with the sample was still being played in nightclubs and DJ sets. Los Angeles based turntablist DJ Quixotic
is known to perform a cover of this song by manipulating a tone record on a turntable to imitate the notes of the opening guitar riffs.
The song was also parodied as "I Write a Fast Song" on in the In Living Color
sketch "Making of a Tracy Chapman Song", in which Chapman (portrayed by Kim Wayans
) writes a song by looking out her window and witnessing events like an old man getting hit by a bus and a domestic dispute.
The song was featured in an episode of Jake and Amir, however the words are changed to 'I got a fast Jake...'.
In April 2011, nineteen year old computer shop clerk Michael Collings auditioned on Britain's Got Talent
by singing a cover of "Fast Car", receiving a worldwide positive response. As a result, the song peaked on #4 in the UK Singles Chart
in May 2011.
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her singles "Fast Car", "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution", "Baby Can I Hold You", "Give Me One Reason" and "Telling Stories". She is a multi-platinum and four-time Grammy Award-winning artist.-Biography:Tracy Chapman was born in Cleveland,...
. It was released as a single in April 1988 from her self-titled 1988 debut album Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman (album)
Tracy Chapman is the self-titled debut album by singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, released in 1988.-History:Tracy Chapman hit #1 on both the US & UK album charts. The album was critically acclaimed and helped to launch the 1990s female singer-songwriter movement, which included artists like Tori...
. Her appearance on the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute
Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute
The Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute was a popular-music concert staged on June 11, 1988 at Wembley Stadium, London and broadcast to 67 countries and an audience of 600 million. It was also referred to as Freedomfest, Free Nelson Mandela Concert and Mandela Day...
was the catalyst for the song's becoming a top 10 hit in the US, peaking at number 6 on the Hot 100, and a top 10 hit the UK, peaking at number 5 on the UK chart.
In April 2011 the song re-entered the UK singles chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. During a midweek update (April 20) the song was placed in the 4th position; it managed to hold onto this place until the singles chart on April 24, thus overtaking its original peak position from 1988. Kristian Leontiou's
Kristian Leontiou
Kristian Leontiou is a British singer of Cypriot descent, and is currently the singer for the indie rock band One eskimO.-Background and Career:...
2005 single version also charted at number 88 that same day.
Song plot
The song is a narrative tale of generational poverty. The song's narrator tells the story of her hard life, which begins when her mother divorces her jobless, alcoholic father, forcing the narrator to quit school in order to care for him. Eventually, she leaves her hometown with her partner in hopes of making a better life. Despite her employment at a grocery storeGrocery store
A grocery store is a store that retails food. A grocer, the owner of a grocery store, stocks different kinds of foods from assorted places and cultures, and sells these "groceries" to customers. Large grocery stores that stock products other than food, such as clothing or household items, are...
, she falls victim to the cycle of poverty
Cycle of poverty
In economics, the cycle of poverty is the "set of factors or events by which poverty, once started, is likely to continue unless there is outside intervention."...
, as her life begins to mirror her mother's: her partner remains largely unemployed and becomes an alcoholic. She is left alone with her children while her partner spends time drinking with friends. Finally, after getting a job that will support her family, she comes to accept her life as the way it is and to give up chasing empty dreams. She tells her partner to leave her; to take "your fast car and keep on driving." The final refrain is sung in variation, changing from "We gotta make a decision, leave tonight or live and die this way" to "You gotta make a decision, leave tonight or live and die this way."
Chart performance
Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
ranked the song number 165 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It is Chapman's only song on the list (and the highest ranking song both written and performed by a female performer). In April 2011 the track also hit the UK top ten at number 4 after Michael Collings performed it on Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...
.
| Chart (1988) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada RPM Top 100 Singles RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
1 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
1 |
| Mega Top 50 | 2 |
| Swedish Singles Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
9 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
5 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
6 |
| Singapore Get Ready! Top 20 | 2 |
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
93 |
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
57 |
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
4 |
Kristian Leontiou version
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
88 |
Cover versions
The song has been covered many times by bands such as Boyce AvenueBoyce Avenue
Boyce Avenue is an American acoustic rock band. It was formed in Sarasota, Florida, by brothers Alejandro, Daniel and Fabian Manzano. The band is named after a combination of two streets the brothers lived on as children...
(ft. Kina Grannis
Kina Grannis
Kina Kasuya Grannis is a Japanese American guitarist and singer-songwriter. She is of Japanese, English, Irish, French, and German descent....
), R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
, The Flying Pickets
The Flying Pickets
The Flying Pickets are a British a cappella vocal group, who had a Christmas number one hit in 1983 in the UK Singles Chart with their cover of Yazoo's track "Only You".-History:...
, Swimming With Dolphins
Swimming With Dolphins
Swimming with Dolphins is a synthpop band from Minnesota, US. It was formed in 2008 by Austin Tofte and Adam Young, of Owl City. After gaining considerable mainstream popularity, Adam Young left the band to focus on Owl City. The band released one EP, called Ambient Blue. Since Young left the...
, Hundred Reasons
Hundred Reasons
Hundred Reasons are an English rock band from Farnborough, Hampshire, composed of Colin Doran , Larry Hibbitt , Andy Gilmour , Andy Bews and Ben Doyle . Originally, the band was signed to Columbia Records in mid April 2001, after fourteen months of near-constant touring...
, Xiu Xiu
Xiu Xiu
Xiu Xiu is an American avant-garde group originally from San Jose, California. The band is the brainchild of singer-songwriter Jamie Stewart, who has been its only constant member since its inception in 2002. His current bandmate is Angela Seo...
, Vertical Horizon
Vertical Horizon
Vertical Horizon is an American alternative rock band formed at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. in 1991. The band is best known for a string of hits in 1999 and early 2000s, including "You're a God", "Everything You Want", and "Best I Ever Had ". Their most recent album, Burning the...
, Even Nine, Darwin's Waiting Room
Darwin's Waiting Room
Darwin's Waiting Room was a rapcore/alternative metal band from Miami, Florida.-History:Darwin's Waiting Room formed in 1995 and went through several lineup changes before solidifying early in 2000. They signed to MCA Records and released their debut album, Orphan, in 2001. The album peaked at #19...
, Jesse James
Jesse James (band)
Jesse James were a pop punk band from London, England. They formed in 2000, and toured the UK, Europe and Canada. Their first release, the "Shoes EP" was a hit in the UK, due to repeated television play of the video for the song, "Shoes". Later releases included the "Hotwired EP", Punk Soul...
, The Love Project, Amazing Transparent Man
Amazing Transparent Man
Amazing Transparent Man was a pop punk band on the Springman Records label from 1997 to 2004. They hailed from DeKalb, Illinois. The original members were Rick Muermann , Tony D'Amato , Brad Riverdahl and Casey Sons...
, Matchbox Twenty
Matchbox Twenty
Matchbox Twenty is an American rock band, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1995...
, MYMP
MYMP
M.Y.M.P. is an acoustic band act from the Philippines, which consists of five members. Their career started when Raymond Ryan, a station manager of iFm watched one of their gigs, and met up with a producer to produce their 2003 debut album, Soulful Acoustic, which has since been certified...
, The Wilkinsons
The Wilkinsons
The Wilkinsons is a country music trio from Trenton, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1997, the group comprises lead singer Amanda Wilkinson, her brother Tyler Wilkinson, and their father, Steve Wilkinson. The Wilkinsons achieved success late in 1998 with the hit single "26 Cents", a Number One on the...
and by solo singers Mutya Buena
Mutya Buena
Rosa Isabel Mutya Buena is an English recording artist who rose to fame as a member of girl group the Sugababes. With the Sugababes, Buena had four UK number one singles, an additional six top-ten hits and three multi-platinum albums. After leaving the group in December 2005, she released her...
, Kristian Leontiou
Kristian Leontiou
Kristian Leontiou is a British singer of Cypriot descent, and is currently the singer for the indie rock band One eskimO.-Background and Career:...
, Wayne Wonder
Wayne Wonder
Wayne Wonder is a Jamaican reggae fusion artist...
, David Usher
David Usher
David Usher is a British-born Canadian singer-songwriter. Formerly the frontman for the alternative rock band Moist, he embarked on a solo career beginning in the late 1990s.-Biography:...
, Linda Pritchard
Linda Pritchard
Linda Norrgård Pritchard, , known as Linda Pritchard, is a Swedish singer and professional dancer who has worked with Magnus Uggla and Ace of Base. She participated in Idol 2008 where she got to the qualifying round, but was eliminated although she was considered one of the favourites...
, Christian Kane
Christian Kane
Christian Kane is an American actor and singer/songwriter of Native American descent. He currently stars as Eliot Spencer on the TNT series Leverage. He is best known for his roles in the television shows Angel and Into the West, and the movies Just Married and Secondhand Lions.He is the lead...
, Mark Wilkinson
Mark Wilkinson (singer)
Mark Wilkinson is an Australian singer–songwriter.-Early life:Wilkinson was born in England, but his family soon emigrated to Singapore and then Australia when he was 4 years old. Wilkinson was educated at Sydney Grammar School and went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts/Commerce at the...
and Hitomi Yaida
Hitomi Yaida
born July 28, 1978 in Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan is a Japanese pop/folk rock singer-songwriter and guitarist. She often goes by the nickname Yaiko. Her musical style is often called "heart rock" by her fans. Yaida is an established musical artist in Japan and has also had minor club hits in the United...
. In 2010 Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,...
and Daughtry
Daughtry
Daughtry is an American rock band from North Carolina, formed and fronted by former American Idol season 5 finalist Chris Daughtry in 2006. Their self-titled debut album was released in 2006...
performed a duet of the song in concert. It was also sampled by the rap group Nice & Smooth
Nice & Smooth
Nice & Smooth was an East Coast hip hop duo from New York that consists of Greg Nice and Smooth B . The duo released four albums from the late 1980s to the mid 1990s...
in their hit song "Sometimes I Rhyme Slow", making it a hit within the hip hop community as well. British rapper Example
Example (rapper)
Elliot John Gleave , better known by his stage name Example, is an English singer and rapper signed to Data Records. His name arose due to his initials being E.G., which is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase "exempli gratia", which means, "for example".Example's third album Playing In The Shadows...
also samples the song in his song "I Need a Fast Car" which appeared on his mixtape We Didn't Invent the Remix
We Didn't Invent the Remix (album)
We Didn't Invent the Remix is a remix album by London-born recording artist Example. After many setbacks and promises, Example released a 13 track limited edition mixtape available through the internet or at concerts during his Spring 2007 tour supporting Plan B, The Rifles, and Just Jack)...
.
In 1991, British soul singer Gabrielle
Gabrielle (singer)
Louisa Gabrielle Bobb is a multi-platinum selling, BRIT Award winning English singer, who records under the name Gabrielle. Gabrielle began her career temping during the day and singing for free in London clubs at night...
recorded a demo of her song "Dreams
Dreams (Gabrielle song)
"Dreams" is the debut single from Gabrielle. Written by Gabrielle and Tim Laws and produced by Richie Fermie, "Dreams" reached number one on the UK singles chart for three weeks in June 1993. The single entered the British charts at #2, which was the highest chart entry a debut act ever scored in...
" which featured a sample of "Fast Car". When it was released commercially in 1993 the sample of "Fast Car" was removed because of legal issues, but the version with the sample was still being played in nightclubs and DJ sets. Los Angeles based turntablist DJ Quixotic
DJ Quixotic
Quix-05 - is a Los Angeles based DJ/producer most notable in the turntablist/scratch dj scene. He made a name for himself by being the first DJ from DC to win the Washington, D.C. Regional Championships and thus representing the city in the 2001 United States DJ Championships...
is known to perform a cover of this song by manipulating a tone record on a turntable to imitate the notes of the opening guitar riffs.
The song was also parodied as "I Write a Fast Song" on in the In Living Color
In Living Color
In Living Color is an American sketch comedy television series, which originally ran on the Fox Network from April 15, 1990 to May 19, 1994. Brothers Keenen and Damon Wayans created, wrote, and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions in association with 20th Century...
sketch "Making of a Tracy Chapman Song", in which Chapman (portrayed by Kim Wayans
Kim Wayans
Kim Wayans is an American actress, comedian, producer, writer and director. She is also a member of the Wayans family.-Early life:...
) writes a song by looking out her window and witnessing events like an old man getting hit by a bus and a domestic dispute.
The song was featured in an episode of Jake and Amir, however the words are changed to 'I got a fast Jake...'.
In April 2011, nineteen year old computer shop clerk Michael Collings auditioned on Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...
by singing a cover of "Fast Car", receiving a worldwide positive response. As a result, the song peaked on #4 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in May 2011.