In my series on songs with "American Philosophy", moving up from the previous blog on "American pie" and "Hotel California" , this blogpost is about "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman. "Fast Car", a song by American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, is a poignant narrative about the struggle of escaping poverty and seeking a better life. “Fast Car” is one of those songs that you just feel in your soul: the lyrics about the yearning to escape, the gentle guitar underlying a feeling of despair but also the hope that something better is coming. It can make you cry but also inspire you to belt out the lyrics at the top of your lungs
I first heard "Fast Car" in 1989-90 but understood nothing of the lyrics as they were sung in typical "American English". I liked the music then and the arpeggios of chords in the background were catchy. (I used to call it "Aldehyde" song then)
After living in US for some time and comprehending the society there, understanding the American slangs and spoken language, I could get the depth, philosophy and power of the lyrics. The song is of hope and despair of common American but could be generalized to any immigrant to US that has to go through the cycle of hope, despair, disappointment, disillusionment and helplessness! Every American (almost) is in search of this "Fast Car", that is symbolism for the better life and escaping the hardships. The "fast car" could be the literal car getting them out of the town that holds no prospects or being the symbolic point of access that allows people to social climb. For some, that may be education or making the right connections.
The song finds its importance in being able to depict a social fabric many Americans have lived. The song is informed by the economic realities at play in America and tries to illustrate it in an intricately written song that continues to impact generations decades after it was written. The song's universality and storytelling could be the reason why it's considered a "classic."
The revival of this song and its trending started in February 2024 after the Grammy performance of Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs.
Tracy Chapman wrote and performed Fast Car first in 1989 and received 3 Grammys then after climbing to top 100 Billboard. Since then, the song is popular on US radio and is played every week. It touches the heart and soul of every "hard working American", has particularly become an anthem of single parents, single mothers and even queer folks.
There are many reasons why this song is popular. In my view and perception of the American society that I had over 10-12 years, "Fast Car" is the ballad of Single Mothers, Single Parents and even an immigrant to country like US who has hope in future that makes them sustain hardships of the day, a hope of escaping the hardship that comes full circle with disappointment and disillusionment and puts them back in loop!
The appeal and popularity of the song lies in the simplicity of the powerful music, the powerful lyrics telling the story with deep philosophy hidden in every word, the hope in despair of a common person. This touches the heart and soul instantly.
The trademark of the music of Fast Car is the way "So I remember" is sung, the change in tempo, chorus and the music that comes in for that phrase... the constant movements between tempos with every stanza, giving the impression of hope and despair, moving the story between present and past.. with the simplicity of chords strumming in the background on Acoustic Folk Guitar. It's the hope of that "fast car" that keeps everyone's life moving.