"FAST CARS"

Country star, Luke Combs recently released an amazing cover of Tracy Chapman’s Grammy-winning pop-folk song, “Fast Car.”  Combs’ cover is stellar, and it’s now a county music chart-topper hitting #1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.

 

When “Fast Car” was originally released in the late ‘80s it quickly became a lesbian anthem. The song was valued for its themes and lyrics about working-class people escaping to find a better life. With the success of Combs’ version of the song, Chapman became the first black woman as the sole writer to top the Country Airplay chart since its inception in 1990. Chapman told Billboard, “I never expected to find myself on the country charts, but I’m honored to be there. I’m happy for Luke and his success and grateful that new fans have found and embraced ‘Fast Car.’”

 

Chapman’s original rendition of “Fast Car” reached No. 6 in 1988 on the Billboard Hot 100. Combs’ version surpassed that and earned a No. 2 spot this past July. “Fast Car” was the first single released for her debut album which reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and was the reason Chapman won Best Pop Vocals, Best Contemporary Folk Album, and Best New Artist at the Grammys in 1989.

 

Earlier this year Combs took to Instagram to post a clip where he talked about driving around in his dad’s 1988 Ford F-150 listening to music on the cassette player.  “There was this one song that really stuck out to me. It was called ‘Fast Car,’” Combs told the crowd while on stage. “That song meant a lot to me since then — for my whole life. I always think about my dad when it comes on and us spending time together.”

 

The recent success of “Fast Cars” demonstrates something that counters recent negative societal trends. It underscores the fact that at our core, there is a universality across people regardless of and despite differences in our race, age and how we identify. Listen to the two versions below and let me know what you think.

"FAST CARS" - LUKE COMBS 

                            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr7oYjnt3bM

"FAST CARS" - TRACY CHAPMAN

                            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIOAlaACuv4