On a Sunday morning, nothing is more perfect than waking up with a cup of coffee, a good read and a classic song out of the radio. Mostly played by our parents and the older generations, growing up and having the opportunity to listen to these tracks is gold. It’s the gate way that connects the present generation to the previous ones… it’s the chance to know how they think, they feel and how they sound during those times, indeed priceless. Tracing back time, one of the most timeless songs ever heard in the music industry is no other than Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car.”
“Fast Car” by the American singer and songwriter Tracy Chapman is one of the most famous and loved song of its generation.The song was released April of 1988 where it stood as the lead single for her self-titled album. The most significant and the most beneficial role the song played was when Tracy Chapman performed on Nelson Mandela’s 70 th Birthday Tribute. After her heart-warming presence and performance, the song rose to as high as number six on the Billboard Hot 100. The famous track was one of the best songs of all of music industry’s time as it ranked 167th on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
As an evidence of its greatness, there’s no wonder other musician would want to get their shot on making a cover for Chapman’s classic. Numerous have tried to cover it, some did an awesome job, but the most popular cover would be Jonas Blue’s version which featured Dakota.Chapman’s meaningful adult contemporary is no joke to cover for it takes a lot of passion and a glimpse of ingeniousness. And it’s displayed by the British producer, Jonas Blue, and Dakota’s collaboration. Their own version of “Fast Car” was released last 2015 and it has peaked to number two in the UK Singles Chart. Believe it or not, their version peaked higher than Chapman’s during its time on the UK chart. So the point of argument would be… who sung it better? Tracy Chapman’s authentic track or Blue’s and Dakota’s stunning cover?
The safest answer would be… one can’t compare two songs, particularly semi-identical, from different generations.Nevertheless, let us make the comparison. Chapman’s own is an adult contemporary as its genre while Blue’s and Dakota’s genre is tropical house. These genres produce a merely identical sound, both relaxing and soothing to the ears, though the cover adds a more futuristic jive with its instrumentals. On the other hand, the original one’s slower pace created a more passionate and more sublime feel to the song. In regards to lyrics, no one would argue, it gets in to every listener very smoothly. Upon listening to it, it seems like you can feel what the musician and the lyrics are talking about. You can feel the shout for longing for what’s better and what’s up for improvement.
Indeed, a superb cover of Tracy Chapman’s masterpiece “Fast Car” from Jonas Blue and Dakota.
