Member-only story
The Impact of Tracy Chapman on GenX
The anatomy of a song
The internet exploded from the gentlest performance I have seen in a long time. The duet of Fast Car, by Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs, affected anyone who had a relationship with that song, but for us GenXers, it had an even deeper meaning. It was a reflection of our lives in a way we never even thought to imagine.
This powerful rendition created such a catharsis, such a compilation of emotions that the ripple effect still resonates, days later.
Ironic really, I had not even heard of nor seen Luke Combs until that magical night at the Grammys. So, when I saw this man, up there harmonizing so beautifully with an icon from my youth, the world stood still for the five-plus minutes they were up there.
The contrast in their backgrounds was as dichotic as could be. A black, female lesbian and a white, cis male country singer. However, through music, the stereotypes were completely melted away. It was just two incredibly talented people slowing down time, to one of the greatest anthems of two distinct generations. What may have been heard as a folk song or a remake with a tinge of twang, was nothing more than a love song…
