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Tracy Chapman — Crossroads
Album: Crossroads
Avg rating:
7.2

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1663









Released: 1989
Length: 4:10
Plays (last 30 days): 2
All you folks think you own my life
But you never made any sacrifice
Demons they are on my trail
I'm standing at the crossroads of the hell
I look to the left I look to the right
There're hands that grab me on every side

All you folks think I got my price
At which I'll sell all that is mine
You think money rules when all else fails
Go sell your soul and keep your shell
I'm trying to protect what I keep inside
All the reasons why I live my life

Some say the devil be a mystical thing
I say the devil he a walking man
He a fool he a liar conjurer and a thief
He try to tell you what you want
Try to tell you what you need

Standing at the point
The road it cross you down
What is at your back
Which way do you turn
Who will come to find you first
Your devils or your gods

All you folks think you run my life
Say I should be willing to compromise
I say all you demons go back to hell
I'll save my soul save myself
Comments (102)add comment
 bhromo1 wrote:

I just can not begin to describe how much I hate the singing of this unbearable woman...and her waining ...so F$%$#ing repetitive!! nauseating!



Woah there..!!
 jp33442 wrote:

Who cares if he did


..did Biden?
a woman with a challenge and a purpuse
Hello from France
Oliver
 Waaiers wrote:

Recognisable wanting to drive knitting needles through my ears.
One of those voices I really can't stand hearing anymore. Along with that of Alanis Morissette.
Then again, everything is better than autotune.



Go ahead with the needles, I'm OK with that.
 Waaiers wrote:

Recognisable wanting to drive knitting needles through my ears.
One of those voices I really can't stand hearing anymore. Along with that of Alanis Morissette.
Then again, everything is better than autotune.




Was only a modest A.M. fan, although her words seemed more important than her tunes & voice.  As for Chapman, she consistently sings from the heart lyrics that consistently read as poetry.  I don't know if it's good or bad, but the woman really has not sold out to Pop Star Greatness.  Sorry you don't like her.
Good Tune!
Recognisable wanting to drive knitting needles through my ears.
One of those voices I really can't stand hearing anymore. Along with that of Alanis Morissette.
Then again, everything is better than autotune.
 whatsupdude wrote:
Wonder if Trump ever listened to this song.
 
Who cares if he did
Wonder if Trump ever listened to this song.
 jbuhl wrote:

Don't ruin it.  Record it at 16/48
 
Or, even 24bit/96kHz - and we can now even do 32bit/192kHz!
 radioparadise9 wrote:
 NeilBlanchard wrote:
Good to hear this again.  I will have to record it to MP3 from vinyl ...

I f you've got vinyl, u
se FLAC, MP3 is lossy 



 
You're right, of course. I have a new DAC now (Schiit Bifrost 2) and it sounds better than ever.
 NeilBlanchard wrote:
Good to hear this again.  I will have to record it to MP3 from vinyl ...

I f you've got vinyl, u
se FLAC, MP3 is lossy 



Not a huge fan, but I dig this.
BONG BONG BONG
Just can't help knocking loud my desk... BONG BONG BONG
 flyboy wrote:

Me, too.  In the sense that I want to drive knitting needles through my ears when I hear her, and that would likely be fatal.

 
Never turn down a chance to shitpost, eh Flyboy?
 flyboy wrote:

Me, too.  In the sense that I want to drive knitting needles through my ears when I hear her, and that would likely be fatal.

 
I wouldn't let that stop you, you never know till you try.
 NeilBlanchard wrote:
Good to hear this again.  I will have to record it to MP3 from vinyl ...

 
Don't ruin it.  Record it at 16/48
 LowPhreak wrote:
This woman's voice slays me every time. {#Notworthy}

 
Me, too.  In the sense that I want to drive knitting needles through my ears when I hear her, and that would likely be fatal.
You think money rules and all else fails.....Sell your soul, keep your shell
WHOA.  This is the song I fell in love with when she hit the airwaves, not "Fast Car", though I love that too!

{#Dancingbanana} 
She is incredible...save my soul, save myself!!!
this woman is a Goddess
Good to hear this again.  I will have to record it to MP3 from vinyl ...
Hands down  no question what's just gone into the cd case for the car for tomorrow.  How do i forget to listen to Tracy Chapman for long enough to even wonder that?
{#Sunny}
 LowPhreak wrote:
This woman's voice slays me every time. {#Notworthy}

 
............ and me
This woman's voice slays me every time. {#Notworthy}
This is especially impressive considering how lousy in general the late '80s were musically.
This is one of the rockin'est beats ever.
 WonderLizard wrote:

You need to get a better "hang" on yer "thang," 'cos josephine never wrote what you attributed to her. As a matter of fact, what you quoted doesn't appear anywhere in her Song Comments. Whatever you are/were up to is not appreciated. Maybe you're a newbie. Maybe you're a fuck-up. Maybe you're just another troublemaker. I'm thinking you apologize or get lost. Deal?

Double check for all of you watching this: Highlowsel hasn't posted since March '09. Maybe he's just one of those stinky little browsers.

 
Hey, wondershit. Go F yourself.
I really like that woman a lot.
Another pride of Cleveland.

Nice to hear this now.
Who will come to find you first
Your devils or your gods
All you folks think you run my life
Say I should be willing to compromise
I say all you demons go back to hell
I'll save my soul save myself
 Highlowsel wrote:
Whoops....still getting the hang of this "thang" on RP. Me have listened long time; but only recently took the next step. Heh!
 
You need to get a better "hang" on yer "thang," 'cos josephine never wrote what you attributed to her. As a matter of fact, what you quoted doesn't appear anywhere in her Song Comments. Whatever you are/were up to is not appreciated. Maybe you're a newbie. Maybe you're a fuck-up. Maybe you're just another troublemaker. I'm thinking you apologize or get lost. Deal?

Double check for all of you watching this: Highlowsel hasn't posted since March '09. Maybe he's just one of those stinky little browsers.

Tracy came out of the 80s—glam bands, big snare drums, techno music, eyeliner, heavy metal. In her context, I think she's a great folk find with caring music & lyrics.

Gag
Are you kidding?  So the thousands and thousands of Joni Mitchell wannabe clones don't bother you?  
Chapman and Armatrading both burn with excellence and truth, but occupy different emotional topography... there's room for both of them and more, if they're as good as those two.

Josephine wrote:
I'm not taking anything away from Tracy C. but why do I feel, whenever I listen to her, that Joan Armatrading got there first? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Armatrading
 



Jared wrote:
I'd pay large sums of money to hear Tiny Tim cover ANYTHING Tracy has done, and he'd bury her in a heatbeat.
Thank goddess for small mercies - Tiny Tim is long dead!
Highlowsel wrote:
Josephine wrote:
I'm not taking anything away from Tracy C. but why do I feel, whenever I listen to her, that Joan Armatrading got there first? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Armatrading
Whoops....still getting the hang of this "thang" on RP. Me have listened long time; but only recently took the next step. Heh!
Josephine wrote:
I'm not taking anything away from Tracy C. but why do I feel, whenever I listen to her, that Joan Armatrading got there first? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Armatrading
steeler wrote:
She had first-hand experience being poor. Have you? Perspectives matter. I appreciate hers. And I appreciate song lyrics that at least attempt to dig deep. This one does just that. Save my soul, save my life.
siandbeth wrote:
I was at a Ben Harper show years ago in the "guests of Ben Harper" area (went w/ a friends record exec housemate) and was musing about the Tracy Chapman wanna-be I was sitting by. Then I realized it WAS Tracy Chapman. Then I felt like a chump. I was really depressed to see how BH had to cosy up to the Record Company people at that show - everyone's wives wanted their picture taken with him and so he had to sit there with a photographer getting about 30 snapshots taken with these people who were just smitten with him! Yikes. It was an ugly glimpse into the world of recording artists/recording execs. I was happy to get down on the dancefloor away from it.
It is much worse than that ... the best way I can describe it is with this great emoticon:
hcaudill wrote:
Tracy Chapman is a one-note artist, and that one note is whiny resentment. I've always liked her music OK, but the simple-minded coffeehouse radicalism is starting to get old (everything is the Man's fault, it's all the struggling poor vs the complacent rich, etc.)
She had first-hand experience being poor. Have you? Perspectives matter. I appreciate hers. And I appreciate song lyrics that at least attempt to dig deep. This one does just that. Save my soul, save my life.
I like her, but prefer Joan Armatrading.
I was at a Ben Harper show years ago in the "guests of Ben Harper" area (went w/ a friends record exec housemate) and was musing about the Tracy Chapman wanna-be I was sitting by. Then I realized it WAS Tracy Chapman. Then I felt like a chump. I was really depressed to see how BH had to cosy up to the Record Company people at that show - everyone's wives wanted their picture taken with him and so he had to sit there with a photographer getting about 30 snapshots taken with these people who were just smitten with him! Yikes. It was an ugly glimpse into the world of recording artists/recording execs. I was happy to get down on the dancefloor away from it.
wow, powerful song, especially when it is turned up to the appropriate volume.
I'd pay large sums of money to hear Tiny Tim cover ANYTHING Tracy has done, and he'd bury her in a heatbeat.
What a sweet voice
Luna2 wrote:
Her best album
Absolutely. And this, her best song. She was on the leading edge of the 90s folk revival, and deserved all the plaudits she received at the time.
splooge wrote:
I think you may be right.
Well said
bluedot wrote:
i'm a guy and i think she's kewl. not braindead. more like BRAINY. ...with soul. ...and heart. EXTREMELY thought provoking. quite frankly, i think that you need to listen a little harder because you are depriving yourself of the appreciation of a truly bitchen, entertaining and worthy talent. and she sings a MEAN duet with b.b. king!
Couldn't agree more. I used to listen to her over and over again whilst a kid (17 now). Was one of my favorite artists and still is.
AlienRelic wrote:
This is a digression from the subject of the song, which I like, but in my personal opinion, based on what I've seen lately, this country could benefit greatly from a good deal more coffehouse radicalism.
I think you may be right.
queenjill wrote:
Was it her lesbianism or her poor teaching skills that resulted in your inappropriate use of punctuation in that remark?
Queenjill, punctuation Police! Re: your reply to my post on 'Amazing Grace'.
Loonytunas wrote:
please stop!
Oh no, drive on in that fast car.
please stop!
She is getting really old really fast. Less of her, more of just about anyone else.
thewiseking wrote:
tell me who; other than your lesbian english teacher, still listens to this stuff.
Was it her lesbianism or her poor teaching skills that resulted in your inappropriate use of punctuation in that remark?
Ah, yes. The resentful Ms Chapman, driving around in her Mercedes.
hcaudill wrote:
Tracy Chapman is a one-note artist, and that one note is whiny resentment. I've always liked her music OK, but the simple-minded coffeehouse radicalism is starting to get old (everything is the Man's fault, it's all the struggling poor vs the complacent rich, etc.)
But it is all the Man's fault and it is all the struggling poor vs. the compacent rich! Even with that said, my name's on the list of those tired of Tracy Chapman.
hcaudill wrote:
Tracy Chapman is a one-note artist, and that one note is whiny resentment. I've always liked her music OK, but the simple-minded coffeehouse radicalism is starting to get old (everything is the Man's fault, it's all the struggling poor vs the complacent rich, etc.)
This is a digression from the subject of the song, which I like, but in my personal opinion, based on what I've seen lately, this country could benefit greatly from a good deal more coffehouse radicalism.
hcaudill wrote:
Tracy Chapman is a one-note artist, and that one note is whiny resentment. I've always liked her music OK, but the simple-minded coffeehouse radicalism is starting to get old (everything is the Man's fault, it's all the struggling poor vs the complacent rich, etc.)
Ditto. We all have problems, Tracy. Singing about yours made you some good money, so be thankful for that. If I had any talent at all, today I would write a song about how I hate taxes.
tell me who; other than your lesbian english teacher, still listens to this stuff.
Her best album
I'm standing at the crossroads wondering...do I like Tracy Chapman?
All you folks think you own my life But you never made any sacrifice
Tracy Chapman is a one-note artist, and that one note is whiny resentment. I've always liked her music OK, but the simple-minded coffeehouse radicalism is starting to get old (everything is the Man's fault, it's all the struggling poor vs the complacent rich, etc.)
I'm not a Tracy Chapman fan but this is a good song.
Bill, you've entered a state of flow here: Steve Earle - Johnny Too Bad (Hillbilly Mix) Majek Fashek - Love and Affection Tracy Chapman - Crossroads These tunes blend really well together!
tawanda wrote:
Bill, you've noted how hard it is to get Stevie Wonder played on "white rock" radio. You'll notice the same applies to black women who don't do "urban chick music" -- airy pop/hip-hop/soul -- how often do you hear Tracy Chapman, Joan Armatrading or Meshell Ndegeocello on mainstream radio? Yet another reason to love RP.
hear! hear!
tawanda wrote:
how often do you hear Tracy Chapman, Joan Armatrading or Meshell Ndegeocello on mainstream radio?
Daily on the local ClearChannel station. And, frankly, I'd rather hear her there than here on RP. srbarry wrote:
Sorry, she lost any authenticity along time ago. Now it's just a clever formula designed to appeal to the coffee house 'I'm more sensitive and aware than you are' crowd. She gets way more airtime here than her music deserves.
I have to say I agree. Once upon a time I believed in her, but she has ceased to evolve, and that's tiring. Acceptable tune at best.
squarepixel wrote:
I always liked the idea of Tracy Chapman... a sort of roots rock/blues/folk artist. Still, I can't really get into her music.
That's perfect. Why should the actual music get in the way of what's politically correct? Sorry, she lost any authenticity along time ago. Now it's just a clever formula designed to appeal to the coffee house 'I'm more sensitive and aware than you are' crowd. She gets way more airtime here than her music deserves.
This is a really, really good song from Tracy Chapman. I'd not given her music much of a chance after Fast Car but this is really solid.
Sorry... I could never get into Tracy. Not fond of her voice and, if this were the car radio, I'd have punched the button L-O-N-G before now.
bluedot wrote:
not braindead. more like BRAINY. ...with soul. ...and heart. EXTREMELY thought provoking.
Exactly. Why do people attack thought-provoking music like this by labeling it as lacking diversity? Leaves me befuddled. It is diverse because of the viewpoint.
rayraspi wrote:
two Chapman songs in 3 hours I hate tracey chapman's music for the pure fact, 1> I can't relate to the angry/angst/lost/desperate hardships of being a woman and 2> it's braindead music... Made to entertain people that don't like diversity in their music or anything thought provoking. Even modern-pop music has more diversity than this.
i'm a guy and i think she's kewl. not braindead. more like BRAINY. ...with soul. ...and heart. EXTREMELY thought provoking. quite frankly, i think that you need to listen a little harder because you are depriving yourself of the appreciation of a truly bitchen, entertaining and worthy talent. and she sings a MEAN duet with b.b. king!
trekhead wrote:
Don't mean to be anti-RP here, but check out WXRT/Chicago (on the web) play all these artists,SW, TC, JA and MN, yet middle America... (and commercials...)
I would agree - to a point, but it is all those commercials that have made XRT unlistenable to me. I listened to them a LOT in the seventies and eighties - but now I listen only when there isn't access to RP or SAT radio because of the jingles and DJ commercial rock patter. Only on XRT (and the lamentably long gone 'The Fox WJKL") could you hear The Cramps followed by Synergy followed by Lou Reed. Now the diversity is less (though still far better than most popular radio stations) and that along with the canned spam and DJ Yapathons have killed any interest I have in listening to them. - Riff
tawanda wrote:
Bill, you've noted how hard it is to get Stevie Wonder played on "white rock" radio. You'll notice the same applies to black women who don't do "urban chick music" -- airy pop/hip-hop/soul -- how often do you hear Tracy Chapman, Joan Armatrading or Meshell Ndegeocello on mainstream radio? Yet another reason to love RP.
Don't mean to be anti-RP here, but check out WXRT/Chicago (on the web) play all these artists,SW, TC, JA and MN, yet middle America... (and commercials...)
Less Chapman! More Nickleback! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaitaminute. Am I being sarcastic? Could be.
rayraspi wrote:
two Chapman songs in 3 hours I hate tracey chapman's music for the pure fact, 1> I can't relate to the angry/angst/lost/desperate hardships of being a woman and 2> it's braindead music... Made to entertain people that don't like diversity in their music or anything thought provoking. Even modern-pop music has more diversity than this.
You what? That would be "diversity", "thought" and "pop music" as defined on Star Trek's Nazi Planet then?
njr wrote:
Quite possibly my favorite Tracy Chapman song. (It still amazes me how different people's tastes can be...)
No kidding. It is hilarious how people get SO bent out of shape over a song or artist. This is a great album..... love the song "Bridges".
Some artists can buy a Mercedes and I'm totally fine with it. Hearing that Tracy drives one, on the other hand, makes me roll my eyes every time I hear her now.
Listening to Tracy Chapman always reminds me of the first time I really heard her, which was driving in South Africa with my friend Steyn on a gorgeous sunny winter day in a gorgeous place. Thanks.
I'm not sure who I dislike more, Tracy Chapman or her brother Jack Johnson
beelzebubba wrote:
ARGH! If I wanted to hear this crap, I would move back into the city and hang out all day at the local politically-correct coffee house!
Say hi to all the thinking people for me!
One of my all-time favorite TC songs. Great choice
One word - overrated.
:(
Originally Posted by rayraspi: two Chapman songs in 3 hours I hate tracey chapman's music for the pure fact, 1> I can't relate to the angry/angst/lost/desperate hardships of being a woman and 2> it's braindead music... Made to entertain people that don't like diversity in their music or anything thought provoking. Even modern-pop music has more diversity than this.
surely you jest, you don't have to be a woman to feel angst! :oops:
Great theme, great song. Great artists, like TC, know the evocative power of a simple theme expanded. As for Leslie and tlem, don't get me wrong, I love Joni, too.
ARGH! If I wanted to hear this crap, I would move back into the city and hang out all day at the local politically-correct coffee house!
Originally Posted by tlem: I agree that both Tracy Chapman and Joni Mitchell are excellent songwriters. Have you noticed how different they are, though. Joni's music contains very complex phrasing and often a variety of sections in a song. Tracy makes much simpler music. This song is a good example--one lick was all it took to make a good song. This trend in Tracy's music goes all the way back to Album 1 and "Fast Car". I find myself pulling out my Joni platters more than my Tracy's, but I'm glad I have them both.
Excellent observations tlem.
Bill, you\'ve noted how hard it is to get Stevie Wonder played on \"white rock\" radio. You\'ll notice the same applies to black women who don\'t do \"urban chick music\" -- airy pop/hip-hop/soul -- how often do you hear Tracy Chapman, Joan Armatrading or Meshell Ndegeocello on mainstream radio? Yet another reason to love RP.
I always liked the idea of Tracy Chapman... a sort of roots rock/blues/folk artist. Still, I can\'t really get into her music.
This entire album is pretty wonderful. Tracy is one of the best female songwriters to come along since Joni Mitchell.
Quite possibly my favorite Tracy Chapman song. (It still amazes me how different people's tastes can be...)
I\'m a Tracy fan but this isn\'t one that I\'m particularly fond of. Still, hard to go wrong with Tracy.