Tracy Chapman: Talkin' 'bout a Revolution
Tracy Chapman, singer-songwriter and guitar player, is a multi-platinum and four-time Grammy Award-winning artist. She was born in Cleveland, Ohio in poverty where she was raised by her mother who recognized Tracy's love of music and encouraged and supported it. Chapman was accepted into the program A Better Chance, which enabled her to attend Wooster School in Connecticut; she subsequently attended Tufts University. While street-performing in Harvard Square and playing guitar in coffeehouses in Cambridge, she was discovered by son of Charles Koppelman, director of SBK Publishing, who signed Chapman in 1986.
Chapman has performed in numerous charity events and is a steady supporter of human rights initiatives. Chapman's liberal, revolutionary and anti-war songs were influential on American college campuses in the late '80s. One such song was the popular 1988 song " Talkin' 'bout a Revolution" (lyrics follow the video - this version alone has been viewed more than 3.5 million times on Youtube):
Don't you know you're talking about a revolution
It sounds like a whisper
Don't you know they're talking about a revolution
It sounds like a whisper
While they're standing in the welfare lines
Crying at the doorsteps of those armies of salvation
Wasting time in unemployment lines
Sitting around waiting for a promotion
Don't you know you're talking about a revolution
It sounds like a whisper
Poor people are gonna rise up
And get their share
Poor people are gonna rise up
And take what's theirs
Don't you know you better run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run
Oh I said you better run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run
Finally the tables are starting to turn
Talking about a revolution
Finally the tables are starting to turn
Talking about a revolution oh no
Talking about a revolution oh no
While they're standing in the welfare lines Crying at the doorsteps of those armies of salvation Wasting time in unemployment lines Sitting around waiting for a promotion
Don't you know you're talking about a revolution It sounds like a whisper
And finally the tables are starting to turn Talking about a revolution Finally the tables are starting to turn Talking about a revolution oh no Talking about a revolution oh no Talking about a revolution oh no
