This week, I’m taking a more serious turn from my regular Throwback Friday posts in light of Rihanna speaking out about abusive relationship at the hands of Chris Brown.  Also, I have maybe a handful of artists at most that are my absolute favorites and Tracy Chapman is one of them.  It was actually my dad that introduced me to her.  He received a copy of her self titled debut album, released in 1988, on cassette tape and dubbed a copy for me (a real treat in our house growing up) after realizing that I enjoyed listening to it so much.  Again, that’s probably a cassette tape that I still have stored away in a shoebox or one of my cassette tape storage cases (you youngins won’t know anything about that).

Yes, that’s the album that had “Fast Car,” but it also had this song “Behind The Wall” among many others that were full of spirit and meaning.  I was drawn to her soulfulness of her voice.  In general, I am particularly drawn to artists that excel lyrically, vocally connect with the audience to the point where you feel every word, and musically I’m not as picky (hence the fact that I listen to a variety of music genres).  I have every one of her albums, and remember going to see her in concert at Merriweather Post Pavillion with one of my best girlfriends back in high school who shared an equal love for Tracy Chapman’s music.  Back then, it was mostly Tracy and an acoustic guitar.  Simple and beautiful.

To tell you about how much of a fan I became comes with more stories than I have room for in this post and for most of your attention spans.  I mean, I remember being out in San Jose, CA at a record store with my cousin and convincing the store to give me the Tracy Chapman poster they had hanging up on the wall.

Now that I’m a writer, I should try to reach out to Tracy’s people and see if she will grant me an interview.  It would be a dream come true for me.

“Behind The Wall” speaks of domestic violence and is sung a capella.  There was never a video made of the song, and I didn’t see a quality enough live performance of it online to share with you, but in a way, that’s absolutely perfect because this song is more about the message than visual effects.

Rihanna, this one’s for you, girl!  I got yo back.

Related Links

• Ifelicious Thoughts- all Throwback Friday Posts
• Tracy Chapman official website- www.tracychapman.com
• Myspace- myspace.com/tracychapman
• Twitter (Tracy Chapman News)- tchapmantour
• About Tracy Chapman- DISCOGRAPHY
• About Tracy Chapman- BIOGRAPHY

Enough of my 80s flashback and on to the show…none of these kids could sing. I mean NONE of them! They all seem to have comfort and confidence on the stage, probably fostered by growing up in that world. Hold on while I hit the mute button as Lara Johnston butcher’s “I’m With You” by Avril Lavigne…Ghastly!

If any of them are going to make it, they need to prove they’re at least better than American Idol finalists, which they’re not, and they have to work twice as hard to prove in order to step out of the shadows and show they can hold their own.

Well, MTV, you just teed up candidates for the next season of your sister station VH-1’s The Surreal Life. You watch and tell me what you think.

Ok, A’Keiba Burrell has some talent, but you could see that as they were telling her story. Although, her sound isn’t so different than another good black songstress. Nothing uniquely identifying or memorable. Good luck, A’Keiba, maybe you can help bail your father out of debt (that was wrong, I know). Ok, Crosby Loggins isn’t horrendous but not fanstastic either.

Who do you think has the mojo to release a #1 hit?

UPDATE 5/7: Since writing this post and later having the interview with Lil B Sure, I’ve been surfing for other blog posts about the show and about Lil B. The blog Real Gossip 101seems to have dedicated quite some time to this effort. I have no idea why I didn’t bump into this before, but I’m linking a few of the posts below. They are pretty tough on Lil B and his good friend Landon Brown, but what’s fame without controversy?

http://realgossip101.blogspot.com/2008/03/al-b-sure-bobby-brown-mc-hammers-seeds.html

http://realgossip101.blogspot.com/2008/04/tone-death-bffs-lil-al-b-sure-landon.html

…and I’d be remiss not to put in a shameless plug for my own posts about Lil B Sure:

interview with Lil B Sure and  a promo about Lil B (thanks to Ideal PR for both)

from the album “It Ain’t Nuthin’ But A She Thing”…
“The Weakness in Me”, Melissa Etheridge
“Don’t Smoke in Bed”, Patti Smith

from the album “Waiting to Exhale” soundtrack…
“Not Gon’ Cry”, Mary J. Blige
“My Funny Valentine”, Chaka Khan
“How Could You Call Her Baby”, Shanna

from the album “Mary” (Mary J Blige)…
“Beautiful Ones”
“Your Child”
“Give Me You”

from the album “Acoustic Soul” (India Arie)…
“Video”
“Strength, Courage, and Wisdom”
“Beautiful”

from the album “Matters of the Heart” (Tracy Chapman)…
“Woman’s Work”

from the album “Crossroads” (Tracy Chapman)…
“Be Careful of My Heart”
“Born to Fight”
“This Time”
“All that you have is your Soul”

from the album “Breakaway” (Kelly Clarkson)…
“A Beautiful Disaster”

from the album “Me, Myself, and I” (Cheryl Pepsii Riley)
“Thanks for my Child”

other singles
“Chills” (Fatty Koo)
“How Come You Don’t Call Me” (Alicia Keyes)
“Showstoppin’” (Danity Kane)
“Conceited” (Remy Ma)
“Milkshake” (Kelis)
“Work It’” (Missy Elliott)
“Lipgloss” (Lil Mama)
“Just Fine” (Mary J. Blige)
“Girlfight” (Brooke Valentine)