Sometimes, it feels like there isn’t a lot of magic left in mainstream music. A handful of creators are pushed by the strongest record labels towards getting the most airplay, social media clicks, and awards won, spending week after week holding court at the top of the song charts. Discovery feels replaced by spoon-fed predictability, with choices that are as soft and lukewarm as a bit of pureed pop peas or a dash of average alternative applesauce.
But, occasionally, that large, well-oiled machinery can still produce pleasantly unexpected results. That’s exactly what occurred two years ago in the country music realm, when an artist’s out-of-left-field cover song not only reached number one on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs Chart, but also gave the world a brand-new lifeline of recognition and introduction to one of the most woefully underrated and brilliant singer-songwriters of a generation.
Luke Combs’ “Fast Car” Cover Helped Tracy Chapman Make Country History
And To Set A Long Overdue Record
Back in 2023, Luke Combs recorded the Tracy Chapman song “Fast Car” as a cover for his fourth studio album, Gettin’ Old. The song was the second single from the LP and quickly became one of its most-streamed tracks. This helped drive “Fast Car” on the fast lane to second place on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, as well as first on the Hot Country Songs Chart. These placements both ranked higher than Chapman’s original version, which reached six on the Billboard Hot 100.
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In addition to the success of Combs’ take on “Fast Car,” that number one placement on the Hot Country Songs Chart also set a record when it came to Chapman being the songwriter behind her original 1988 hit. Never before in the history of the chart has a Black songwriter reached the number one slot. But that wasn’t all when it came to the historical recognition Chapman would receive from country music when it came to the success of Combs’ “Fast Car” take.
Chapman Also Became The First Black Songwriter To Win The CMA’s Song Of The Year Award
More Acclaim For The “Fast Car” Trophy Case
During November 2023’s Country Music Awards ceremony, Chapman also took home a Song of the Year honor along with Combs for “Fast Car.” That made her the first Black songwriter to ever win the CMA accolade and added to the honors “Fast Car” has accumulated long-term since it became a hit.
“Fast Car” was nominated for three Grammys when Chapman initially put it out in 1988, with the musician taking home a nod for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Chapman not only got to receive more well-deserved flowers for her work after over three decades, but was also resoundingly praised by Combs, who called “Fast Car” one of his most-loved and “first favorite” songs during his CMA Song of the Year acceptance speech. But that wasn’t the end of the “Fast Car” focus.
Luke Combs Further Honored Chapman By Performing With Her At The 2024 Grammys
And It Made All The Attention On “Fast Car” Feel Sweetly Complete
The attention brought to “Fast Car” by Luke Combs’ take on the song initially drew some controversy. This was mostly because of how beloved Tracy Chapman is and some felt her gorgeous artistry had long been ignored, only to change when a white male artist used one of her songs. But performances like Combs and Chapman uniting to play “Fast Car” at the 2024 Grammys helped to change that perception.
Chapman had, of course, already cosigned Combs’ cover by this point, but the way the song is performed here really seals Combs’ true adoration, tribute, and respect for Chapman and “Fast Car.” He keeps the focus on Chapman throughout, and the awestruck look on his face and reverence for her make this duet endearingly genuine. The moment makes a song about trying to overcome the harsh realities of poverty and hardship transcend race, gender, genre, or storyteller. This is just two people coming together to share in the beautiful power of what true art can do.
