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Tracy Chapman: Crossroads

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s

Artist: Tracy Chapman
Title: Crossroads
Released: 1989
Label: Elektra Asylum Records
Time: 42:32
Producer(s): See Artists ...
Appears with:
Category: Pop/Rock
Rating: ********.. (8/10)
Media type: CD
Purchase date:  2001.02.21
Price in €: 9,99
Web address: www.tracychapman.com

 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Crossroads (Tracy Chapman) - 4:11
[2] Bridges (Tracy Chapman) - 5:24
[3] Freedom Now (Tracy Chapman) - 4:02
[4] Material World (Tracy Chapman) - 3:02
[5] Be Careful of My Heart (Tracy Chapman) - 4:39
[6] Subcity (Tracy Chapman) - 5:09
[7] Born to Fight (Tracy Chapman) - 2:46
[8] Hundred Years (Tracy Chapman) - 4:20
[9] This Time (Tracy Chapman) - 3:43
[10] All That You Have Is Your Soul (Tracy Chapman) - 5:16

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


Tracy Chapman - Acoustic, 12 String & Electric Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals, Background Vocals, Producer

Marc Cohn - Piano
Frank Marocco - Accordion
Scarlet Rivera - Violin
Bobbye Hall - Percussion, Conga
Charlie Bisharat - Violin, Viola, Electric Violin, Pizzicato Violin
Paulinho Da Costa - Tambourine
Denny Fongheiser - Drums
Jack Holder - Banjo, Piano
Larry Klein - Bass
Danny Kortchmar - Electric Guitar
Russ Kunkel - Drums
Jim Lacefield - Cello
Tim Landers - Bass
Bob Marlette - Keyboards
G.E. Smith - Electric & Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin
John X. Volaitis - Piano
Snooky Young - Trumpet
William D. "Smitty" Smith - Organ
Steve Lindley - Electric Piano
William Smith - Organ

Carolyn Dennis - Background Vocals
Peggi Blu - Background Vocals
Sheila Minard - Background Vocals
Roz Seay - Background Vocals
Elesecia Wright - Background Vocals

David Kershenbaum - Producer
Kevin W. Smith - Engieer, Mixing
Martin Lester - Ass. Engineer
John X. Volaitis - Add. Engineering
Bob Ludwig - Mastering
Herb Ritts - Photography
Carol Bobolts - Design
 

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s

1989 CD Elektra 60888-2
1989 CD Elektra 9 60888-2
1989 CS Elektra 60888-4

On her second album, Tracy Chapman goes the traditional singer-songwriter route - think Carly Simon, James Taylor, etc. - by largely writing about the effects on her life of the unexpected success of her first album. The title track, standard blues imagery aside, is as self-analytical and autobiographical as any one of Joni Mitchell's early '70s albums. Othersongs, like "Material World", address the same concerns in more subtle fashion. Elsewhere, Chapman looks at freedom and oppression in such songs as the Nelson Mandela tribute "Freedom Now" and "All That You Have is Your Soul". Chapman and producer David Kershenbaum add subtle touches like horns,slide guitar (courtesy of Neil Young), and accordion, opening up the guitar-and-voice canvas of her self-titled debut and fleshing out the strongly melodic songs without overpowering them.



After the enormous success of her eponymous debut album in 1988, enhanced by her appearance at a Nelson Mandela tribute concert that same year, it was never going to be easy for Tracy Chapman to deliver a similar bolt from the singer-songwriter blues a year later on this, her "tricky" second album. On Crossroads Chapman plays it cautiously from a musical point of view, offering a slightly fleshed-out version of the smouldering acoustics of her debut. But Chapman's subdued sound can't conceal the unabated anger of her lyrics. "Freedom Now", dedicated to Nelson Mandela, "Material World and "Subcity", a scalding diatribe against racism and urban poverty are reminiscent of Nina Simone in their quivering indignation. After this album, however, Tracy Chapman had made her point and seemed to lose interest in her career.

David Stubbs, Amazon.co.uk



Tracy Chapman's self-titled debut album of 1988 was an incredibly tough act to follow, but the folk-rocker delivered an inspired sophomore effort with Crossroads. While it falls short of the excellence of her stunning debut, Crossroads is a heartfelt, honest offering that's well worth obtaining. Dedicated to South African freedom fighter Nelson Mandela, the anthemic "Freedom Now" is one of Chapman's best protest songs. Equally compelling is "Subcity," a lament for the poor, disenfranchised underclass that stands on the outside of the American Dream looking in. Much of the time, however, Chapman isn't going for immediacy — introspective and subtle, songs like "Bridges," "Be Careful of My Heart" and "All That You Have is Your Soul" require at least several listenings in order to be fully appreciated.

Alex Henderson, All-Music Guide



In the wake of the triumphant musical and marketplace success of her self-titled debut, one would think it next to impossible for Tracy Chapman to again capture the hearts and minds of the public in such a strong and uncompromising fashion as she did last year-such was her acclaim that her downcast face and jumbo Spanish guitar became the instantly recognizable image of what to many was "the year of the female singer/songwriter." Well, sure enough, a year later she returns, honing and refining her art to produce a second batch of modern folk melodies that rivals and might even surpass the promises of her auspicious debut. Again produced with steady hands and a lot of heart by David Kershenbaum, Crossroads features some of Chapman's most hauntingly beautiful vocals to date (Joan Armatrading comparisons are inevitable), as she continues to address the deeply personal, soul-baring topics that first set her apart (the titles "Material World," "Freedom Now" and "All That You Have Is Your Soul" reveal the album's most prevalent subject matter) with only slightly more instrumentation than before-it's still not really necessary to her impact. More a reaffirmation and solidification of her vocal and songwriting stature than a move forward to new ground, Crossroads offers more of the startling honesty and urgency that made her debut so special.

CMJ New Music Report Issue: 179 - Sep 22, 1989
© 1978-1999 College Media Inc. All rights reserved.



Altes, furchtbares Dilemma der zweiten Platte nach einem erfolgreichen Debüt. Es gibt nur zwei Möglichkeiten: Entweder der Künstler baut auf seinem Erfolg auf -- dann ist alles gut. Oder er versucht zu kopieren, womit er schon mal Geld verdient hat -- dann kann's böse enden. Tracy Chapman lieferte mit Crossroads ein solides Album ab, hielt sich aber musikalisch streng an ihr sehr erfolgreichen Debüt Tracy Chapman. Allzu streng. So tritt mit der Zeit beim Hören von Crossroads das Gefühl ein, daß man (sehr) ähnliches von ihr schon mal ein wenig besser gehört hat. Fast hörbar dabei scheint die Sorge um ihre eigene Glaubwürdigkeit nach dem großen Erfolg zu sein: Die Platte klingt gewollt kritisch, die Inhalte sind oft angestrengt politisch (etwa bei "Material World").

Trotzdem sind auch auf der zweiten Veröffentlichung der amerikanischen Sängerin einige Perlen versteckt: "Be Careful With My Heart" ist ein wunderbares Liebeslied, "Subcity" verpackt bitterbösen Text in eine fast zärtliche Melodie. Und bei aller Kritik muß hoffnungslos scheitern, wer versucht, sich ihrer bemerkenswerten Stimme zu entziehen. "All That You Have Is Your Soul" etwa ist eines der schönsten Lieder, das Tracy Chapman je gesungen hat. Wer sich damit abfindet, daß nicht jeder Tag ein Sonntag ist, wird auch an Crossroads Freude haben.

Michael Ebert, Amazon.de



Tracy Chapmans Debüt, dreifach Grammy-dekoriert, neun Millionen Mal ver- kauft, war eins der erfolgreichsten überhaupt. Am Scheideweg Crossroads ent- schied sie zugunsten der Kontinuität. Die Produktion ist delikat, pur audio- phil; die Arrangements sind - bei vertrauter Stilpalette - gespickt mit er- lesenen Zutaten wie gedämpfter Jazztrompete oder hauchzartem Cello-Flor. Perfekt!

© Audio



Die populärste Repräsentantin des Akustik-Trends bleibt ihrem schon zum Mar- kenzeichen gewordenen Sound treu. Wieder singt Tracy Chapman zehn Lieder von ergreifender Schlichtheit und Natürlichkeit. Ihre Themen kreisen um Abschied und Aufbruch, vergammelte Großstadtgettos, die Hohlheit materieller Güter, politische Gefangene und Männer, die ihre Frauen bevormunden. Eine Star-Rie- ge von der US-Westküste besorgte ein schon fast zu perfektes Instrumentalge- rüst, neue Akzente setzen Akkordeon, Mandoline, Violine, Cello und Neil Young als Gast am Piano.

© Stereoplay



Recorded at Powertrax Studio, Hollywood, California. On her second album, Tracy Chapman goes the traditional singer-songwriter route--think Carly Simon, James Taylor, etc.--by largely writing about the effects on her life of the unexpected success of her first album. The title track, standard blues imagery aside, is as self-analytical and autobiographical as any one of Joni Mitchell's early '70s albums. Other songs, like "Material World," address the same concerns in more subtle fashion. Elsewhere, Chapman looks at freedom and oppression in such songs as the Nelson Mandela tribute "Freedom Now" and "All That You Have is Your Soul." Chapman and producer David Kershenbaum add subtle touches like horns, slide guitar (courtesy of Neil Young), and accordion, opening up the guitar-and-voice canvas of her self-titled debut and fleshing out the strongly melodic songs without overpowering them.

CDUniverse.com



Last year's debut album by Tracy Chapman held the promise that the Boston-based singer-songwriter is that rarest of artists: one whose lyric and musical vision transcends the normal boundaries of category and intent. Chapman's impressive second album, Crossroads, affirms that her debut was no fluke; yet Crossroads is so similar to Tracy Chapman that it seems less like a second album than the second part of its predecessor. Most frustratingly, it fails to answer the question of whether Chapman – who came on the scene as a mature and full-blown artist – is capable of leading popular music someplace where it's never been before.

Chapman's ascent to the forefront of the music scene has been breathtaking in its speed. Just three months after the release of her first album, Chapman performed for a worldwide television audience of millions at the Nelson Mandela Freedomfest; by September 1988, she was headlining Amnesty International's global Human Rights Now! Tour along with Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel and Sting. That Chapman could move such a broad audience on the strength of one album is testimony to the power of her vision and clarity of style. Considering Chapman's depth of talent, one would like to think that her artistic success is based on a willingness to take chances rather than on having found a comfortable style.

More than anything, the promise that Chapman holds as an artist is engendered in her composition "Fast Car." A "Born to Run" for the disenfranchised, it proved unequivocably that Chapman is capable of building universal themes out of the most straightforward and unadorned stylistic components. Perhaps to her detriment, its brilliance justifies applying a yardstick to Chapman's work that few in pop music can measure up to.

By that or any other yardstick, Crossroads is hardly a failure. With the exception of the title track and the song "All That You Have Is Your Soul," Chapman neatly avoids one of the most common pitfalls of the Second Album: plumbing the angst of sudden fame. The self-indulgent complaint of the hand-wringing sensitive soul caught in the commercial crush of success is often heard when, after a lifetime of crafting songs for a first album that proves a success, an artist discovers the only condition he or she now has the opportunity to consider is life in the spotlight. That's not the stuff upon which work of universal appeal is constructed, and more often it leads down an insular and blind alley.

Surprisingly, "Crossroads" proves one of Chapman's finest moments on record. If the song's lyric setup – that the record executives and fans now placing so many demands on Chapman are demons intent on dragging her soul to hell – is too narrow, it is saved by the song's rich arrangement and heartfelt delivery. Like the rest of the album, "Crossroads" breaks little new ground for Chapman musically. But its subtly shaded percussion, pizzicato violin and lilting accordion give new muscle to Chapman's previously bareboned presentation.

As with Tracy Chapman, the ten songs on Crossroads focus on social inequality and personal relationships. "Freedom Now," which Chapman performed on the Amnesty International tour, and "Born to Fight" are among the album's best political offerings – plain-spoken and irrefutable. "Subcity," which speaks of the gulf between America's rich and poor, is Dylanesque in its use of harmonica but fails to pack the lyric punch of the last album's "Fast Car" or "Across the Lines," which both depicted similar terrain. And when Chapman says the problem is that "government and big business pull the purse strings," vision is replaced by rhetoric.

Similarly, love songs like "Be Careful With My Heart" and "This Time" are succinct and thoughtful yet strikingly similar in tone to earlier compositions like "Baby Can I Hold You" and "For You."

Since the release of her first album, Chapman has toured exclusively as a solo artist. Yet Crossroads boasts many of the musicians who appeared on her debut, including bassist Larry Klein, drummer Denny Fongheiser and keyboardist Jack Holder. Perhaps the nightly interaction that touring together would have brought could have taken Chapman in a new direction. And producer David Kershenbaum, crucial in solidifying the acoustic-electric fusion of Chapman's debut album, seems satisfied to simply replicate it.

Crossroads is the kind of self-assured, mature album that few artists can make. It's just that Chapman has now made it twice – and it's troubling to consider that for all her talent this could be as far as Chapman is willing to venture. As she puts it on "Crossroads," "I'm trying to protect what I keep inside/All the reasons why I live my life." But examining all those reasons is precisely what the artistic process is about.

FRED GOODMAN, Rolling Stone
(RS 562) Posted: Oct, 5 1989
 

 L y r i c s


Croassroads

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


Bridges

All the bridges that you burn
Come back one day to haunt you
One day you'll find you're walking
Lonely

Baby I
Never meant to hurt you
Sometimes the best intentions
Still don't make things right

But all my ghosts they find me
Like my past they think they own me
In dreams and dark corners they surround me
Till I cry I cry

Let me take this time to set the record straight
Let me take this time to take it all back
Let me take this time to tell you how I felt
Let me take this time to try and make it right

But you can
Walk away
Be all alone
Spend all your time
Thinking about the way things used to be
If love feels right
You work it out
You don't give it up
Baby

Anybody tell you that
Anybody tell you that
Anybody tell you that

You should take some time maybe sleep on it tonight
You should take some time baby hear the words I said
You should take some time think about your life
You should take some time before you throw it all away

I ain't got the time
To sit here and wait around
But I got the time
If you say I'm what you want


Freedom now

They throwed him in jail
And they kept him there
Hoping soon he'd die
That his body and spirit would waste away
And soon after that his mind

But every day is born a fool
One who thinks that he can rule
One who says tomorrow's mine
One who wakes one day to find
The prison doors open the shackles broken
And chaos in the street

Everybody sing we're free free free free
Everybody sing we're free free free free
Everybody sing we're free free free free

They throwed him in jail
And they kept him there
Hoping his memory'd die
That the people forget how he once led
And fought for justice in their lives

But every day is born a man
Who hates what he can't understand
Who thinks the answer is to kill
Who thinks his actions are god's will

And he thinks he's free free free free
Yes he thinks he's free free free free
He thinks he's free free free free

Soon must come the day
When the righteous have their way
Unjustly tried are free
And people live in peace I say
Give the man release
Go on and set your conscience free
Right the wrongs you made
Even a fool can have his day

Let us all be free free free free
Let us all be free free free free
Let us all be free free free free

Free our bodies free our minds
Free our hearts
Freedom for everyone
And freedom now

Freedom now
Freedom now
Freedom now

Let us all be free free free free
Let us all be free free free free
Let us all be free free free free


Material world

You in your fancy
Material world
Don't see the links of chain
Binding blood

Our own ancestors
Are hungry ghosts
Closets so full of bones
They won't close

Call it upward mobility
But you've been sold down the river
Just another form of slavery
And the whole man-made white world
Is your master

You in your fancy
Material world
Create in your own image
A supreme god

Your virgin mary
Your holy ghosts
Claimed to be pure of heart
Have hands that are stained with blood

You in your fancy
Material world
Don't see the links of chain
Binding


Be careful of my heart

You and your sweet smile
You and your tantalizing ways
You and your honey lips
You and all the sweet things that they say
You and your wild wild ways
One day you just up and walked away

You left me hurting
But I can forgive you for that now
You taught me something
Something took half my life to learn
When you give all yourself away
Just tell them to be careful of your heart

Be careful of my heart, heart
Be careful of this heart of mine
Be careful of my heart, heart
It just might break and send some splinters flying
Be careful of my heart, heart
Be careful

You you you
You you you
You you you
Took my love
Thought you took it all

You you you
You you you
You you you
Took my love
And now you're gone

But I'm not breaking down
And I'm not falling apart
I just lost a little faith
When you broke my heart
Given a chance
I might try it again
But I wouldn't risk it all this time

I'd save
A little love for myself
Enough for my heart to mend
A little love for myself
One day I just might love again
One day some sweet smile might turn my head
One day I just might give all myself away
One day
One day
One day


Subcity

People say it doesn't exist
'Cause no one would like to admit
That there is a city underground
Where people live everyday
Off the waste and decay
Off the discards of their fellow man

Here in subcity life is hard
We can't receive any government relief
I'd like to please give Mr. President my honest regards
For disregarding me

They say there's too much crime in these city streets
My sentiments exactly
Government and big business hold the purse strings
When I worked I worked in the factories
I'm at the mercy of the world
I guess I'm lucky to be alive

They say we've fallen through the cracks
They say the system works
But we won't let it
Help
I guess they never stop to think
We might not just want handouts
But a way to make an honest living
Living this ain't living

What did I do deserve this
Had my trust in god
Worked everyday of my life
Thought I had some guarantees
That's what I thought
At least that's what I thought

Last night I had another restless sleep
Wondering what tomorrow might bring
Last night I dreamed
A cold blue light was shining down on me
I screamed myself awake
Thought I must be dying
Thought I must be dying


Born to fight

They're tryin' to take away my pride
By stripping me of everything I own
They're tryin' to hurt me inside
And make me into a white man's drone

But this one's not for sale
And I was born to fight
I ain't been knocked down yet
I was born to fight
I'm the surest bet

There ain't no man no woman
No beast alive that can beat me
'Cause I'm born to fight
They're tryin' to dig into my soul
And take away the spirit of my god
They're tryin' to take control
And monitor my every thought

I won't let down my guard
And I was born to fight
I ain't been knocked down yet
I was born to fight
I'm the surest bet

There ain't no man no woman
No beast alive that can beat me
'Cause I'm born to fight


A hundred years

Baby sweet baby
Won't you please
Come on back home to me
I've been so lonely
These few days feel like
A hundred years

How you make me worry baby
How you make me worry about you
Here I am I'm knowing
That I can't live without you
Here I am thinking
Someday we make this a long time thing
Here I am I'm knowing
That I would do most anything
If you keep on loving me
Baby

Baby sweet baby
I've been waiting
Seem like waiting is all I do
Don't say you won't come back to me
And make me have to go aout chasing after you
We get in a fight
You stay out late
You have no idea
How much you make me worry baby
Called everyone in town
I think you know
So come on now
Come on come on
Back home

Baby sweet baby
I'm a fool in love
But I still got my pride too
I'll wait a little longer
I'll suffer for my heart
Then I'll go find someone to worry about me
As much as I worry about you


This time

This time
I won't show I'm vulnerable
This time
I won't give in first
This time
I will hold out with my love
This time
I will not be hurt

I'm gonna love myself
More than anyone else
I'm gonna treat me right
I'm gonna make you say
That you love me first
And you'll be the one with the most to lose tonight
This time

This time
I won't let my emotions rule my life
This time
I'm gonna keep my heart locked safe inside
This time
I'm gonna be my own best friend
This time
I'm gonna be the one

To win
Your love
Your affection
To hide
My fear
Of rejection
This time


All that you have is your soul

Oh my mama told me
'Cause she say she learned the hard way
Say she wanna spare the children
She say don't give or sell your soul away
'Cause all that you have is your soul


Don't be tempted by the shiny apple
Don't you eat of a bitter fruit
Hunger only for a taste of justice
Hunger only for a world of truth
'Cause all that you have is your soul

I was a pretty young girl once
I had dreams I had high hopes
I married a man he stole my heart away
He gave his love but what a high price I paid
And all that you have is your soul

Why was I such a young fool
Thought I'd make history
Making babies was the best I could do
Thought I'd made something that could be mine forever
Found out the hard way one can't possess another
And all that you have is your soul

I thought thought that I could find a way
To beat the system
To make a deal and have no debts to pay
I'd take it all take it all I'd run away
Me for myself first class and first rate
But all that you have is your soul

Here I am waiting for a better day
A second chance
A little luck to come my way
A hope to dream a hope that I can sleep again
And wake in the world with a clear conscience and clean hands
'Cause all that you have is your soul

All that you have
All that you have
All that you have
Is your soul

 M P 3   S a m p l e s


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