Had Tracy Chapman just written 1988’s timeless standard “Fast Car”, she would have been held in high esteem. But the singer-songwriter—born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1964—has amassed an extensive body of folk songs, often distinguished by incisive political commentary and her own production. Chapman followed up the success of “Fast Car” with the release of the social critique “Talkin’ ’Bout a Revolution”, while 1995’s spare “Give Me One Reason” hewed closer to the blues. And although “Fast Car” continues to find new audiences (among other things, it had a big resurgence in 2023 via Luke Combs’ cover), her catalogue is full of prescient social critiques—like 1988’s “Behind the Wall”, a stunning piece about domestic violence that needs only Chapman’s voice and lyrics to leave a lasting emotional impact.