Talk:Tracy Chapman/Archive 1

UK chart history
Do we really want the UK chart history? It's not very useful (it's data, not knowledge) and we don't have them for the US (where she has been more successful). --User:Taejo | Talk 09:02, 26 November 2005 (UTC)

Legendary singles
isn't saying "legendary singles" pov and subjective? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 199.79.168.160 (talk • contribs).
 * It definitely is. Edited and done. Elefuntboy 08:45, 22 June 2006 (UTC)

UK history
Added UK history back in - seems compeltely relevant to the article. She's quite popular in UK as well. Nige 09:15, 22 June 2006 (UTC)

Comment by NotGonnaTellYouMyName
Dude, I had no clue she's a lesbian. I just found that out by reading this article. But that doesn't matter. She is very talented. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.24.72.180 (talk) 02:06, 9 April 2007 (UTC)

List of Awards
Since Tracy has won a couple of awards including the grammy's can anyone list them Kendirangu 13:21, 15 February 2007 (UTC)

i cant find the song called walking in memphis i know tracey sung it bui i cant find it anywhere anyone have any ideas? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 124.176.117.223 (talk) 07:40, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

With Pavarotti
Can anyone tell me where and when was this? it should also be mentioned in the article that they performed together.--24.218.27.89 00:19, 21 October 2007 (UTC)

In Living Color Skit
There's a skit with Kim Wayanes protraying Tracy on the old In Living Color show. "I write a fast song" —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.74.112.232 (talk) 12:54, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Career start
I remember very well listening to an interview with Joni Mitchell on the Radio in England as far back as late 1989 or early 1990 where she mentioned that Tracy Chapman used to be a protegé of Mitchell´s then husband Larry Klein who also plays bass on the first TC album. Interestingly enough many of TC´s first hits were recorded or at least contracted as early as 1982 (see record insleeve). Mitchell claimed that Chapman´s seemingly instant success was by no means accidental but very carefully planned years before it happened. She herself was asked by Klein to drop Chapman´s name in interviews every once in a while and call her a very talented singer/songwriter. The fact that then Chapman was a complete unknown and didn´t even have an album out was supposed to create media interest in the person who obviously had been good enough to arouse even Mitchell´s curiousity - the world´s grand lady of folk music. Mitchell explained that Chapman´s first big stage and TV-performance at the legendary Nelson Mandela Concert had been a culmination point of a strategy to launch her as an artist.--92.230.191.195 (talk) 08:51, 1 August 2009 (UTC)

Contralto?
Is that her voice type? 109.255.140.108 (talk) 01:59, 15 February 2010 (UTC)

Vandalism
There's been a lot of vandalism of late on this article - Can we get its editing restricted to registered users only? G2sean (talk) 00:39, 16 June 2010 (UTC)


 * There hasn't been anywhere near enough vandalism to justify semi-protecting this article. To be honest I think the vandalism level has been fairly low. Graham 87 07:04, 16 June 2010 (UTC)

Tracy Chapman needs a template
She's got eight studio albums and many singles. She is greatly deserving of a template so all her related articles can be amongst one another and easily accessed. Cale (talk) 22:05, 28 November 2010 (UTC)

Lion King
Ummm also i was wondering hasnt Tracy chapman also played the part of shenzi in The Lion KIng, on Broadway???? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 121.209.185.159 (talk) 23:41, 14 January 2011 (UTC)

Sexual orientation
Is this really relevant to readers? I thought this was an Encyclopedia, not a tabloid paper? I mean, she is known (and therefore a person of public interest) because she's a musician, and not a lesbian, right? Foglemark 21:55, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

TRACEY IS A LESBIAN! SHE USED TO DATE ALICE WALKER AND IT CLEARLY SAYS SO IN AN AUTHORIZED BIOGRAPHY OF MS. WALKER. jcm 10/17/06 —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 143.231.249.141 (talk • contribs).

There is an interview with Alice Walker in today's Guardian in which she talks about her affair with Chapman: —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Thoughtcat (talk • contribs).

(Personal life) Why is her sexuality so important? Is that not Tracy's Business? thanks —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 89.242.125.195 (talk • contribs).
 * Up to a point - the citation of her affair with Alice Walker only came about when Walker discussed it in a recent interview with The Guardian, a UK national newspaper. That in my opinion was a legitimate reason to cite it in this article. The reference has since been deleted for no apparent reason. I think it should be reinstated - other views?--Thoughtcat 20:23, 10 January 2007 (UTC)
 * Although I doubt she'd mind being so categorized as a rule I think the person should confirm the affair if they're to be so categorized.--T. Anthony 07:56, 8 February 2007 (UTC)

Yes, I agree it deserves mentioning. Not sure why people feel it shouldn't be included. There's nothing to be ashamed of!! I've put it back in. Nige 17:54, 13 January 2007 (UTC)
 * Agreed, although it was Alice Walker she had the relationship with, not Sara Wajid - Wajid was the journalist who interviewed Walker. I've toned down the paragraph a bit and put it at the end of the 'biography' section - it's not the most important thing about her but is still valid. --Thoughtcat 18:58, 13 January 2007 (UTC)

It's interesting that Chapman had a relationship with Alice Walker, but technically that doesn't make her a lesbian. She could be bisexual, or she could be a straight woman who once had a relationship with another woman. I have no objection to the reference to her relationship with Walker in the body of the article, but if that's all we're going on I think we should remove the "lesbian musicians" category until we can cite a reliable source saying she's lesbian. --Allen 19:01, 22 January 2007 (UTC)


 * I'd have to agree, but I think an actual relationship with a woman means she's LGBT of a kind. Considering her politics I don't think she'd find the idea insulting or offensive. (Whereas say Little Richard might find being in a LGBT category nearly libellous due to his faith)--T. Anthony 05:10, 6 February 2007 (UTC)

By the way, I've found a site from a person in The Netherlands. He has made a list of famous lesbians, homo- and bisexuals. On his site he says (quote): "I only mention people who are out or who were outed after their death.". The link for his list is:. For Tracy Chapman, go the the 'C' of Chapman. I hope that the topic of Tracy Chapman will be adapted soon. --84.104.123.100 19:19, 10 February 2007 (UTC)
 * Than why isn't it changed back than? I wanted to do that, but first I wanted to know why nobody else did, after the discussion is in favor of mentioning Tracy's homo-/ biseksuality. I think that this kind of info should be on this page. Wikipedia is as objective as possible, and this aspect of Tracy's life is part of her story, of the person that she is. Agreed, we can't say if she is lesbian of bisexual, but even if she isn't any of these things, the talk about it alone is worth mentioning, is my humble opinion.


 * T. Anthony, I think what you say makes sense based on some definitions of LGBT, but not necessarily others. By definitions that emphasize self-identity, I think one could have same-sex romantic relations without identifying as LGBT (regardless of one's politics). Based on Walker's account and Chapman's politics, it seems entirely likely that Chapman would identify as LGBT... but without a reference, why make the assumption? By quoting Walker, we communicate to the reader all the verifiable information we have. --Allen 05:06, 13 February 2007 (UTC)


 * reporting a relationship spoken about publicly by Alice Walker in one of the most respected newspapers in the world is not POV, not redundant, not poorly sourced, and not BLP-violating. That she had such a happy relationship is material to her biography and of legitimate interest to every LGBT person. 62.64.200.180 14:51, 11 September 2007 (UTC)


 * The current version is a lot better than the version from yesterday and this morning, the tone of which suggested that being a "black lesbian" was bad and that Chapman was denying it. I'd still say that Walker's thoughts about a relationship that Chapman has apparently never mentioned would be more appropriate for Walker's article than Chapman's... but in the much-improved context of the section as it now stands, I'm not nearly as concerned about them.  --Allen 01:32, 12 September 2007 (UTC)


 * The quote, in its entirety, was copy-and-pasted from the Walker article, actually (I should know because I added it, cited and all). Even the ref, with access date from June, was copy-and-pasted.  I don't approve, but I'm not up to another edit war.  María ( críticame ) 12:14, 12 September 2007 (UTC)
 * I know this might seem silly but I thought she was a male singer to be honest, just through the depth of her voice. I am bisexual, and the story of her relationship with Alice Walker is romantic to me, rather than shameful.  After all, Walker is a powerful and respected writer, so I don't think it's anything that brings shame on Tracy to have had a partnership with her.Merkinsmum 20:42, 9 November 2007 (UTC)
 * If there are citable sources then it should definately go in. Why wouldn't it? Who is deleting it?--Timtak (talk) 15:26, 28 January 2011 (UTC)

Why has all reference to this artist's sexuality been removed from the article? Her lesbianism has been known about for over two decades and has been verified by her ex-partner Alice Walker in a reputable news source. This article is seriously flawed so long as this important aspect of Chapman's life is absent. Vauxhall1964 (talk) 14:05, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Agreed that her past relationship is pertinent information and should be included. Ambivalent about including her on a list of "Lesbian Musicians", though no one seems upset that we've included her as an "American Busker", despite all we know is that she once had a series of busking experiences but do not know if she personally identifies as a "busker". 75.111.39.206 (talk) 21:58, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Voice type
Someone please describe her voice on the article. I really want to know what's it's tembre, pitch, etc and why/how she sounds the way she does.

To me it was a complete discovery that anyone can sing like that. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.20.249.101 (talk) 21:16, 28 January 2012 (UTC)

Gender
Why does this article vacillate from paragraph to paragraph on Chapman's gender? Is that vandalism? Why does the chart show her as winning male awards when she won female awards? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Mochamint (talk • contribs) 08:33, 10 December 2013 (UTC)
 * It was vandalism that wasn't undone properly. I've fixed it. Graham 87 13:54, 10 December 2013 (UTC)

Update 500 List
In light of Rolling Stone Magazine adding twenty-five more artists the the list, Tracy has gone from 165 to 167. I recommend the page be edited to reflect this change. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Cassidam (talk • contribs) 01:11, 22 February 2014 (UTC)
 * Done; thanks for the note. Graham 87 08:14, 22 February 2014 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 10 May 2014
Please note that in the introduction to the article the word "forth" is used twice when I believe the author intends to say "fourth." Please change "forth" to "fourth."

24.186.10.1 (talk) 20:10, 10 May 2014 (UTC)
 * Yes check.svg Done Thanks for the eye Cannolis (talk) 23:29, 10 May 2014 (UTC)

Politics?
Not much information about her politics. Revolution? What kind of revolution?--Jack Upland (talk) 10:14, 17 June 2012 (UTC)


 * You're right, not much at all, but there is a little bit in the career section. Search for the text "liberal politics". Graham 87 06:17, 18 June 2012 (UTC)


 * A liberal revolution?--Jack Upland (talk) 03:59, 15 June 2015 (UTC)

Assessment comment
Substituted at 09:08, 30 April 2016 (UTC)

Gender confusion
There are multiple references to different genders even in the same sentence. I have no idea if Tracy is a he or she from this article. TigerPaw2154 (talk) 19:51, 4 September 2016 (UTC)
 * That was vandalism which has been fixed. Graham 87 10:26, 5 September 2016 (UTC)

Artists who covered "Fast Car" & "Gimme one Reason"
Name all the known artists who covered "Fast Car" & "Gimme one Reason" I see this on other artists pages like Joni Mitchel ect.. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 38.88.222.106 (talk) 17:16, 4 October 2017 (UTC)

External links modified
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Internal links are not to singles
The 1st paragraph indicates she is known for specific hits “...along with other singles...” and several internal URLs are provided, but the last two (New Beginning and Telling Stories), are links to albums of that name, not the singles; there are no Wiki citations to those singles. As these last two citations are referencing singles that were not particularly hits and don’t even have a URL, I would recommend they be removed. Bdeneris (talk) 19:58, 8 March 2021 (UTC)
 * Thanks for the note; I've removed them. Graham 87 05:17, 9 March 2021 (UTC)

TC lesbian
I didn't know TC was a lesbian. Is there evidence of this somewhere? Elefuntboy 19:28, 30 November 2005 (UTC)

I don't personally know if she is, and I haven't had any experience with the page or anything, but according to NNDB (notable names database) it's true. Check http://www.nndb.com/people/974/000025899/ for further information. I'm not saying it's reliable but I was wondering the same thing and while doing some research I found this. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 69.47.171.24 (talk • contribs).

tracy is not a lesbian —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Vancejamal (talk • contribs).

yeah what a rude way to 'guess' someone's sexuality and i find it a slap in the face to read Lesbian Singers at the foot of the page. regardless if she is or not, i have followed her closely for years and years and never have seen a comment for fact that supports this. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 24.211.52.245 (talk • contribs).

...not to mention racist! Sure, she black, female, short haired and plays guitar so it equals lesbian? I think not! —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 69.59.203.122 (talk • contribs).


 * Um, nobody said that race had anything to do with her sexuality. You're jumping to conclusions here. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 82.23.191.87 (talk • contribs).

I think the person above was being sarcastic.--Jkaharper (talk) 19:10, 9 November 2008 (UTC)

The "LBGT" labels should be REMOVED as there is no proof or references of her being any of the those. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.28.238.5 (talk) 02:05, 4 April 2009 (UTC)

Try googling "Tracy Chapman Alice Walker". TC may not be a confirmed lesbian, but she's had at least one affair, according to the other party. --Rpresser 15:04, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

How is this relevant and why it should be mentioned on a website that claims being "Encyclopedia"? Would you add favourite sex positions of US presidents? — Preceding unsigned comment added by CurrentlyOffline (talk • contribs) 00:40, 22 July 2022 (UTC)

Baby Can I Hold You in the lead
Hey guys, do you all think Baby Can I Hold You should be included in the lead as one of Tracy’s best known singles, alongside Fast Car and Give Me One Reason? I started to add it, but thought I’d see what everyone else thought first. I hear it on my local soft rock station from time to time, then it was in the news with the whole Nicki Minaj copyright lawsuit a few years back. It’s definitely notable and a fan favorite, and Tracy’s next highest charting single, just missing the Top 40, and it did hit the Top 20 on the AC charts. What do you guys think? It’s cool if not, but it’s certainly worth considering! Cryptkeeperfun (talk) 13:57, 1 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Naaaah, I think the songs already there are her best-known *by far* internationally (in terms of the number of high placements in charts) and they're enough here. Adding any more could start a slippery slope towards the list growing to mammoth proportions. Graham 87 15:31, 1 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Good point, thanks for the feedback! Cryptkeeperfun (talk) 16:15, 1 July 2023 (UTC)