Born in Cleveland, Ohio,U.S., Tracy Chapman began playing guitar and writing songs as a child. She received a scholarship through A Better Chance that allowed her to attend Wooster School in Connecticut, and was eventually accepted to Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.
Tracy Chapman helped restore songwriters to the spotlight in the '80s. The multi-platinum success of Chapman's eponymous 1988 debut was unexpected, and it had lasting impact. Although Chapman was working from the same confessional songwriter foundation that had been popularized in the '70s, her songs were fresh and powerful, driven by simple melodies and affecting lyrics. At the time of her first album, there were only a handful of artists performing such a style successfully, and her success ushered in a new era of songwriters that lasted well into the '90s. Along with 10,000 Maniacs and R.E.M., Chapman's liberal politics proved enormously influential on American college campuses in the late '80s.
Official Website: http://www.tracychapman.com
Fansite: http://www.tracychapmanonline.com
Conditional
Tracy Chapman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not for free
There are strings attached
Tied to me
I'll want something back
If you agree
To be in love with me
Hold me in your memory
Perfect perfect in your gaze
Far as my eye can see
It's conditional
Not for free
There are strings attached
Tied to me
I'll want something back
If you agree
To be in love with me
Try to try to try to forget
To change the things about me
You can not accept
Any day that you have regret
Just let it recede
It's conditional
Not for free
There are strings attached
Tied to me
I'll want something back
If you agree
To be in love with me
There are vows that must be made
There are terms that can't expire
There are words that must be said
And there are qualifiers
I'll love you but I'll count the ways
The things that I admire
And anyone who says they won't
You can call a liar
It's conditional
Not for free
There are strings attached
Tied to me
I'll want something back
If you agree
To be in love with me
Stay with me stay with me
Right or wrong
Pledge your loyalty
Have faith have faith
That we do belong
Together for eternity
It's conditional
Not for free
There are strings attached
Tied to me
I'll want something back
If you agree
To be in love with me
Tracy Chapman's "Conditional" is a song about love that comes with certain conditions. The singer acknowledges that their love is not free and that there are "strings attached" to it. They then express that, if the person they are singing to agrees to be in love with them, they will want something back in return. This could mean a myriad of things, but the implication is that the singer is looking for a reciprocal love that comes with certain obligations.
The song is structured around this central theme, with the chorus returning several times to assert the conditional nature of the singer's love. The verses explore different aspects of this idea, from the singer's own idiosyncrasies that their lover may have trouble accepting, to the importance of vocalizing a shared commitment to the relationship through "vows" and "qualifiers."
Overall, "Conditional" is a complex exploration of what it means to love someone and to be loved, and the fact that this love is never purely selfless, but comes with certain conditions that must be met in order for it to work.
Line by Line Meaning
It's conditional
My love comes with conditions that must be met.
Not for free
My love will require something from you.
There are strings attached
Our relationship will require certain expectations and obligations.
Tied to me
These expectations and obligations are tied to my love.
I'll want something back
In exchange for my love, I will need something in return.
If you agree
You must be willing to accept these conditions in order for this relationship to work.
To be in love with me
If you want to be with me, you must accept my conditions.
Hold me hold me in your arms
I want you to physically hold me close.
Hold me in your memory
Remember and cherish the times we have shared together.
Perfect perfect in your gaze
I want to be perfect in your eyes and be viewed with admiration.
Far as my eye can see
I want our love to last a lifetime and reach beyond what my eye can see.
Try to try to try to forget
Please try to forget the things that you cannot accept about me.
To change the things about me
I know there are things about me that you may not like, but I cannot change them.
You can not accept
If you cannot accept these things about me, it may not work between us.
Any day that you have regret
If you ever regret being with me, I hope you will let those feelings pass.
Just let it recede
Please don't let those feelings consume you, just let them fade away over time.
There are vows that must be made
Our relationship will require a strong commitment from both of us.
There are terms that can't expire
These commitments must be honored and cannot be forgotten or set aside.
There are words that must be said
Communication will be vital to our relationship, and there are certain things that must be said.
And there are qualifiers
There will be certain criteria that must be met for our love to endure.
I'll love you but I'll count the ways
I will love you, but I will also be keeping track of things that I admire about you.
The things that I admire
I will value certain qualities in you that I find important in a partner.
And anyone who says they won't
Anyone who claims they can love someone unconditionally is not telling the truth.
You can call a liar
No one can love anyone unconditionally, and those who claim to are not being truthful.
Stay with me stay with me
Please stay by my side.
Right or wrong
Through good times and bad, please stay with me.
Pledge your loyalty
Commit to standing by me and being loyal.
Have faith have faith
Trust that our love and commitment to each other will help us overcome any obstacles.
That we do belong
Believe that we are meant to be together.
Together for eternity
I want our love to last forever.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind