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
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For You
Tracy Chapman Lyrics
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No words to convey
This feeling inside I have for you
Deep in my heart
Safe from the guards
Of intellect and reason
Leaving me at a loss
Deep in my heart
Deep in my heart
Look at me losing control
Thinking I had a hold
But with feelings this strong
No longer the master
Of my emotions
No words to say
No words to convey
This feeling inside I have for you
Deep in my heart
Safe from the guards
Of intellect and reason
Leaving me at a loss
For words to express my feelings
Deep in my heart
Deep in my heart
Look at me losing control
Thinking I had a hold
But with feelings this strong
No longer the master
Of my emotions
Tracy Chapman's song "For You" is an emotive ballad about the intense feelings of love that transcend language and reason. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song with the singer admitting that they cannot express their true feelings for the object of their love. The guards of intellect and reason have failed, and the singer is left bare, vulnerable and speechless, unable to find the words needed to convey their emotions.
The song's theme revolves around the idea that love is an undeniable force that can control our actions, leaving us at a loss for words when trying to express these feelings. There is a sense of deep emotional instability that is conveyed in the lyrics that is underscored by the way Chapman delivers the lines, with her voice rising and falling, subtly revealing the singer's emotional state.
The chorus is a repeated call to the title 'For You' signifying that no matter how strongly these emotions overpower the singer, they know it is all for the person they love. The final line "No longer the master of my emotions" signifies a loss of control; this is the ultimate admission that love is the driving force, and no one can resist its control.
Line by Line Meaning
No words to say
I cannot put my feelings into words
No words to convey
I lack the ability to express what I feel
This feeling inside I have for you
The emotions I have for you run deep
Deep in my heart
My feelings for you lie in the depths of my heart
Safe from the guards
My emotions are protected from the rationality of the mind
Of intellect and reason
Logic and reason cannot explain my emotions
Leaving me at a loss
I don't know how to express my emotions
For words to express my feelings
I'm struggling to convey what I feel
Look at me losing control
My emotions are overpowering me
Thinking I had a hold
I believed I was in control of my feelings
But with feelings this strong
My emotions are too strong to be controlled
No longer the master
I'm no longer the one in control
Of my emotions
My feelings for you have taken over my being
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Lamont Everett Chapman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind