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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In the Dark
Tracy Chapman Lyrics
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Make me fall
Make my heart stop and start
To tremble uncontrollably
Let my eyes see fear make desire
Keep those who long apart
Forbid the kiss
And leave us innocent
Of the things some do in the dark
The things some do in the dark
The things some do in the dark
Make me remember
Make me forget
Make my mind unable
To force the body to do its will
Let it be right for belief and denial
To share a space in the heart and leave us only to imagine
About the things some do in the dark
The things some do in the dark
The things some do in the dark
Make me pretend
Make me expect
Things can go and come to pass
Without trial or tribulation
Let this life space and time
Leave my body with permanent marks
Faded scars and lines
But not a single impression
Of the things some do in the dark
The things some do in the dark
The things some do in the dark
Let me be tempted
Let me be torn
But make my thoughts pure and not
Morally corrupt in form
Let us sleep tonight
Let innocence lie in our dreams and secret hearts
With burning desire
A need to know and do
The things some do in the dark
The things some do in the dark
The things some do in the dark
The lyrics of Tracy Chapman's song "In the Dark" explore the theme of desire and passion in a relationship, and the tension between giving in to those desires and trying to maintain a sense of innocence and purity. The lyrics are filled with contradictions, with the singer expressing a desire to be seduced and tempted, yet also wanting to remain innocent and free of the "things some do in the dark."
The opening lines of the song, "Make me fumble, make me fall, make my heart stop and start," set the tone for the rest of the song, with the singer expressing a willingness to give in to her desires, despite the potential consequences. However, as the song progresses, she also expresses a desire to maintain her sense of innocence and purity, saying, "Forbid the kiss and leave us innocent, of the things some do in the dark."
Throughout the song, the singer explores the tension between desire and innocence, and ultimately concludes that while it is tempting to give in to our desires, it is important to maintain a sense of purity and morality. The final lines of the song, "Let us sleep tonight, let innocence lie in our dreams and secret hearts, with burning desire, a need to know and do, the things some do in the dark," suggest that while we may be tempted to give in to our desires, ultimately we must strive to maintain our sense of innocence and purity.
Line by Line Meaning
Make me fumble
To tremble uncontrollably
Make me fall
Let my eyes see fear make desire
Make my heart stop and start
Keep those who long apart
Make me remember
To share a space in the heart and leave us only to imagine
Make me forget
Let it be right for belief and denial
Make my mind unable
To force the body to do its will
Make me pretend
Without trial or tribulation
Make me expect
Things can go and come to pass
Let me be tempted
Morally corrupt in form
Let me be torn
But make my thoughts pure and not
But make my thoughts pure and not
A need to know and do
Let us sleep tonight
With burning desire
Let innocence lie in our dreams and secret hearts
But not a single impression
Of the things some do in the dark
Faded scars and lines
The things some do in the dark
The things some do in the dark
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: TRACY CHAPMAN, TRACY L CHAPMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind