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
Short Supply
Tracy Chapman Lyrics
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The sunny days
The blue skies
The flowers for the children
The colors for their eyes?
Don't you see
Don't you see
All these things now days
It's time that we
It's time that we
Make a space in our hearts
And open our eyes
Where are
All the sandy beaches
Fishes in the sea
Birds to sing for daybreak?
Where are all the trees?
Don't you see
Don't you see
All these things now days
Come in short supply
It's time that we
It's time that we
Make a space in our hearts
And open our eyes
Where are all the grassy hilltops
Clean air to breathe
Pure water to drink of
Beautiful sights to see?
Don't you see
Don't you see
All these things now days
Come in short supply
It's time that we
It's time that we
Make a space in our hearts
And open our eyes
Or there'll be no more you
There'll be no more me
There'll be no more children
All we know will cease to be
Don't you see
Don't you see
The things of this earth
Keep us alive
It's time that we
It's time that we
Make a space in our hearts
And open our eyes
Where are the sunny days?
Blue skies
The flowers for the children
All the colors for their eyes
All the sandy beaches
Fishes in the sea
All the birds to sing for daybreak
Where are
Where are
Where are all the trees?
Don't you see
All these things they come in short supply
It's time that we
Make a space inside our hearts
And open our eyes
In "Short Supply," Tracy Chapman bemoans the environmental degradation that is causing a scarcity of natural resources. She mentions a range of things that are vanishing from the planet, including blue skies, flowers, trees, clean air and water, sandy beaches, fishes, and birds. The song essentially serves as a wake-up call to humanity to take stock of what we are doing to our planet and take steps to reverse the damage.
Chapman's use of the phrase "short supply" is significant because it has implications beyond the environmental realm. The phrase is often used to refer to a situation in which there is not enough of something to go around. In the case of the environment, it suggests that we are running out of time to make things right before it is too late. "Short Supply" is a reminder that our actions have consequences that go beyond our own lifetimes.
The overall message of "Short Supply" is bleak, but there is a glimmer of hope in the final verse. Chapman urges us to "make a space in our hearts and open our eyes." This implies that we have the power to change our ways and make a positive impact on the world if we are willing to take action.
Line by Line Meaning
Where are
Tracy is questioning the location of certain elements that have become rare in today's world.
The sunny days
Tracy is asking about the sunny days that have become rare due to climate change and pollution.
The blue skies
Tracy is highlighting the loss of blue skies due to pollution from factories and vehicles.
The flowers for the children
Tracy is asking about the lack of flowers available for children to see and appreciate the beauty of nature.
The colors for their eyes?
Tracy is concerned about the lack of colors that children can see and experience in their everyday lives.
Don't you see
Tracy is asking the listener to understand the scarcity of these elements.
All these things now days
Tracy is referring to the beautiful things in nature that are becoming increasingly rare due to human activity.
Come in short supply
Tracy is emphasizing that the beauty of nature is dwindling and becoming less common every day.
It's time that we
Tracy is suggesting that we need to take action to stop this decline.
Make a space in our hearts
Tracy is suggesting that we need to care about these issues and take them seriously.
And open our eyes
Tracy is suggesting that we need to be more aware of our surroundings and the changes that are happening in the environment.
Where are all the sandy beaches
Tracy is questioning the reduction in the number of sandy beaches available for people to enjoy.
Fishes in the sea
Tracy is referring to the decline in the number of fish due to overfishing and pollution.
Birds to sing for daybreak?
Tracy is concerned about the loss of bird populations and the effect this has on the beauty of nature.
Where are all the trees?
Tracy is questioning the disappearance of trees from many areas around the world.
All these things now days
Tracy is underscoring the rapid disappearance of natural elements that are necessary for human survival.
It's time that we
Tracy is reminding us once again that we need to take action to save the environment.
Or there'll be no more you
Tracy is warning that if we don't take care of the environment, there will be no more humans left on Earth.
There'll be no more me
Tracy is emphasizing that everyone will be affected by the degradation of the environment, including herself.
There'll be no more children
Tracy is reminding us that future generations will also be affected if we don't take care of the environment.
All we know will cease to be
Tracy is warning that the beauty of nature that we know and love will disappear if we don't act now.
The things of this earth
Tracy is referring to the natural elements that make Earth beautiful and livable for humans.
Keep us alive
Tracy is emphasizing that we need nature to survive as a species.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: TRACY L CHAPMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind