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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Speak the Word
Tracy Chapman Lyrics
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Promise what they can't deliver
Bring me the wine
And the cold night air to clear my head
Gray matter memory house
Master of this trembling flesh
Steady still my doubts
Let me speak the word that precedes bliss
Let me speak the word
Love love love love love love love love
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
Love love love love love love love love
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
These weakened knees
Have not touched ground or pew in ages
I haven't bowed my head
To offer thanks to any god or to ask for favors
But watch me now
I'm falling down
Praying
To speak the word that precedes bliss
To speak the word
To speak the word
Love love love love love love love love
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
Love love love love love love love love
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
Speak the word
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
La la la, la la la la
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
La la la la, la la la la la
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
La la la, la la la la
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
La la la la, la la la la la
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
La la la, la la la la
La la la la la la la la (speak the word, speak the word)
La la la la la la la la (speak the word, speak the word)
La la la la la la la la (speak the word, speak the word)
Tracy Chapman's "Speak the Word" is a song that encourages the listener to confront their innermost demons and doubts, and to speak the truth about their desires and fears. The opening lines, "Unsettled hearts, Promise what they can't deliver," suggest the ways in which our hearts may lead us astray, making false promises and leading us to disappointment. The singer longs for clarity and resolution, seeking solace in wine and the cool night air.
The next few lines turn inward, as the singer reflects on the ways in which our own bodies and minds can betray us. The "gray matter memory house" suggests the mind as a place of both memory and confusion, master of the "trembling flesh" but also prey to fears and doubts. The repeated refrain of "let me speak the word" suggests that the truth lies just beyond our reach, waiting to be discovered and spoken into being.
The final lines of the song suggest a kind of spiritual awakening, as the singer falls to their knees and begins to pray. The invocation of "love love love" underscores the importance of connection and compassion, and the repeated refrain of "let me speak the word" suggests that only by fully acknowledging the truth within ourselves can we hope to find true happiness and peace.
Overall, "Speak the Word" is a powerful affirmation of the importance of honesty and self-reflection, and a reminder that true healing and transformation can only come from within.
Line by Line Meaning
Unsettled hearts
People who are emotionally unstable and indecisive
Promise what they can't deliver
Make commitments they can't keep
Bring me the wine
Give me an escape from reality
And the cold night air to clear my head
Provide some clarity and peace of mind
Gray matter memory house
The mind with its complex memories and emotions
Master of this trembling flesh
In control of one's body despite having feelings of uncertainty
Steady still my doubts
Help me overcome my doubts and fears
Let me speak the word that precedes bliss
Allow me to express my feelings which would lead to happiness
Love love love love love love love love
The word being spoken is love
These weakened knees
Feeling weak and vulnerable
Have not touched ground or pew in ages
Hasn't been to church or prayed in a long time
I haven't bowed my head
Not submitting to a higher power
To offer thanks to any god or to ask for favors
Not seeking help or expressing gratitude for blessings in life
But watch me now
However, I am changing
I'm falling down
Surrendering to the power of love
Praying
Hoping for guidance and support
To speak the word that precedes bliss
Wanting to express love to experience happiness
Speak the word
The importance of expressing one's emotions
La la la, la la la la
Continued emphasis on the power of love
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: TRACY L CHAPMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind