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Tracy Chapman — All That You Have Is Your Soul
Album: Crossroads
Avg rating:
7.2

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1063









Released: 1989
Length: 5:11
Plays (last 30 days): 2
Oh my mama told me
'Cause she say she learned the hard way
Say she wanna spare the children
She say don't give or sell your soul away
'Cause all that you have is your soul

Don't be tempted by the shiny apple
Don't you eat of a bitter fruit
Hunger only for a taste of justice
Hunger only for a world of truth
'Cause all that you have is your soul

I was a pretty young girl once
I had dreams I had high hopes
I married a man he stole my heart away
He gave his love but what a high price I paid
And all that you have is your soul

Why was I such a young fool
Thought I'd make history
Making babies was the best I could do
Thought I'd made something that could be mine forever
Found out the hard way one can't possess another
And all that you have is your soul

I thought thought that I could find a way
To beat the system
To make a deal and have no debts to pay
I'd take it all take it all I'd run away
Me for myself first class and first rate
But all that you have is your soul

Here I am waiting for a better day
A second chance
A little luck to come my way
A hope to dream a hope that I can sleep again
And wake in the world with a clear conscience and clean hands
'Cause all that you have is your soul

All that you have
All that you have
All that you have Is your soul
Comments (47)add comment
 That_SOB wrote:

I was dreaming and it was : "Tracy Chapman and Joan Armatrading" opening for Mr. Robert Zimmerman.



I almost lived that dream. Went to see Dylan at The Saddledome many many many years ago, (young enough to still be sneaking out on parents and not letting them know we were driving to Calgary in a snow storm to see this show - a show THEY actually wanted to attend) ... and yeah Tracy Chapman was opening.

She should have been the Headliner.
Mr Zimmerman ~ was not at his best that evening.
What a beautiful song with heartfelt relatable lyrics.
 musikalia wrote:

She's right. In the end, all you have is your soul. Don't forget it.


But I like shiny apples 
She's right up there...................with Hootie and the Blowfish
You are soul!
Please don’t comment if your life is a breeze. You’ve no idea about the depth she speaks!!!!!
Give Tracy a go now and evermore! She’s got Soul, Beauty, Apples, Hunger, and pure Joy of a deliberate Freedom in each Song. 8/10.
Dear God, please stop playing Tracy Chapman..... I don't even think I'd mind that much if she weren't in the loop as much as she is. Also, Spoon.
 tichy wrote:
So that's where Passenger got that affected singing style from.
 

Tracy Chapman does not own her fashion of vocal stylings. Far from affected, I find it relaxed and laid back IMHO.
Back many years when I was babysitting as a teenager. I used to discover the records of the couple I babysat for in the North of the Netherlands and had never really heard of Tracy.  Thanks Jos for letting me listen to your records - GEMS!
 tichy wrote:
So that's where Passenger got that affected singing style from.
 
Affected? I don't get your meaning.
So that's where Passenger got that affected singing style from.
Quite captivating
Nice PSD. {#Music}
"Hunger only for the taste adjusters" - wtf? Nurse! My ear drops, please!
 jagdriver wrote:
Boy, am I glad I stepped out to the food co-op when this was on! I might have had to enter yet another derogatory comment about TC.
 

but apparently stepping out to the co-op actually didn't prevent you from sharing your negativity. Imagine that.
Boy, am I glad I stepped out to the food co-op when this was on! I might have had to enter yet another derogatory comment about TC.
 fluffybum wrote:
where's my bucket.
 
agreed. freaking enunciate!

where's my bucket.
wonderful song and wonderful station! I am soooo glad to have you back in my life! I have a new computer and I can listen again!
YEAH i am in radio paradise!!
maria in Chicago!
best realtor of all time{#Notworthy}
 Papernapkin wrote:
All her songs sound the same. The crying sound like Katherine Hepburn.
 

Many folk singers do sound the same from song to song. The idea is listen to the words! amazing lyrics are complemented beautifully with simplicity.
Beautiful song title... love all her songs. {#Good-vibes}
That_SOB wrote:
I was dreaming and it was : "Tracy Chapman and Joan Armatrading" opening for Mr. Robert Zimmerman.
that would be wonderful, the encore...
All her songs sound the same. The crying sound like Katherine Hepburn.
I was dreaming and it was : "Tracy Chapman and Joan Armatrading" opening for Mr. Robert Zimmerman.
Interesting comparison between Elizabeth Cotten and Chapman. Cotten gave a performance at Ford's Theater in Washington, DC in 1966 which had the same kind of soulful and moving slow-tempo ballads. I was sitting in the front row and her presence was awe-inspiring. Never mind Chapman's narrow vocal range; Chapman's music is heartfelt.
This is the spirit of Woody Guthrie, his son Arlo, the Weavers, Pete Seeger, Elizabeth Cotton and Mahalia Jackson. She's got it!
luckywhitegirl wrote:
Her voice and words give me chills. For a very political artist, she's so unpretentious, so simple, not preachy, just real.
So true.
a_genuine_find wrote:
don't get it feels like this song should come with cheap tap beers on a specials night in some C+ college town
don't get it feels like this song should come with cheap tap beers on a specials night in some C+ college town
Looks kinda like that girl on the Abraxas cover. NOT!!
Sorry. This blows.
Her voice and words give me chills. For a very political artist, she's so unpretentious, so simple, not preachy, just real.
Based on the comments, I suppose Tracy Chapman is an aquired taste. I like her, because I can relate to alot of her songs...but I cannot listen to her all the time, just on occasion. And like said below, Joan Armatrading is another favorite of mine I'd like to hear more of.
She's right. In the end, all you have is your soul. Don't forget it.
Chapman has never done it for me at all - it's an issue of personal taste, I know, but I find her music dull and her lyrics trite.
When I started law school, a friend sent me this song in a mix. Don't think it was a coincidence.

ladybinnath wrote:
Tracy Chapman has certainly done some nice songs - whoever mentioned "Baby Can I Hold You" gets a second from me - but somehow, every time she comes on I think to myself how much I'd rather hear Joan Armatrading, her obvious influence.
More Joan!
Frankly, I have had just about enough of this album. Did the Sound Engineer listen to the finished product? 8-<
Boring. :-s
this song makes me weary.
Nice message. But she sounds a bit like a bleating goat. :-( Within three hours of playing this song, you played another Tracy Chapman song, "Heaven's Here on Earth." "Heaven's Here on Earth" doesn't have the same bleating sound. So if you're thinking of dropping one, please drop this one.
Tracy Chapman has certainly done some nice songs - whoever mentioned "Baby Can I Hold You" gets a second from me - but somehow, every time she comes on I think to myself how much I'd rather hear Joan Armatrading, her obvious influence.
All it takes is a guitar, a voice, and a soul.
Its true, her vocal range doesn\'t go very high (it does go low). But for this song, it doesn\'t need to. Her voice is still strong. Its distinctive and perfect for this song. Another great song from her is \"Baby Can I Hold You\".
Sparse and beautiful
I know she\'s a poet a thinker and all but she bores me and depresses me. I think it\'s her limited vocal range.