This week episode is all about the '80s. Two very different voices that both had a massive impact on the generation. We are going to listen to 1988 self-titled Tracy Chapman's debut album, followed by 1981 solo debut by Phil Collins with Face Value.

Plus, this week there's a new feature: #TurningTrivia. 3 questions about the music of the show that you can find below in the show notes. Tweet your answers with the hashtag #TurningTrivia.

Happy listening!

Track List

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3d/Tracy_Chapman_-_Tracy_Chapman.jpg)
Title: Tracy Chapman

Release date: 15th April 1988

Genre: Folk Rock, Adult Contemporary

Total Tracks: 11

Track #
Track Title
Stream Song

1
Talkin' 'bout a Revolution"
Spotify

2
Fast Car
Spotify

5
Baby Can I Hold You
Spotify

6
Mountains o' Things
Spotify

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c9/Phil_Collins_-_Face_Value.png)
Title: Face Value

Release date: 9th February 1981

Genre: Pop, rock, R&B

Total Tracks: 12

Track #
Track Title
Stream Song

1
In The Air Tonight
Spotify

4
The Roof Is Leaking
YouTube

5
Droned
YouTube

11
If Leaving Me Is Easy
YouTube

Trivia Time

Tweet your answers using the hashtag #TurningTrivia

1) In 2010 which duo performed a cover of the track Fast Car live on stage?
a. Robbie Williams & Lily Allen
b. Kelly Clarkson & Daughtry
c. Chris Martin & Beyoncè

2) In which languages the soundtrack for Tarzan has ever been produced?
a. English, Italian, German, Spanish, and French
b. English only
c. English, French, Russian and Chinese

3) How many GRAMMY Awards has won Phil Collins in his career?
a. 5
b. 6
c. 7

Full Show Transcript (#collapseExample)

Hi Guys. Matteo here. Tonight’s episode will bring us back into the 80’s with two records that defined their generation each in its unique way.

Let’s start with the iconic female voice of Tracy Chapman. Among many other things, 1988 will see the release of the debut and self-titled album of this extraordinary artist. She will be the voice of the revolution and as a matter of fact that is exactly how she started her career.

First discovered during her years at Tufts University, she received early offers for a studio contract, but she didn’t take upon those offers, deeming them not serious. Eventually, after a long series of live performances, Brian Koppelman - a fellow university student - found a demo tape of Tracy Chapman singing her single "Talkin' Bout a Revolution”. He heavily promoted this bootleg in different radio stations, and eventually that led to Tracy Chapman being signed to Elektra Records.

[Talkin’ Bout A Revolution]

We are immediately greeted by the common thread of the entire album: the guitar. This instrument is extremely well performed by Tracy Chapman and goes along so well with her voice. The guitar is biting and crackly and so it’s her voice.

The peculiarity of this track is the repetition of the verse “It sounds like a whisper…”. On a turntable, with a reasonably aged vinyl like mine, the whisper is so real and so pungent.

The second track of the show, also happens to be the second track of the album, Fast Car. This was single number one extracted from the album and to this day is one of Tracy Chapman’s most famous song, heavily covered by almost every other artist along the way. The song reiterate the concept of the guitar having the role of a back-singer, complementing and enhancing Tracy Chapman own voice, in a delightful duet.

[Fast Car]

The song is immediately recognisable from the very first stroke of the guitar. That riff became immortal and makes the song absolutely unique.

If you can put the melody to the side for a second, and manage to concentrate on the lyrics, you can immediately grasp the second major aspect of Tracy Chapman music: the story-telling.

In her world, a song doesn’t exist for its own sake. There has to be a bigger meaning, a bigg