For KK’s Flashback Track Friday prompt. This is my “proper” response.
The stakes were high,
We all were primed,
So much to gain or lose.
From long, hot days,
In captive grip,
We heard upon a muse.
She spread from one,
To two, to ten,
Her message loud and strong,
So clear to us,
The hungry youths,
Contained within her songs
I should explain. It is 1989. We are in Cardiff, UK, and I am in my final year of university.
I worked sixteen-hour days, mostly in a windowless library. I lived like a monk, not even seeing my then girlfriend for a month.
Because of this preparation, the exams went better than I expected. I began to socialise among student friends. One record was doing the rounds, the new addition to seemingly everybody’s collections.
An artist we had never before heard of. Her debut album. Every track with a message. We were willing recipients. Many tracks were covered, none came close.
I’m searching for the right words. “Breath of Fresh Air” does not do her justice, though that was precisely what she was. I don’t know whether it is simply because of my age (I was 21), because of my impressionability, or because of the direct link to me final exams, but there was never another album, before or since, which blew me away the same.
This is Tracy Chapman. I shall choose one track, but I recommend the entire album. https://open.spotify.com/album/6hmmX5UP4rIvOpGSaPerV8?si=DsJLpYc6Sc25FRn9pDR3sQ
Mister Bump 
Chapman is dear to me also, and your memory poem about passing her song around like a sort of anthem, equally lovely. Thanks so much for, again, elevating my prompt to art. 🙂
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It is a challenge to do something other than those limericks but I feel that the subject matter warrants an effort. Thank you for the prompt, I am beginning to look forward to it.
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Im beginning to think you’d be a better host. Your sing inspired poems are elegant. ☺️ again mine will be silly~so I’ll wait a bit.
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It was this or “Song for Whoever”, which was The Beautiful South’s very first track and which came out at exactly the same time. But TC is streets ahead in terms of “meaningful”, although I have many BS albums.
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Look, you even had a back up. 😉
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Misspent youth!
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Loved her unique voice
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I remember this album, it sounded like a 15yo was singing, so fresh, but It was the songwriting that got to me. I bought a few of her alvums but none had the same impact as this one.
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Good choice, and I enjoyed your little background story.
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Tell you what, though, buddy, it’s a challenge to come up with something serious after all the nonsense I write.
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😂Nothing wrong with nonsense!
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I know the song, but the singer is new to me – Beautiful.
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