Its popularity has recently resurged, due in no small part to Luke Combs’ cover version and their duet at the Grammy’s but this record never went out of rotation for me.

Technically I know it’s not true, but I like to imagine Tracy Chapman’s voice was still echoing around Boston from her busking days when I arrived for college in the fall of 1988. Reality is she was already out promoting her debut album.

My copy—which replaced the aging CD I used to listen to it on—is the 35th Anniversary edition Rhino put out in 2025 on 180g vinyl, which sounds great. I know there are folks who will say “the first pressing is better” and I will keep my eyes out for one but haven’t ever seen it in the wild.