Fast Car is the debut single by American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, released on April 6, 1988 from her self-titled album Tracy Chapman. The song blends folk rock, folk pop and soft rock and tells the story of a young woman trying to escape poverty with her partner, dreaming of a better life while facing harsh realities. It became a top-ten hit in the US and UK, helped in part by Chapman's performance at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute. It was nominated for three 1989 Grammy Awards - Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance - and won the latter. Notable later versions include Tobtok's 2015 tropical house remix, Jonas Blue's 2015 dance cover featuring Dakota, and Luke Combs' 2023 country rendition that topped country charts and earned CMA Song of the Year for Chapman. The track was remastered in 2015 and has since surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify as of January 2025.
