blogger 5 - Behind the Wall

Behind the Wall

Tracy Chapman - Behind the Wall   -   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfeUZJwioio

Genres - Folk, Blues Rock, Pop, Soul

In behind the wall Tracy Chapman describes an act of domestic violence. She describes the act from

 the prospective of an individual hearing the violent act being committed every day until the end. The

 song progresses the act of domestic violence from beatings to police interaction to more beatings and

 silence and the arrival of an ambulance. The ironic ending is of the song or story is the policeman

 saying "I'm here to keep the peace, will the crowd disperse, I think we all could use some sleep"

The song talks about the act of domestic violence in the home. The inability of the police

 to intervene in the domestic dispute the couple is having. Individuals that have to listen

and live through the domestic violence act. The individual being abused, that’s finally

taken away in an ambulance.

Egon Shiele -Lovers Man and Woman I   -    http://www.egon-schiele.net/

Genre - Expressionist

Tracy Chapman has been a politically and socially active musician from the beginning of her carrier.

 In an interview with American Radio Network she was quoted as saying "Im approached by lots of

 organizations and lots of people who want me to support their various charitable efforts in some 

way. And I look at those requests and I basically try to do what I can. And I have certain interests of 

my own, generally an interest in human rights". Her song Behind the Wall was inspired while living

 in an apartment where she shared a wall with an abused child who lived next door.
(wikipedia,Tracy Chapman Social Activisim)(Poetry Crush by J. Hope Stein)


I chose a piece of art work that was used in a video I found named Tracy Chapman  behind the wall.

The art work was from Egon Shiele. Egon Shiele is known for being erotic, pornographic, grotesque, 

and disturbing, focusing on sex, death and discovery. His work gave considerable importance to self-

portraits.he did not seek to represent his social status or an emotional state. but to transcribe his

 anguished interioity through eccentric positions of the body and hands.(artbios) 

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq1VTTKJ4nQ The video depicted various art works of 

people. This particular piece apropriately connected with me and the music. Even though his work 

was not focused on my social issue it works with the song and the my social issue. The mans eyes 

and controling posture and the women seeming submisive in her posture. 

Tracy Chapmans Debut Album awards

The Album won the Best Contemporary Folk Album Grammy Awards and the Rock Album 1988 

SKC Boston Music Awards
.

The Single “Fast Car” won the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Grammy Awards.

The Single “Talkin’Bout A Revolution” won the Top song 1988 SKC Boston Music Awards.

Tracy Chapman won the Best New Artist Annual Grammy Awards.

 (About Tracy Chapman - BY AURÉLIE M.)