3 Folk Lyrics From 1988 That Hit Harder Now That Their Artists Have Aged

These folk lyrics from 1988 have aged with grace. Arguably, they are better now than they were when they were first released. Time has given us a moment to sit with these songs. The result of our frequent listens to them is a richer experience than even their artists likely thought possible. They’ve matured into themselves, becoming not just momentary hits but enduring stunners.

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“Fast Car” — Tracy Chapman

Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” has aged impeccably well. It’s found renewed popularity in recent years, proving that fact. “You got a fast car / I want a ticket to anywhere / Maybe we make a deal / Maybe together we can get somewhere,” are lyrics that almost everyone can sing along to, whether because they are Chapman fans or Luke Combs listeners.

A well-timed cover will always do well to bring a song back into the limelight. But Combs’ version of this song worked as well as it did because of the strength of this song. This folk rock masterpiece speaks to the human experience in such a singular way; it’s impossible not to see yourself in the lyrics.

“Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards” — Billy Bragg

Truth will never go out of style. The themes in Billy Bragg’s “Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards” will be true in any era, which speaks to its longevity. Some of our most enduring classics are in the protest persuasion, and that’s because they often speak to universal ideas about right and wrong; the just and unjust.

“To sympathize with her / But he thinks that he should warn her / That the Third World is just around the corner,” the lyrics in this song read, juxtaposing grand political movements with small, daily actions. Though the times may have changed, the ideas in this song are evergreen.

“Shotgun Down The Avalanche” — Shawn Colvin

Likewise, great visuals will never grow stale. Shawn Colvin’s “Shotgun Down The Avalanche” has just that. “So be quiet tonight, the stars shine bright / On this mountain of new fallen snow / But I will raise up my voice into the void / You have left me nowhere to go,” the lyrics read.

This is the kind of meditative song that only gets better with age. As the listener grows up, they can appreciate the lyrics more and more. The heartbreak in this song only becomes more and more poignant.

(Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images)