3 Folk Lyrics From the 1980s That Hit Harder Now That Their Artists Have Aged

These folk lyrics from the 1980s hit even harder now that the artists who penned them are older. Time has been more than kind to these tracks, polishing them to perfection.

[RELATED: 3 Folk Songs From the 1960s With Melodies That Still Echo Decades Later]

“Fast Car” — Tracy Chapman

“Fast Car” has proven itself to be a song that outlasts its initial generation. Luke Combs brought this song into the modern era, reminding us all of its magic. Though Combs’ voice has become the messenger for these lyrics, according to many in the younger generation, this redux version still highlights Chapman’s storytelling.

“You got a fast car / I want a ticket to anywhere / Maybe we can make a deal / Maybe together we can get somewhere,” the iconic opening line to this song reads. This track was stunning in its day, but now that Chapman has grown older and these folk lyrics have matured alongside her, they hit even harder.

“You Can Call Me Al” — Paul Simon

“You Can Call Me Al” is one of Paul Simon’s most rock-forward efforts, but the folk DNA is still intact. Taken from his most controversial album, Graceland, this track is about a midlife crisis. Though the iconic musician has moved on from that stage of life, these folk lyrics have become even more potent over time.

“A man walks down the street / He says, ‘Why am I soft in the middle, now? / Why am I soft in the middle? / The rest of my life is so hard,‘” the lyrics read. The thing about aging is that ideas like this only become more true as life goes on. Now, with the folk icon at 84, “You Can Call Me Al” feels even more important than it did back then.

“Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness” — John Prine

A great folk artist’s lyrics never grow stale. Folk is considered the genre of the human experience. It’s how we pass emotions and memories down to the next generation. That is the case for John Prine’s “Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness”. This track is endlessly relatable, decades now after its initial release.

“So what in the world’s come over you / And what in heaven’s name have you done / You’ve broken the speed of the sound of loneliness / You’re out there running just to be on the run,” the lyrics read. Who hasn’t felt the painful sting of being alone? This song represents the true function of folk music: reminding us that we’re not fighting life’s troubles by ourselves.

(Photo by Margaret Norton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)

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