"Fast Car" is a popular song by the American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman. It was released on her self-titled 1988 debut Tracy Chapman. Her appearance on a Nelson Mandela benefit concert was the catalyst for the song becoming a Top 5 hit in the UK and a top 10 hit in her homeland.

The song's narrative is complex and evolving, telling a tale of generational poverty. The song's subject grows up with an alcoholic father and decides to leave home with her partner, full of optimism as they set off in the car. However they are unable to break the cycle, as the partner becomes a heavy drinker and pays no attention to his children, and is ultimately told to "take your fast car and keep on driving".

The song has been covered many times by bands such as R.E.M., The Flying Pickets, Hundred Reasons, Xiu Xiu, Vertical Horizon, Even Nine, Darwin's Waiting Room, Jesse Janes, The Love Project, Amazing Transparent Man and by solo singers Kristian Leontiou, David Usher and Hitomi Yaida. What is strange about most of the cover versions is that they emphasise more the optimistic chorus (where the protagonist really thinks they can escape and hopes for a better life) and not the sad conclusion (where the protagonist realises they can't escape, but has to carry on).

In 1991, British soul singer Gabrielle recorded a demo of her song "Dreams" which featured a sample of "Fast Car". When it was released commercially in 1993 the sample of Fast Car was removed because of legal issues, but the version with the sample was still being played in nightclubs and DJ sets. Los Angeles based turntablist DJ Quixotic is known to perform a cover of this song by manipulating a tone record on a turntable to imitate the notes of the opening guitar riffs.

1988 singles