This whole entire Election Situation has already reached impossible levels. It’s very real, and very serious, and very scary. I hope to take away from none of that very important focus by telling you that the 2020 election has also brought Tracy Chapman back to our lives with her first televised performance in five years. (Holy shit.)

Last night, as the stars twinkled in a night sky on an Election Eve that was less than three days after a Blue Moon Halloween, Tracy Chapman took to “Late Night with Seth Meyers” to perform “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution,” from her 1988, legendary queer, six-time platinum self-titled debut.

Ahead of her performance, Chapman released a simple statement: “This is the most important election of our lifetime. It is imperative that everyone vote to restore our democracy.”

Autostraddle Managing Editor Rachel Kincaid put it best:

me: I cannot handle any more election or voting discourse

tracy chapman: I'm doing a rare performance as election/voting commentary

me: so true!! thank you for this invaluable contribution!!

— Rachel (@danascullyirl) November 3, 2020

The performance begins with Chapman’s famous silhouette in side profile, filtered in black-and-white. Her guitar starts strumming and everything, just for one moment, feels focused in its purpose. Then she sings, the richness of her voice just pouring into what’s been left hollow and scared:

“Don’t you know / They’re talkin’ about a revolution / It sounds like a whisper / While they’re standing in the welfare lines / Crying at the doorsteps of those armies of salvation / Wasting time in the unemployment lines / Sitting around waiting for a promotion.” 

Tracy closes her performance out with a elegant tweak to her iconic lyrics: “Talkin’ ’bout a revolution / Go vote,” as the word “VOTE” appeared behind her small block lettering.

I dare your heart not to pound directly out of its chest! You know what you have to do.

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