According to Metro Weekly critic Chris Gerard, "Fast Car" tells the story of a working woman trying to escape the cycle of poverty, set to "glowing folk rock".

[3] Elektra Records released "Fast Car" as a single on April 6, 1988, one day after the album Tracy Chapman.

He left in a panic, forcing the event organizers to usher Chapman back to the stage with nothing but a microphone and her guitar.

[5][6] This performance brought widespread attention to her music, with sales for Tracy Chapman increasing enough for it to top the Billboard 200 chart on August 27, 1988.

[10] John Tague from NME wrote, "'Fast Car' is a typically well expressed lament, not for those who have suffered extraordinary circumstances, but for those who escape one form of dead end existence only to fall into another, relative material success without the consolation of dreams for the future.

[14] In April 2011, "Fast Car" entered the UK top ten for the second time at number four after Michael Collings performed it on Britain's Got Talent, one position higher than its initial chart success in 1988.

[15] The single was certified quadruple platinum in the United Kingdom by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) in 2024, based on downloads and streaming.

In 2015, a tropical house version was released by Swedish record producer Tobtok, featuring vocals from British singer River.

In 2015, a tropical house cover of "Fast Car" was released by British record producer Jonas Blue.

In an interview with iHeartRadio, Blue stated Chapman's original 1988 hit is a favorite of his mother, who would often play it in the car.

"[71] Jonas Blue's version of "Fast Car" is performed in the key of A major with a tempo of 114 beats per minute in common time, with Dakota's vocals ranging from E3 to F♯4.

[75] Outside the United Kingdom, the Jonas Blue version reached number one in Australia[76] and Hungary, while peaking within the top ten in Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, New Zealand, and Sweden.

Combs' version uses most of Chapman's original lyrics, including the line "I work in the market as a checkout girl".

Combs' manager Chris Kappy told Billboard magazine, "Luke is a songwriter too and Tracy is one of his favorite artists.

"[157] In a July 2023 interview with Billboard, Chapman spoke favorably of Combs and his rendition of "Fast Car", stating: "I never expected to find myself on the country charts, but I'm honored to be there.