is dedicated to Nelson Mandela, bridging the gap between American folk and the global anti-apartheid movement.
provides a harrowing look at the "hidden" poverty in America, questioning how a government can claim greatness while its citizens live in squalor.
By 1989, Chapman had become the face of a folk revival. Crossroads reflects the pressure of that sudden fame. The title track functions as a mission statement; it isn't just about a choice between two paths, but a defense of her soul against the machinery of the music industry. When she sings, "All you folks think you own my life / But you never lived a day of it," she is drawing a hard line between her public persona and her private integrity. Sonic Continuity and Growth