The Rape of the World album art

The Rape of the World

Tracy Chapman
New Beginning (1995)
Moderate 85 BPM
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Song DNA

Dynamic Range6/10
Sudden Changesmild
Texturelayered
Predictabilityhigh
Vocal Stylesoft vocals
Notes: Lamenting vocals over acoustic guitar, piano, bass, and congas create a solemn, repetitive texture with dramatic piano riffs between lines. Steady rhythm supports the apocalyptic tone without harsh or abrupt shifts.

Misophonia Triggers

Mouth Soundsnone
Percussive Clicksnone
Breathing Soundsnone
Repetitive Micro-soundsmild

A protest ballad framing environmental destruction as the 'rape of the world,' personifying Earth as a mother violated by humanity's actions like mining and bombs.

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Hear it the way it was made

The right gear changes everything.

Moods: introspective, melancholy, reflective

Traditions: ecofeminist protest, folk

How this song sits on each sensory axis

A dynamic range of 6/10 means this song moves. Expect a real volume climb between quiet sections and the loudest part of the arrangement — enough that you may want to set the initial volume below where you'd normally land.

Sudden changes: mild. There are one or two transitions worth knowing about, though they're musically resolved rather than surprise-driven.

Texture is layered — a full arrangement with clear separation between parts.

Predictability is high — the song telegraphs what it will do next. A sensory-sensitive listener can usually guess where it's going without close attention.

Vocal style: soft vocals.

Where this sits in Tracy Chapman's catalog

We have 18 songs from Tracy Chapman in the library. Of those, 13 are rated Safe, 5 Moderate, and 0 Intense. This song's dynamic range of 6/10 sits above the artist average of 4.5, making it the #3 most dynamic track of theirs in our library.

Other tracks from New Beginning

We have 4 songs from this album. Overall, the album leans moderate in sensory profile.

1995 context

Released in 1995. We have 329 songs from that year in our library, averaging a dynamic range of 6.5/10. This track is about average than the year average. Explore more from the 1990s.

Explore by mood and tradition

Moods
introspective · 5721melancholy · 5399reflective · 5792
Traditions
ecofeminist protest · 1folk · 878

Why this rating

We rate this song Moderate because it falls between our Safe and Intense thresholds on at least one dimension. Moderate is the default for most well-produced music that has real arc but no surprise elements. Full rubric: methodology.

Rating last reviewed: 2026-04-14. Reviewed by the Music I Want editorial team against the documented methodology.

Think this rating is wrong? Email the editor — every message is read and ratings get revised.

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layered texture, similar intensity — across any genre or era.

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These songs share similar moods but with a gentler sensory profile.

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