Harry Chapin was the kind of man our society should aspire to. Half of the thousands of shows he performed went directly to charities to make sure every human can eat. His family has continued to provide half of his royalties to those same charities. His other well-known song is "Taxi." You should check it out if you ever find a few minutes. Peace
You stopping touring is exactly why Harry wrote this. You are breaking the cycle that he sang about in your family. You are there for your kids. RESPECT!
Kids won't remember how expensive their clothes were or whether the family ate rice and beans most days of the week... they'll remember whether their parents ever had time for them. Five or ten minutes seems insignificant to an adult but to a kid, it can be everything. You showed your daughter that she was important to you and that is the best thing any father can do for his child!
My dad was always working, or fighting with my mom. Never had the father influence I needed. I was in my teens when this came out, and it was a decade or more before I could hear this song without crying.
When my son was about 13, he was in some argument with his dad, and sad the usual "I hate you Dad" and "I am never getting married and having kids". Well today that son is 41, and the father of a 2 girls, ages 18 and 16. He is also a military helicopter pilot and a very rough and tough dude. My favorite picture of him is him sitting at a Disney Princess tea party with his girls when there were 5 and 3, and he is wearing a tutu and a tiara! He is such a good dad.
I can tell you, as a 64 year old grandmother, you won't miss that 30 minutes playing tea, you will Remember It. You will cherish those minutes one day.
In 1974 or so, I was helping put together a benefit concert... nothing big, but Harry Chapin said yes. He was so nice on the phone, no agents or P.R. people. Just Harry. He arrived in a VW, I met him at the gate. He said, "Jump in." I did... and his first words were, "Sorry about the terrible smell. There's a dirty diaper somewhere under the seat." And that was how I met Harry Chapin, and heard him sing.
I'm a counselor, there is a saying in the profession, " when adults have a bad day, they come home and say, " Gee, it was a horrible day, and I'm beat." When children have a rough day, they say to the parents, " can you play with me." It is a cry for companionship so much needed as children. thanks for taking my advice and playing this tune. It says so much about today's family unit.
my adopted grand-daughter ALWAYS says "Play with Me!" to me..... I always assumed it was because she was an only child (until 5 months ago) ..... and none of the other adults around her will play with her............ are you telling me that she is always having a rough day?
@@monicahamm3353 Hello, no she is not always having a rough day. Kids love to be listened to, when they ask you to play with them they are wanting to be the center of attention, without a phone, or tablet being looked at. They want to know that they are your focus. It's hard for them competing against the world these days. Hope that helps.
@@sandipeterson5093 It does. And she does get my undivided attention...and we play... with her little plastic animals, and doll house and barbie cars and girl legos... and make stories..... and she absolutely loves it..... Unfortunately, most of the adults in her life are busy or uninterested..... it is hard to play "make-believe imagination" as an adult.....we aren't used to it anymore.
@@monicahamm3353 It's more about the undivided attention than what you do together. My granddaughters love to make up stories, so I ooh and ahhh and look surprised when needed.
To answer the question, Joshua Chapin was nine years old when his father's VW Rabbit was struck from the rear by a semi-trailer tractor and he died due to internal bleeding. Josh was born in 1972 and Harry died in 1981. Harry was a big spokesman for World Hunger and the proceeds from a number of his concerts were donated to the cause. Nowadays his wife is chairman for a charity organization he founded and his son is involved in it.
This song came out when we had our first child. It shook me up and I said I never want my son to say this to me. My life changed, I became a man, a husband and a father first and foremost. My son was in college when he called me and said thank you and mom for being for us when we were growing up. Most of his friends came from busted homes and their fathers left and never came back. I knew then me and my wife made the best decisions of our life. Family strong.
@@karlsmith2570 Yes, when my son was born, I was a young executive in a very large corporation. It was one social event after another. I felt I had to participate to move up the ladder. But the love I had for my wife and our children was strong and that song was the main factor in my life. I did not want to be that father. I went home after work, and I was strictly business on out-of-town trips. I wanted a strong family, and we made it happen. Now I am 81 years old and know I made the right choices. My son and his wife did a wonderful job as parents and have a son in medical school and a daughter who at the USAF Academy with a career track to be a fighter pilot.
I cry every time I hear it, crying right now. And this wasn’t the way it was for me growing up or my son either. But I cry because so many had it like this . I just cry, especially now that I’m older.
You're doing the right thing for your children and family. You may regret not touring now, but later in life you'll be SO glad that you gave it up for your family.
I'm not a father and it breaks me every time, specially at the end: "And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me He'd grown up just like me My boy was just like me"
Every mother too trust me 😊 I used to have to travel overseas 5-6 times a year (Australia to China) and I missed so much but I’m sure as hell making up for it all now.
@@Dr_KAP There is a saying, to paraphrase it, "we are all f**ed by our parents". Many don't understand what it means. What it means is that we are f**ed by our parents, and our parents by their parents, and their parents by their parents, and their parents by their parents.....and so on until the beginning of time.
Cats in the cradle is the string-between-your-fingers game that little kids play. "Little boy blue come blow your horn The sheep's in the meadow,. The cow's in the corn." It's a nursery rhyme.
I lost my youngest son, Jimi in 2015. He was 39. There were a lot of 'Cats in the Cradle' moments when he was growing up. When I realized how selfish I had been I apologized and atoned for my sins to both Sons. Music was our connection, Beatles, ballads, Stones, etc... Jimi had a talent punking me by throwing a 'Cats in the Cradle' line in a conversation knowing it would verbally slap me around a bit. Oh, and it did. We became best Pals and I spent almost 20 years trying to make it up but, in my heart, I wished I had gone to more ballgames, and school events when he was a boy. It all yet haunts me to this day. My thoughts are my Karma. Good review.
Harry Chaplin was killed July 16, 1981 when the 1975 Volkswagen he was driving was rear ended by a tractor-trailer at 55 mph on the Long Island Expressway. He had his flashers on at the time. The car exploded into flames. The truck driver was badly burned while getting Harry out of the car. He was on his way to a benefit performance.
I remember that night. My parents went to the show. My aunt was watching us and we didn't expect to see my parents again until morning. When they came home early and told us I was devastated. I was 6. I don't remember ever not knowing this song. I haven't spoken to my father in 8 years.
This song wrecks everyone. It's supposed to. Because it touches something primal, something eternal, a dynamic that never changes from generation to generation from time immemorial.
I learned of Harry Chapin’s death when I was stuck in traffic on the Long Island Expressway on the way to his concert. I’ll never forget the feeling of disbelief. His music pierces your soul.
Here on Long Island, Harry Chapin is a hero and we have the legacy of the Harry Chapin food Bank which my agency uses for food donations to feed our homeless residents everyday of every year.
I was in the night club biz for a while , and the owner found out chapin was across the highway at a hotel. Got him to come and perform a private gig at our club the following night for just the employees of our club. The greatest musical experience of my life. Many of the songs he did came with short stories behind the music. We felt like we knew him. He passed away a few months later from the car crash.We all felt like we lost a friend.
This is the song that breaks parents, and reminds us of missed opportunities. Those moments that come and go. Are so easily missed and regretted for a life time. Even when circumstances demand you be away, only later in life do you see what you scarified. Never have I seen a tomb stone saying I wished I had spent more time at work!
yes it does.... because once they are grown up.... I think everyone wishes they had spent more time savoring those special moments....and having more of them...... even the parents who were home with their kids and gave them alot of attention...... and then, hopefully, grandkids happen! And that's why grandparents spoil their grandkids..... because they can do all the things they wish they did the first time around!
I grew up on Harry Chapin. This is one of his more well-known songs since it was short enough to get regular play on the radio, but he has so many amazing ballads. Another one that will probably hit for you is Mr. Tanner.
Josh was 8 years old when Harry Chapin died. He also had a daughter, Jen, who was 10 years old. I had the great pleasure of seeing Harry Chapin perform on my college campus back in the 1970s. It was a benefit concert in front of the student union and they basically just passed a hat; there was no admission fee. He played completely alone, without his band or any backup singers, since he was taking no money for the performance himself. But it was hands down one of the best concerts I ever attended.
For me it's the 2nd verse. When the son says "it's ok dad". Thr son already knew not to rely on time spent with his dad. It's brutal as a dad and it's everything I want to do, spend time with my kids.
Fun Fact: Harry Chapin was the inspiration for We Are the World, years after his death. He was a strong advocate for ending world hunger and got a lot of industry people involved in his charity work. Among them were his manager Ken Kragen and artists like Harry Belafonte and Kenny Rogers. Harry tried to set up a big fundraising charity concert in the late 70's but got very little backing. Ten years later, after Band Aid did their Christmas song, there was interest again and Kragen and Belafonte organized USA for Africa in Harry's spirit. Kragen's words: "I felt like Harry had crawled into my body and was directing everything."
He was a remarkable human being. His musical talent was extraordinary, but his greatest talent was his amazing concern for his fellow man. We could use more people like him.
Your daughter will remember those moments forever! This is such a deep and meaningful song, no songs do not need to be hype to be great. God bless you and your family.
This song cuts. My dad died shortly after I turned seven. I only have a handful of things I remember about him. You left the touring scene so you could be home more with the people that love you. Nothing is more important. Nothing is more fulfilling. Nothing is better for your children. You are honoring your vows in spirit and not just in word. Bravo.
Whaaaaaaat WHAT!!!!!! As a father, this song is amazing. Makes you pause, stop and think. Time moves so fast. Kids grow so fast. Put down your phone, make time for your babies. As they’re only babies once. 😢
Heard the song plenty of times, always loved it. Now hearing it, broken down, as a parent of two beautiful young'ns, I'm breakin' down. Gonna go in and set the phone down and play with my kids, again, they know I love 'em, they don't know how much. Damn. Peace and blessings all.
Harry Chapin (chay-pin) started World Hunger Year (WHY) with Father Bill Ayers back in the 1970s before anyone else in music thought of it. He was on the way to a free concert when the accident happened on the Long Island Expressway 9 days before my 21st birthday. Yes, he was an excellent artist and I love his work and met him at his concert when I was 15 but that is dwarfed compared to his personal moral character. He was a very good man. He's still one of my heroes.
When I gave the eulogy at my dad's funeral two years ago I told everyone that your legacy of your time lived on this earth is your children and that I have yet to see a tombstone that reads: "Beloved Co-Worker."
Next time you're missing touring. Remember you stopped for those beautiful babies of yours Play the song to remind you why you're not touring anymore. The time goes way too fast and those babies are precious
When you set aside the time for your daughter, you imprinted on her 5 year old mind that daddy loves her. She will remember that you spent time with her to do something she wanted to share with you . 5 yr old minds will remember just about forever. She def got the importance of you setting up the time slot for her, I'll bet she smiled ear to ear. She will be able to share her needs to you in the future. Good move Dad.
There are few songs that capture the male experience so well. There is love between the father and son but dad's priorities are skewed. Unintentionally, he teaches his son to be just like him and only realizes it too late what that really means. It is an important reminder we are ALWAYS teaching our children by our own words, behaviors, and examples, whether we are aware of it or not. This song hit hard the first time I heard it as a young man and made me think about my relationship with my father. And the song still hits hard when I think about my own kids. The wheel keeps grinding.
When my daughter was born a friend gave me a poem. I wrote the last 2 lines on an index card and put it on the fridge so I would remember to live in the moment with her: “My hands, once busy, now are still; the days are long and hard to fill. I wish I could go back and do the little things you asked me to.”
Millions of us have lived this song. Time is so PRECIOUS and we just don't understand until that day come sand the kids are gone and we are 60 years old and think of all the missed times to play ball or tag or whatever when they were younger.
If you want to experience a perfect song, perfect performance, perfect arrangement, perfect lyrics, perfect emotions, listen to Harry Chapin’s “Taxi”. Every note, every syllable, every moment; perfection.
My husband always tears up when he hears this song. His dad was there but not present in his life. This song really speaks to him. This was one of my favorites too. I’m 63 and the music I grew up listening to had so much meaning.
It was great...except for the part in the middle where he rambles about wizards...i watched the first live and didnt understand those 2 paragraphs in the middle about the wizzard ,so i watched a lyric one after.
@@michellesirois6954 yeah, I agree. I would have preferred another verse that’s more about the story. Ever hear Rod Stewart’s “The Killing of Georgie Part I and II”?
This song has always haunted me. I gave up my acting career when I had my child because I couldn't bear the thought of being away for rehearsals and performance over spending time with my kid. My one and only child, and he deserves all of my time, every minute I can give him. It's my most important job.
Harry Chapin was not only a singer-songwriter but also an accomplished musician, philanthropist, and activist. In recognition of his exceptional songwriting talents, Chapin was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987. He had a remarkable ability to weave storytelling into his songs, leaving a lasting impact on his listeners. The song "Taxi", released from his first album "Heads & Tales" in early 1972, is my personal favorite. It's an autobiographical ballad using first-person narrative. Chapin was deeply committed to social causes and used his fame to advocate for poverty alleviation and hunger relief. He co-founded the organization World Hunger Year (now WhyHunger) and was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his philanthropic efforts. He also believed in the power of arts education to transform lives and communities, and established the organization Long Island Cares, which supports various programs, including music and arts education initiatives. On the afternoon of July 16, 1981, Chapin was driving on the Long Island Expressway in New York en route to perform at a free benefit concert when he was struck from behind by a semi-trailer truck. Passers-by managed to help the unconscious Chapin out of his crushed 1975 Volkswagen Rabbit, but he was later prounced dead due to internal bleeding at Nassau County Medical Center. Such a tragic loss....RIP
It still makes me cry! It's almost like we lost a member of our family. Remember his wife was given an award at Live Aid in honor of Harry's work?! There are so many artists that continue his work and his nonprofits still make a difference. I think all of us can be his legacy. What a beautiful man.
His family established the Chapin Family Foundation with Harry's life insurance and the settlement from the trucking company. They have continued his work and philanthropy, a trait that seems to run throughout the Chapin family, from his siblings on down three generations now. Such a positive and meaningful legacy.
I saw Harry live in Anchorage Alaska a year or so before he died. He asked the audience in advance to bring at least one can of food for the needy. Wonderful concert by a wonderful person
This song came out in 1974; I was five, my parents were twenty five. I remember being in the back seat of our car quietly weeping whenever it came on the radio. My father was an alcoholic and was rarely home. Mom divorced from him when I was twelve. She told me in my mid-teens that back when it came out, she'd warned him that this was going to be OUR story if he wasn't mindful. Turns out, she was right because he wasn't. Hearing this song can still make me weep, and it elicits far more emotion than considering that he's no longer here.
So sorry dad was sick, and you lost out due to his decisions. Praise God for a mom that loves you, got her heart broke , and did her best to mend yours… God loves you!
My Dad loved Cats in the Cradle. We were standing in line at a CVS and this song was playing. He asked me who sang this song and I replied " Harry Chapin. A big burley Biker was in front of us in the line and he turned to me and " Beautiful, You were raised right" My Dad was so tickled.
Josh Chapin would have been 8 or so when his dad passed. He was the "Dancin' Boy" we remember from concerts. Harry wrote the music for the play "Cotton Patch Gospel" and there's one song called "I Wonder What Would Happen to this World" that his daughter Jen sings beautifully. It's here on this platform. Part of those lyrics are the inscription on his headstone. We love you, Harry! You can still count on the Cheap Seats! Thanks so much for reacting to this one!
Thank you for choosing this video BP. I've never seen this one, with the interviews and I never knew about Harry's tragic end so young. This song always hits me, but hearing his wife and son remembering him had me near sobbing early on. I knew you would connect with this one, because of the limited interactions we've seen with you and your family.
Harry was the favorite artist of my wife and I. We loved his poems and his songs. The best of many great American storytellers. His sweet charisma connected him with his fans. My wife and I cried when we heard of his death. We had seen him live three times, but would have gladly seen him 300 more times. Each show was like visiting an old friend. Still missing you, Harry.
I keep forgetting Harry's gone home, guess it's because his music makes me think he's still here on planet earth 🌏. R.I.P. Harry, Heaven has a Hell of a Band!😇❤️👍
"I don't know how long I've got on this planet, and that time needs to be spent with my family". That really got me. You're a good man and a great dad.
But it was truly a prophecy. At the end, you can hear him calling out his son to come on stage and even said, "I wrote this one for you." He took him with him most of the time. Thanks for reminding me of one of the greats ❣️
In 1974 harry Chapin came to my school, Babylon Jr-Sr High School, and played an after school concert. He did that at many Long Island schools. What a privilege to have seen him live.
Harry Chapin is one of the great story tellers. Check out some of his others songs like Mr. Tanner (as a performer you'll appreciate it) and Taxi. But everything he did was like magic. He was also big on trying to end hunger.
Yes, Taxi is another great story song. Really worth the listen. Cats in the Cradle makes me cry every time I hear it. We lost a good guy way too early.
It's amazing watching you reconcile your relationship with your father and your 2 daughters at the same time... with this and "The Living Years" it's a beautiful thing that you are so aware.. not everyone gets the ah ha moment when it matters, while they are still here! God bless
This was my son’s favorite song, he was killed in a car accident when he was 9 yrs of age, in 1999, still like it was yesterday, I miss him so much to this day😢
The fact that he had learned the wisdom enough to express it so clearly when he and his children were still so young, he must have been an amazing dad.
The song ‘Cat’s In The Cradle" was initially inspired by a poem written by Harry Chapin’s wife Sandra, in reference to a country song she heard, and a real-life relationship between a father and a son that was disconnected, which added more meaning to the song. According to Sandra; “‘Cat’s In The Cradle’ was a combination of a couple of things. Whenever I was on a long drive I would listen to country music because words would keep me awake more than just music. And I heard a song-I can remember the story, but I don’t remember who sang it or what the title was, but an old couple was sitting at their breakfast table and looking out the window, and they saw the rusted swing and the sandbox, and they were reminiscing about the good old days when all the children were around and then the grandchildren, and how it passed, and now it’s all gone.” The other part of Sandra’s poem was pulled from the poor relationship between her ex-husband and his own father, which remained detached due to their individual work and responsibilities. Sandra and Harry were married in 1968 and had two children together, Jennifer and Joshua. When Josh was born, Harry decided to turn his wife’s poem into an amazing song.
As soon as I saw you had reacted to this song, I knew I had to watch.Knowing how much you love your children and wife, I knew Cat's in the Cradle would blow you away. Happy Chapin was a treasure and I recommend that you check out some of the other songs of his that people have recommended.
I grew up with Harry Chapin's music. The lessons learned are just as relevant today as they were back then. I always took this lesson to heart. I made the time to see my family as much as possible. When tragedy hit my family, I clung to the fact that my last words to my brother, my mom, my uncle and my in-laws were the words, "I love you." That brings me some peace. I remember how proud Long Island, NY was of Harry Chapin, as he was a hometown guy who genuinely cared about people. His organization to help feed the hungry is still around today, but is now called Long Island Cares. RIP Harry.
