Download Instrumental    Unless you’re singing in a coffee house somewhere, you’re probably not doing any Harry Chapin tunes. Harry was a storyteller, so his songs are too long and involved to work well in most venues.  But this one will work just fine anywhere.  A band called Ugly Kid Joe did a cover of Harry’s masterpiece and I thought that arrangement worked better onstage – so that’s why this is a bit “rockier” than the original.

“Cat’s in the Cradle” was Harry Chapin’s only #1 hit, primarily because it was short enough to be played on the radio.  It’s the story of the relationship of a father and son through four stages of life:

“My child arrived just the other day, he came to the world in the usual way/but there were planes to catch and bills to pay, he learned to walk while I was away”

Then, suddenly, the son is 10 years old and wants his father to teach him to play ball:

“Can you teach me to throw”, I said “Not today, I’ve got a lot to do” he said “that’s okay”.

The boy walks away smiling, vowing that he wants to just like his Dad.  Then we move a little further along in life:

“Son, I’m proud of you can you sit for awhile/he shook his head and said with a smile/what I’d really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys/see ya later can I have them please?”

Final stage – son has a family of his own and no time to spare.  Dad calls him, wants to see him, but the kid’s too bogged down with job and family problems.  Dad hangs up the phone:

“And as I hang up the phone it occurred to me, he’d grown up just like me/my boy – was just like me”.

This song really isn’t as sad as it may seem on the surface.  It’s just about a son who wants to be just like his father – a son who admires the way his Dad accepted responsibility and provided for his family.  So you don’t necessarily have to put a melancholy twist to this one when you perform it… unless you just want to.

I’m blessed to still have my father around and close by.  One of us will call and suggest breakfast at Cracker Barrel.  Or he’ll bring KFC up our way just ’cause it’s Thursday night.  Or we’ll return the favor with a Pizza Hut Supreme delivered with flair to his place.  After all, we have a history – we’re father and son.  Love ya, Dad…