Harry Chapin The Cat’s in the Cradle

FROM: This heartbreaking song tells of a father and son who can't schedule time to be with each other, and it serves as a warning against putting one's career before family. The verses start out with a natural harmony and depict the tale of a father with his newborn son. Although dad gets the necessities of child rearing accomplished, he doesn't allow himself to put in quality time with his son because of his career. Initially, this seems like no big deal because of his hectic and oblivious life working and paying bills. The recurring verse has the son saying, "I'm gonna be like you Dad, you know I'm gonna be like you...“

This song is based on a poem that Harry's wife Sandy wrote. She told us: "'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 were 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. I was always kind of amused by that because of the fact that we learn life's lessons too late. We don't learn lessons before the fact. We don't have a child born and then have all this wisdom. So I always thought it was interesting the way he told the story.

It took the birth of his son for Harry Chapin to decide to turn the poem into a song. The message about procrastination and missed opportunities makes this song an excellent parable for use in church sermons, where it remains very popular. Harry Chapin included various symbols of childhood in the lyrics as reminders of how quickly it ends. "Cat's Cradle" is a game played with string, "Silver Spoons" are ornamental spoons for babies, and "Little Boy Blue" is a nursery rhyme. "Man In The Moon" could be about the human features children see when they look at the moon.

"Cat's In The Cradle" 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 And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew He'd say "I'm gonna be like you, Dad You know I'm gonna be like you" And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon Little boy blue and the man on the moon When you comin' home, Dad I don't know when, but we'll get together then You know we'll have a good time then My son turned ten just the other day He said, "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let's play can you teach me to throw", I said "Not today I got a lot to do", he said, "That's ok And he walked away but his smile never dimmed And said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah You know I'm gonna be like him“

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon Little boy blue and the man on the moon When you comin' home, Dad I don't know when, but we'll get together then You know we'll have a good time then Well, he came from college just the other day So much like a man I just had to say "Son, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while" He shook his head and said with a smile "What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys…See you later, can I have them please" And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon Little boy blue and the man on the moon When you comin' home son I don't know when, but we'll get together then, Dad You know we'll have a good time then

I've long since retired, my son's moved away I called him up just the other day I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind" He said, "I'd love to, Dad, if I can find the time You see my new job's a hassle and kids have the flu But it's sure nice talking to you, Dad It's been sure nice talking to you" And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me He'd grown up just like me My boy was just like me And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon Little boy blue and the man in the moon When you comin' home son I don't know when, but we'll get together then, Dad We're gonna have a good time then Lyrics.net