Harry Chapin "Cat's in the Cradle"

[shocker]

#1 hit in 1974 - one of many #1 hits that year, I might add.

The song has an easy-going, up-beat feel to it, despite that it's really kind of a sad song about a son that looks up to his dad as a role-model and wants some quality time, but his dad is always too busy.

What I like about this song is how it has an ironic twist at the end. When the son grows up, it's the dad who is reaching out to his son for some quality time, but the son is now too busy with his own life. "My boy is just like me", being the last verse.

[WotUNeed]

Can't get into it. Too depressing and not in a poetic way, nothing else to really make me like it. No better in its Ugly Kid Joe form.

[oscillations.]

One of the many resentful soft rock "fuck yous" from that decade guaranteed to stagger a leisurely family barbecue to a sudden and chilling halt. Trust me.

[BillboardBoy]

Very sad song.

[irock]

Sept 2, 2008 13:02:53 GMT -5 oscillations. said:

One of the many resentful soft rock "f**k yous" from that decade guaranteed to stagger a leisurely family barbecue to a sudden and chilling halt. Trust me.

Yeah, it seemed to hit too close to home for a lot of families as I remember, and a lot of those families didn't like it for that reason. That's what great art is supposed to do. It was just a pleasant little ditty for some folks, but for those whose experiences it spoke to, it was very difficult to hear.

I liked it, but grew tired of it years ago. Harry Chapin kept trying to duplicate it with various other tunes that were supposed to be biting social commentaries, none of which ever came close to this one.

[WotUNeed]

Sept 3, 2008 21:06:35 GMT -5 irock said:

I liked it, but grew tired of it years ago. Harry Chapin kept trying to duplicate it with various other tunes that were supposed to be biting social commentaries, none of which ever came close to this one.

Disagree if you mean came close in terms of quality. Can't stand "Cat's in the Cradle," but subject-wise "WOLD" is similar, but, for me, a much better listen. Can't say that was him trying to duplicate "CitC" since I believe it was the single right before, but I just think it works way better. Something about the delivery makes me far more receptive to the message, whereas I really just don't like hearing "Cradle."

[irock]

Sept 4, 2008 0:48:24 GMT -5 WotUNeed said:

Disagree if you mean came close in terms of quality.

Quality in music is very subjective, though. I was speaking more of societal impact, on which score I think CITC was a much stronger tune than WOLD (it touched a nerve with a lot more people). But that fact obviously has more to do with popularity than quality. Isn't that the way of things in all of the arts?

[WotUNeed]

Sept 4, 2008 1:04:30 GMT -5 irock said:

Sept 4, 2008 0:48:24 GMT -5 WotUNeed said:

Disagree if you mean came close in terms of quality.

Quality in music is very subjective, though. I was speaking more of societal impact, on which score I think CITC was a much stronger tune than WOLD (it touched a nerve with a lot more people). But that fact obviously has more to do with popularity than quality. Isn't that the way of things in all of the arts?

Ah. In that case, we are in agreement.

[johnnywest]

Good one, but makes me cry :(

[LBTrocks]

Huge fan of this. Love the eerie, unsettled vibe the song gives off.

[Deleted]

LOVE this but I actually prefer "Taxi".

[H.]

Great song. It makes me emotional every time I hear it.

[Deleted]

#1 favorite song of all time.

[Best In The World]

It's pretty good, largely because it so perfectly captured its own subject matter.

I prefer the Ugly Kid Joe version, but this one is worth listening to every now and then.

[richie]

I like it, though it's overplayed on radio. It is sad, for sure. I saw Harry Chapin
in concert in Orlando a couple of years before his death.