A poignant reminder of the passage of time, "Cat's In The Cradle"
was a Number One hit record for American folk singer-songwriter
Harry Chapin in 1974. The song's lyrics began as a poem written
by his wife Sandra "Sandy" Gaston, who drew her inspiration from
the awkward relationship between her first husband, James Cashmore,
and his father, as well as from a country music song she heard on the radio.
Harry Chapin said the song was also about his own relationship with
his son, Josh, admitting, "Frankly, this song scares me to death."
Tragically, only seven years after the release of "Cat's In The Cradle"
on July 16, 1981, Harry Chapin lost his life after being involved in
a fiery collision on the Long Island Expressway. At the time, he was
driving to perform in a free benefit concert in East Meadow, New York.
A talented voice gone way too soon, Harry Chapin's life reflected his
dedication to humanitarian causes. He fought to end world hunger and
was a key participant in the creation of the Presidential Commission on
World Hunger in 1977. In 1987, he was posthumously awarded the
Congressional Gold Medal for his humanitarian work.
Meanwhile, his music legacy includes a total of 11 albums from 1972
until his death. All 14 singles that he released became hits on
at least one of the national music charts.
Considered one of the classic folk ballads of the early-to-mid 1970's,
"Cat's In The Cradle" was nominated at the 1975 Grammy Awards
for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. In 2011, Harry's signature song
was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
(1974)
Harry Chapin
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