This song scared Harry Chapin to death!

The lyrics of his 1974 hit were first written as a poem by his wife, Sandy, about the the relationship between her first husband and his father: a New York City politician who was almost never home.

So Why did that scare Harry? He felt it mirrored the relationship he had with his own son, Josh.

The song also resonated (and still does) with millions of others–including me.

“Cat’s in the Cradle” went to #1 in the US and Canada, and was Harry’s biggest hit. It was nominated for a Grammy, and in 2011, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame…30 years after Harry died way too soon in a 1981 traffic accident at the age of 38.

TRIVIA: The title refers to Cat’s Cradle: an ancient game for children and adults that involved creating string figures, either individually, or by passing a string back and forth between 2 or more players.
“Cat’s in the Cradle” by Harry Chapin: a “Great Song of 1974!

–Mike Cook