| "Cat's in the Cradle" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Harry Chapin | |
| from the album Verities & Balderdash | |
| B-side | "Vacancy" |
| Released | 1974 |
| Recorded | 1973 |
| Genre | Folk rock |
| Length | 3:29 |
| Label | Elektra |
| Writer(s) | Harry Chapin Sandra Chapin |
| Producer | Paul Leka |
| Certification | Gold |
"Cat's in the Cradle" is a 1974 folk rock song by Harry Chapin from the album Verities & Balderdash. The single topped the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1974. As Chapin's only #1 hit song, it became the best known of his work and a staple for folk rock music.
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The song was based upon a poem written by Harry's wife Sandy; the poem itself was inspired by the awkward relationship between her first husband, James Cashmore, and his father, a New York City politician. She was also inspired by a country music song she had heard on the radio.[1] Harry has also said that the song was about his father-son relationship with his son, Josh, saying that "Frankly, this song scares me to death."[2]
The song is told in first-person by a father who is too busy to spend time with his son. Though the son asks him to join in childhood activities, the father always responds with little more than vague promises of spending time together in the future. While wishing to spend time with his father, the son continues to admire him, wishing to be "just like him." The final two verses are a reverse of the roles, where the father asks his grown-up son to visit, but the son responds that he is now too busy to find the time for his father. The father then reflects that they are both alike, saying "my boy was just like me." The song's chorus uses imagery related to childhood ("Cat's in the cradle," "silver spoon," "Little Boy Blue," "Man in the Moon").
This song appears in the Season 4 episode of How I Met Your Mother "Not a Father's Day" sung by Neil Patrick Harris, in the first season of 'Til Death sung by Brad Garrett, and also appears in the Season 6 episode of The Office "St. Patrick's Day" sung by Rainn Wilson and Ed Helms. The song was heard at the end of the King of the Hill episode "What Happens at the National Propane Gas Convention in Memphis Stays at the National Propane Gas Convention in Memphis." It was also featured in the first-season episode of Family Guy, "The Son Also Draws," sung by the talking trees that Peter and Chris encounter on their vision quest in the forest. A segment of the song is played in Season 1 episode 5 of Happy Endings. A reference to the song was also expressed by Van and his relationship with his father in the TV show Reba.
Johnny Cash did a cover in his 1990 album Boom Chicka Boom
A cover of this song was sung by the hard rock group Ugly Kid Joe on their album America's Least Wanted. It sold over 500,000 copies in Australia. The song also appears briefly on an episode of the American comedy-drama series Scrubs in the fourth season episode "My Unicorn", sung by John Bennett Perry. The song also appears twice in The Simpsons, in the Season 3 episode "Saturdays of Thunder", and in the Season 6 episode "Bart's Girlfriend". The song also appears in Shrek the Third, sung by Donkey after Shrek finds out Fiona is pregnant to make him (Shrek) feel better, but it does not work. It was also used in the British government's public information film asking people to report suspected terrorist activity. It was only broadcast in the Ulster Television region.[3]
| Position | |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[4] | 1 |