Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Harry Chapin

Image by Steve Stout from Harry Chapin

Though Harry Chapin has been dead over 30 years, there is still a website in his name. He was killed in a car crash in 1981, aged 39.

His best known hit was Cat's in the Cradle, a song that deals with our lack of presence in the moment as we rush through life and fail to pay heed to the important things, like the speed with which their children grow up and leave home.

The lyrics express the sad irony of the adult son emulating his father. Like his Dad when he was young, he is now too busy to get together with the aging father who was once too busy to spend time with him.

The theme is profound; the song draws attention to our aimless busy rushing, now much greater now than when Harry first sang this song. It was written by his wife and devoted to their son Josh.

When he was alive, Harry Chapin also established a charity to combat hunger on Long Island.

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