‘Cat's in the Cradle’ is a folk rock song by American singer-songwriter Harry Chapin, from his fourth studio album, Verities & Balderdash (1974). The single topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in December 1974. As Chapin's only number-one song, it became the best known of his work and a staple for folk rock music. Chapin's recording of the song was nominated for the 1975 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2011.
‘Cat's in the Cradle’ is narrated by a man who becomes a father in the first stanza. He is repeatedly too busy with his work to spend time with his son, despite his son looking up to him and promising he will grow up to be just like him. When the son graduates from college, he declines his father's offer to relax with him and instead asks for the car keys. In the final stanza, the now-retired father calls his adult son and asks to spend some time together, but the son is now too busy with his own work and family to spend time with his dad, and the father realizes his son has indeed grown up to be just like him.
The song's lyrics began as a poem written by Chapin's wife, Sandra "Sandy" Gaston; the poem itself was inspired by the awkward relationship between her first husband, James Cashmore, and his father, John, a politician who served as Brooklyn borough president. She was also inspired by a country music song she had heard on the radio. Chapin also said the song was about his own relationship with his son, Josh, admitting, "Frankly, this song scares me to death." Sandra and Harry were married in 1968 and had two children together, Jennifer and Joshua. When Josh was born, Harry decided to turn his wife’s poem into a song. “We both looked at each other’s stuff,” shared Sandra. “And then one time he came home and he said, ‘What have you been doing?’ I showed him ‘Cat’s In The Cradle,’ and he said, ‘Well, that’s interesting.’ …Sometimes he’d pick up something and put music to it, and that [the poem] didn’t really grab him at all. And then after Josh was born, it did. He picked it up and he wrote music to it.”
Cash Box called it "a tender story of a father and his son and a perfect representation of how roles change in the relationship over the years," stating it was a "lyrical delight."[8] Record World said that the song "deals with the preoccupations plaguing parenthood" and that it "bridges the generation gap by pointing up mutual faults."
Though ‘Cat’s in the Cradle’ has been covered by numerous artists, including Yusuf Cat Steven’s 1977 rendition ‘Cat’s Cradle,’ it was Ugly Kid Joe’s 1992 cover that has remained one of the most memorable. Released on the band’s debut America’s Least Wanted, ‘Cats in the Cradle’ (title without the apostrophe) topped the charts internationally and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart and at No. 6 on the Hot 100 in the U.S.
Label – Elektra
Songwriters – Harry Chapin, Sandra Chapin
Producer – Paul Leka
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]
My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say, "I'm gonna be like you, Dad
You know I'm gonna be like you"
[Chorus]
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
"When you comin' home, Dad?"
"I don't know when, but we'll get together then
You know we'll have a good time then"
[Verse 2]
My son turned ten just the other day
He said, "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let's play
Can you teach me to throw?" I said, "Not today
I got a lot to do." He said, "That's okay"
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
It said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah
You know I'm gonna be like him"
[Chorus]
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
"When you comin' home, Dad?"
"I don't know when, but we'll get together then
You know we'll have a good time then"
[Verse 3]
Well, he came from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
"Son, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head and he said with a smile
"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?"
[Chorus]
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
"When you comin' home, son?"
"I don't know when, but we'll get together then, Dad
You know we'll have a good time then"
[Verse 4]
I've long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
He said, "I'd love to, Dad, if I can find the time
You see my new job's a hassle and the kids have the flu
But it's sure nice talking to you, Dad
It's been sure nice talking to you"
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me
[Chorus]
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
"When you comin' home, son?"
"I don't know when, but we'll get together then, Dad
We're gonna have a good time then"