Harry Chapin

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 talking '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 in the moon
"When you coming home, dad?" "I don't know when
But we'll get together then
You know we'll have a good time then"

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 ok"
And he walked away, but his smile never dimmed
Said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah
You know I'm gonna be like him"

[Chorus:]

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:]

I've long since retired and 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 could find the time
You see, my new job's a hassle, and the kid's got 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:]

I come fresh from the street
Fast on my feet, kinda lean and lazy
Not much meat on my bones, and a whole lot alone
And more than a little bit crazy
The old six string was all I had
To keep my belly still
And for each full-hour lesson I gave
I got a crisp ten dollar bill

She was married for seven years
To a concrete castle king
She said she wanted to learn to play the guitar
And to hear her children sing
So I'd show up about once a week
In my faded tight-legged jeans
With a backlog full of hobo stories
And dilapidated dreams

[Chorus]
She said, "I want to learn a love song full of happy things."
She said, "I want to learn a love song; won't you let me hear you sing?"
She said, "I want to learn a love song, I want to hear you play."
She said, "I want to learn a love song before you go away."

So I tried to teach her a couple of chords
And an easy melody
But it always turned out she'd rather listen
To my guitar and me
I could hear her old man laughing in the den
Playing stud poker with the boys
While I sang so soft in the living room
Too scared to make much noise
I came one week and the den was dark
And she met me at the door
And we sat on the couch and we sang and talked
Till I could not sing no more
The silence kept on building
Her eyes grew much too wide
And I could hear both of our heartbeats
But there was no place to hide

[Chorus]

Well, I guess you know what happened
God, I never been so clean
Yes, I feel like I'm working in a Hollywood movie
Or living out a good bad dream
And all them pinup girls in that tinsel world
Never touched me like she can
It took another man's wife in the real world life
To make this boy a man

[Chorus]

I guess you know I stayed

I came into town with a knapsack on my shoulder
And a pocket full of stories that I just had to tell.
You know I've knocked around a bit,
I've had my share of small town glories,
And it's time to hit the city and that crazy carousel.

I been feeling sorry for myself,
But you know I was only lonely,
Like everybody else.
Until...

You brought your Sunday morning sunshine
Here into my Monday morning rain.
You taught me happiness just one time,
It keeps on coming back again.

These streets were never highways
For I had not known the sky above.
These days were never my days
For I had not known your love.

It's funny how a city can put on a different face,
When it holds the one you care for
It becomes a different place.
And I never felt so far from alone.
Baby you brought me halfway home.
Yes, baby, you brought me halfway home.

You brought your Sunday morning sunshine
Here into my Monday morning rain.
You taught me happiness just one time,
It keeps on coming back again and again and again...

You brought your Sunday morning sunshine
Here into my Monday morning rain.
You taught me happiness just one time,
It keeps on coming back again and again and again...

You brought your Sunday morning sunshine
Here into my Monday morning rain.
You taught me happiness just one time,
It keeps on coming back again and again and again...

You brought your Sunday morning sunshine
Here into my Monday morning rain.
You taught me happiness just one time,
It keeps on coming back again...

It was raining hard in 'Frisco,
I needed one more fare to make my night.
A lady up ahead waved to flag me down,
She got in at the light.

Oh, where you going to, my lady blue,
It's a shame you ruined your gown in the rain.
She just looked out the window, and said
"Sixteen Parkside Lane".

Something about her was familiar
I could swear I'd seen her face before,
But she said, "I'm sure you're mistaken"
And she didn't say anything more.

It took a while, but she looked in the mirror,
And she glanced at the license for my name.
A smile seemed to come to her slowly,
It was a sad smile, just the same.

And she said, "How are you Harry?"
I said, "How are you Sue?
Through the too many miles
and the too little smiles
I still remember you."

It was somewhere in a fairy tale,
I used to take her home in my car.
We learned about love in the back of the Dodge,
The lesson hadn't gone too far.

You see, she was gonna be an actress,
And I was gonna learn to fly.
She took off to find the footlights,
And I took off to find the sky.

Oh, I've got something inside me,
To drive a princess blind.
There's a wild man, wizard,
He's hiding in me, illuminating my mind.

Oh, I've got something inside me,
Not what my life's about,
Cause I've been letting my outside tide me,
Over 'till my time, runs out.

Baby's so high that she's skying,
Yes she's flying, afraid to fall.
I'll tell you why baby's crying,
Cause she's dying, aren't we all.

There was not much more for us to talk about,
Whatever we had once was gone.
So I turned my cab into the driveway,
Past the gate and the fine trimmed lawns.

And she said we must get together,
But I knew it'd never be arranged.
And she handed me twenty dollars,
For a two fifty fare, she said
"Harry, keep the change."

Well another man might have been angry,
And another man might have been hurt,
But another man never would have let her go...
I stashed the bill in my shirt.

And she walked away in silence,
It's strange, how you never know,
But we'd both gotten what we'd asked for,
Such a long, long time ago.

You see, she was gonna be an actress
And I was gonna learn to fly.
She took off to find the footlights,
And I took off for the sky.

And here, she's acting happy,
Inside her handsome home.
And me, I'm flying in my taxi,
Taking tips, and getting stoned,
I go flying so high, when I'm stoned.

Hello Honey, it's me
What did you think when you heard me back on the radio?
What did the kids say when they knew it was their long lost daddy-o?
Remember how we listened to the radio
And I said "That's the place to be"
And how I got the job as an FM Jock the day you married me?
It was two kids and I was was into AM rock
But I just had to run around
It's been ages since I left you babe
Let me tell you 'bout what's gone down

[Chorus]
I am the morning DJ at W*O*L*D
Playing all the hits for you wherever you may be
The bright good-morning voice who's heard but never seen
Feeling all of forty-five going on fifteen

The drinking I did on my last big gig, it made my voice go low
They said that they liked the young sound when they let me go
So I drifted on down to Tulsa, Oklahoma to do me a late night talk show
Now I worked my way down home again, here to Boise, Idaho
That's how this business goes

[Chorus]

I been making extra money doing high school sock hops
I'm a big time guest MC
You should hear me talking to the little children
And listen what they say to me
Got a spot on the top of my head, just begging for a new toupee
And a tire around my gut from sitting on my butt
But it's never gonna go away

Sometimes I get this crazy dream
That I just take off in my car
But you can travel on ten thousand miles and still stay where you are
I've been thinking that I should stop disk jockeying
And start that record store
Maybe I could settle down if you'd take me back once more

OK Honey, I see
I guess he's better than me
Sure, Girl, I understand
You don't have to worry; I'm such a happy man

W*O*L*D, W*O*L*D, W*O*L*D, W*O*L*D, W*O*L*D*

I am the morning DJ at K*A*H*J
Playing all the hits for you, playing 'em night and day
The bright good morning voice who's heard but never seen
Feeling all of forty-five, going on fifteen
I am the morning DJ at W*O*L*D, W*O*L*D, W*O*L*D, W*O*L*D