HARRY四处旅行演唱. 由于奔波旅途, 他无法在小儿子出生的时候陪在妻子身边, 使得他相当难过.他的妻子珊荻非常了解他的感受, 于是想到一个点子,建议他把这个事件化为歌曲题材. 就这样, 他用珊荻写的一首诗谱成了"CAT'S IN THE CRADLE".
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"
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
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
And said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah
You know I'm gonna be like him"
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
You know we'll have a good time then
Well, he came home 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 said with a smile
"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?"
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
You know we'll have a good time then
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 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
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
You know we'll have a good time then
这首歌生动地描述一对父子之间的关系: 儿子小的时候, 经常希望父亲陪在他身边,而父亲却总是因为工作忙碌, 没有时间陪伴孩子. 儿子非常能够体谅父亲, 他可以让摇篮里的猫来陪伴自己. 岁月匆匆过去, 如今作父亲的人老了, 终于有时间可以留在家里, 可是现在轮到已经长大的儿子忙碌于事业, 每当父亲打电话过来的时候,他都充满抱歉地告诉父亲, 自己真的很想多跟父亲聊聊, 可惜他实在是没有时间.风水轮流转, 这不正是许多家庭亲子关系的写照吗?
HARRY每年大约表演两百场,有半数以上都是为了政治, 或者是社会运动而举行的,因为他对社会有着强烈的关怀, 他甚至跟几个朋友联合创立了"世界饥饿基金会", 筹募了超过五百万美元以上的善款, 用来救助许多为饥饿所苦的不幸人们. 1981年7月16日,HARRY准备在当天晚上参加另外一场慈善演唱会. 那天中午, 他驾车前往曼哈顿,赶赴一场会议,经过长岛高速公路时, 他变换车道,打算离开高速公路, 却被一辆拖车从后面撞上, 汽车当场起火燃烧. 肇事的拖车司机把他从燃烧的汽车残骸里拖出来, 可惜已经回天乏术,他只活了三十九岁.在他过世之后, 亲友们继续把他济世救人的理想发扬光大. 除了两个弟弟举行一系列纪念演唱会、筹募更多的基金，他的经纪人KEN KRAGEN 更创立了“HARRY CHAPIN纪念基金会”，持续的进行各种人道的关怀，尤其是济助世界各地饥荒的灾民。由于表现突出，资深黑人歌手HARRY BELAFONTE打电话给克雷根，提出合作的构想，然后才逐渐扩大规模。而成了在1985年春天感动全世界的"WE ARE THE WORLD". 或许"HARRY CHAPIN"从来不是什么受到疯狂崇拜的偶像巨星，但是他短暂的一生却也早已不虚此行了.
