Cats In The Cradle

Harry Chapin

A 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 said:

I’m gonna be like you, dad,

You know I’m gonna be like you

And the cats 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 well have a good time then.

My son turned ten just the other day, he said

Thanks for the ball, dad, come on lets 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.

And the cats 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 well together then,

You know we’ll have a good time then.

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 ya 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 ya later, can I have them please?

And the cats 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.

I’ve long since retired, my sons 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 jobs a hassle and the kids are the flu

But its sure nice talkin to you, dad

Its been sure nice talkin to you.

And as I hung up the phone it occured to me,

He’d grown up just like me,

My boy was just like me.

And the cats 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’ll gonna have a good time then