Cat's in the cradle
| Cat's in the cradle | |
|---|---|
| Harry Chapin | |
| publication | 1st October 1974 |
| length | 3:44 |
| Genre (s) | Folk rock , soft rock |
| Author (s) | Harry Chapin, Sandra Chapin |
| Publisher (s) | Elektra Records |
| album | Verities & Balderdash |
| Cover version | |
| 1993 | Ugly Kid Joe |
Cat's in the Cradle is a song by the American singer-songwriter Harry Chapin , which appeared on his fourth studio album Verities & Balderdash in 1974 . Cat's in the Cradle became Chapin's only number one hit and is considered his best-known single. The song received a Grammy nomination in 1975 and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2011. A cover version of the song by Ugly Kid Joe also became famous in 1993 .
Origin and content
The meaning of the title probably comes from a thread kid's game called Cat's Cradle.
The text of Cat's in the Cradle was written as a poem by Harry Chapin's wife Sandra, which was based on the relationship between her first husband and his father, who worked as a politician in Brooklyn . The melody was based on a country song Sandra Chapin heard on the radio.
Cat's in the Cradle is about a father and his son, for whom he hardly has time due to professional reasons, so that he grows up almost without his father. During the narration of the song, the son grows into a grown man. Each stanza ends with the son saying that one day he will become just like his father. After the father retires, the tide turns: Now he would like to spend more time with his son, but he - like his father - has no time for him. The song ends with the father saying that his son grew up just like him and is now just like him.
Cover versions
The first cover version of Cat's in the Cradle was created for Johnny Cash's 1989 album Boom Chicka Boom . Another version of the song from 2006 is by Run-DMC and Sarah McLachlan . The best known cover version of Cat's in the Cradle was released in 1993 by Ugly Kid Joe on their album America's Least Wanted , which hit the charts in several countries.
Other uses
Cat's in the Cradle has found multiple uses in popular films, TV series, and video games since its release. It can be heard in episodes of Das Büro and The Goldbergs as well as in The Simpsons. In addition, reference is made to the song in an episode of the sitcom Das Leben und Ich . In 2013, Cat's in the Cradle was heard as a radio track on the fictional radio station Los Santos Rock Radio in the video game Grand Theft Auto V.
Chart positions and awards
Chapin's version of Cat's in the Cradle reached number 1 on the US charts in December 1974, making it his most commercially successful hit. In Canada the single reached number 3 in the charts, in Australia number 6. In Europe, the original version was only able to place in Great Britain, where it occupied 53rd place.
Ugly Kid Joe's 1993 version reached number 6 on the US singles chart . Unlike the original, the cover version achieved chart successes in Europe and reached number 10 in Germany, number 7 in Great Britain and Austria and number 5 in Switzerland.
Harry Chapin was in 1975 nominated for a Grammy Award in the category Best Male Pop Vocal Performance , losing to the single Fulfillingness' First Finale by Stevie Wonder . In 2011, Cat's in the Cradle was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in its original version.
Harry Chapin
| Country / Region | Award | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Awards for music sales (country / region, Award, Sales) |
||
 United States (RIAA)
|
 gold
|
1,000,000 |
| All in all |
1 × gold |
1,000,000 |
Ugly Kid Joe
| Country / Region | Award | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Awards for music sales (country / region, Award, Sales) |
||
 Australia (ARIA)
|
 platinum
|
70,000 |
|
United States (RIAA)
|
gold
|
500,000 |
| All in all |
1 × gold 1 × platinum |
570,000 |
Individual evidence
- ↑ Mike Grayeb: Behind the Song: Cat's in the Cradle. In: harrychapin.com. Retrieved September 26, 2018 .
- ^ Jojo McIntyre: A Song for All Dads, "Cat's in the Cradle" by Harry Chapin. In: Country Thang Daily. June 18, 2018, accessed September 26, 2018 .
- ↑ a b Award in the United States
- ↑ Award in Australia
Web links
- Chart placements of Ugly Kid Joe's version on hitparade.ch
- Article about Cat's in the Cradle on countrythangdaily.com (English)