Lyrics for singles by Harry Chapin
Taxi
W*O*L*D
Cats in the Cradle
Circle
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 into AM rock
But I just had to run around
It's been eight years since I left you babe
Let me tell you 'bout what's gone down
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 made my voice go low
They said that they liked the other 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, via Boise, Idaho
That's how this business goes
[chorus]
I've been making extra money playing 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
I got a spot on the top of my head, just begging for a new toupee
And a tire on 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 this jocking
And start that record store
Maybe I could settle down if you'd take me back once more
Okay, Honey, I see
I guess he's better than me
Sure, old 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*D*D
I am the morning DJ at K*H*J*J*J
Playing all the hits for you, playing them 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
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, 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
It 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, Dad?"
"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, Dad
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, Dad
We're gonna have a good time then"
All my life's a circle, sunrise and sundown
The moon rolls through the nighttime, till the daybreak comes around
All my life's a circle but I can't tell you why
The season's spinnin' round again the years keep rollin' by
It seems like I've been here before, I can't remember when
But I got this funny feelin' that I'll be back once again
There's no straight lines make up my life and all my roads have bends
There's no clear-cut beginnings and so far no dead-ends
I found you a thousand times I guess you've done the same
But then we lose each other it's just like a children's game
But as I see you here again, a thought runs through my mind
Our love is like a circle, let's go 'round one more time
[chorus]