Cat's in the Cradle
Music by Harry Chapin
Lyrics by Sandy Chapin

Harry Chapin
Verities & Balderdash
1974

I have needed to do this song for a long time now,
and I have received several requests for it, so I
found it on the net and here it is.  I hope it
sounds good, and I hope you guys enjoy it.  It's a
wonderful song.

Lyrics
Chords

Capo 5th

INTRO:

   C                 F                 Cadd9             Bb
   +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +
e:-----3---3-------|-5p3-----1-------|-----------------|---------|
B:-1-------------1-|-1---3-1-------1-|-3---------3-----|-----3---|
G:-0-----------0---|-------------2---|-------0-------0-|-3-------|
D:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|-3---------------|-1-------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------|
                                                         2/4

   C
   +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
e:-------3-------3-|-------3-------3-|-------3-------3-|
B:-1-----------1---|-----1-------1---|-----1-------1---|
G:-----0-----0-----|---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|
D:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:-3-------3-------|-3-------3-------|-3-------3-------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
   4/4

This is the verse tab:

My child arrived...  other day      he came to the...    usual way   but there were
   C                 Bb6               FaddA             C
   +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
e:-------3---------|-------3---------|-------5---------|-------3---------|
B:-----1-----1-----|-----3---------3-|-----1---------1-|-----1-----1-----|
G:---0-----------0-|---3-------3-----|---2-------2-----|---0-----------0-|
D:-------------2---|-------------3---|-3-----------3---|-------------2---|
A:-3---------------|-1---------------|-----------------|-3---------------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|


   planes to catch...bills to pay   he learned to walk...I was away    and he was
   C                 Bb6               FaddA             C
   +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
e:-------3---------|-------3---------|-------5---------|-------3---------|
B:-----1-----1-----|-----3---------3-|-----1---------1-|-----1-----1-----|
G:---0-----------0-|---3-------3-----|---2-------2-----|---0-----------0-|
D:-------------2---|-------------3---|-3-----------3---|-------------2---|
A:-3---------------|-1---------------|-----------------|-3---------------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|


   talkin'...knew it..as he grew...    I'm gonna be like you dad
   Bb      Bb/A      Gm      F         Ebmaj7  D+5       C
   +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
e:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:---3---3---3---3-|---3---3---1---1-|-3-----3-3-----3-|-------1-------1-|
G:-----3-------3---|-----3-------2---|-3---3---3---3---|-----0-------0---|
D:-----------------|-----------------|-1-------0-------|-----------------|
A:-1-------0-------|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------3-------|
E:-----------------|-3-------1-------|-----------------|-----------------|


you know I'm gonna be like you                     and the...
   Ebmaj7  D+5       C
   +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
e:-----------------|-----------------|-0---0---0---0---|
B:-3-----3-3-----3-|-1-----1-------1-|-1---1---1---1---|
G:-3---3---3---3---|-----0-------0---|-0---0---0---0---|
D:-1-------0-------|-----------------|-2---2---2---2---|
A:-----------------|-3-------3-------|-3---3---3---3---|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

This is the ending:

   C                 F                 Cadd9             Bb         C
   +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +      +   +   +   +
e:-----3---3-------|-5p3-----1-------|-----------------|---------|-^0---------------|
B:-1-------------1-|-1---3-1-------1-|-3---------3-----|-----3---|-^1---------------|
G:-0-----------0---|-------------2---|-------0-------0-|-3-------|-^0---------------|
D:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------|-^2---------------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|-3---------------|-1-------|-^3---------------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------|------------------|
                                                         2/4

LYRICS:

play intro

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
        C                           Bb
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Eb5                     C
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
                              Bb
"When you coming home dad" "I don't know when
    Eb5         D+5       C
But we'll get together then
    Eb5               D+5       C
You know we'll have a good time then"

play intro tab


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 lemme tell you
Said "I'm gonna be like him yeah
You know I'm gonna be like him"

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"


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
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
"When you coming home son" "I don't know when
But we'll get together then dad
You know we'll have a good time then"

Eb5	D+5	C
Eb5	D+5	C


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"

play second half of verse again
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
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
"When you coming home son" "I don't know when
But we'll get together then dad
You know we'll have a good time then"

play ending


CHORDS:

C	x32010 or x32013
Cadd9	x32030
Bb	x1333x
Bb6	x13333
Bb/A	x0333x
FaddA	xx3215 (play it xx3211 if this is a stretch)
Gm	355333
Ebmaj7	xx1333
Eb5	xx134x (if you can play, a real Eb: xx1343)
D+5	xx033x


To learn why these chords are named this way, check Dansm's Guitar Chord Theory.