Hi it’s Sunday and time again for Jim Adams to bring us a prompt for Song Lyric Sunday. This week we have something much more different. Look for songs that are written or sung by someone named Tom/Dick/Harry or a song that includes one of these names in the lyrics.
Well I think this is a hard one Jim but I never shrink from a challenge so I am hoping with Harry Chaplin the singer -songwriter and his song The Cats in the Cradle. Also I am going with the song Harry Braff by the Bee Gees.
Harry Forster Chapin (December 7, 1942 – July 16, 1981) was an American singer-songwriter, humanitarian, and producer best known for his folk rock and pop rock songs, who achieved worldwide success in the 1970s and became one of the most popular artists and highest paid performers. Chapin is also one of the best charting musical artists in the United States. Chapin, a Grammy Award winning artist and Grammy Hall of Fame inductee, has sold over 16 million records worldwide and has been described as one of the most beloved performers in music history. More information found here at Wiki.
I have chosen The Cats in the Cradle . This is a salutary and poignant song about how easy it is for father’s and sons to grow apart. The song tells how delighted the young father is so have his new born son. He works hard to provide for his son but he fails to find anytime to spend with his son. As time goes by he lets his son down more and more. Then when he gets older maybe retires he asks his son if they can meet up. It could be that the son is too busy being like his father ( learned bad habits from example) or he resents his father’s apparent lack of interest and doesn’t want to bother with him. Either way it a very sad and true song.
Apparently the song is a mix of Chapin’s work and his wife Sandy . You can read more about it here.
My second song is by the Bee Gees from their Album Horizontal released in 1968 it has, to my mind some of their best songs. So here it is .
Bee Gees Lyrics
“Harry Braff”
Checkered flag, checkered flag, checkered flag for Harry Braff.
Checkered flag, checkered flag, checkered flag for Harry Braff.
Goodbye Harry Braff, it’s so good to see him win the race.
And the crowd, feeling proud just know they are there.
And getting a good view of Harry Braff, Harry Braff
Realise Harry Braff and the Mayor of Gordon cheers him on.
Every mile, see him smile with the dust in his eyes.
Ev’ryone’s crying for Harry Braff. Harry Braff.
Goodbye! Harry Braff. Goodbye! Harry Braff
Goodbye! Harry Braff. Goodbye!
Checkered flag, checkered flag, checkered flag for Harry Braff.
Checkered flag, checkered flag, checkered flag for Harry Braff.
Goodbye Harry Braff, it’s so good to see him win the race.
And the crowd, feeling proud just to know they are there.
And getting a good view of Harry Braff. Harry Braff.
Goodbye! Harry Braff. Goodbye! Harry Braff.
Goodbye! Harry Braff. Goodbye!
Harry Braff. Harry Braff. I’m a coming’.
I am pretty sure that Harry Bragg is an imaginary racing driver, so far I cannot find any reference to him on Google.
Jan 19, 2020 @ 11:47:28
Love your choices sis!
Jan 19, 2020 @ 11:51:54
Thank you Sis
Jan 19, 2020 @ 11:52:03
💜💜💜💜
Jan 19, 2020 @ 12:44:47
When I read your comment on Jim’s blog, I so hoped this was the song you had chosen by Harry Chapin. I love this song.
Jan 19, 2020 @ 11:53:51
Oh! So do , it’s the most heartfelt and sad song ever written. So true of too many father’s and sons and mostly done unwittingly.💜
Jan 19, 2020 @ 14:52:20
I love The Cats in the Cradle, but I always find it chilling to listen to as it is so sad. This is a new Bee Gees song to me and it is really nice and it makes them sound more British to me.
Jan 19, 2020 @ 14:59:11
I love the cats in the cradle too, though as you say it’s very chilling and sad. The Bee Gees song is an early one before they went all falsetto, you can hear their Manchester accents.💜
Jan 19, 2020 @ 15:35:07
I was a huge fan of the BeeGees, especially their older stuff, but I’ve never heard this one so thank you
Jan 19, 2020 @ 15:52:07
I have had a lot of people say that this week 💜
Jan 19, 2020 @ 16:21:25
I just love Cats in the Cradle, Willow. I haven’t heard it for ages but it looks like I have new favourite song.
Jan 19, 2020 @ 17:08:56
The words are so painfully true 💜
Jan 19, 2020 @ 16:40:54
So glad you chose Cats in the Cradle. I’d never head the Bee Gees like that before. They almost sound Beatles like. Their harmonies were so pure.
Jan 19, 2020 @ 17:14:47
The Cats in the Cradle song is brilliant isn’t it. I love the the early Bee Gees in the days before they went all falsetto , which I do like too. 💜
Jan 19, 2020 @ 20:10:56
My hubby calls The Bee Gees bubblegum pop. They were certainly brilliant in their own right but I think they sounded great in their early days. I can also see where a producer wouldn’t wanting them to live in the shadows of the Beatles. They reinvented themselves.
Jan 19, 2020 @ 21:53:37
Yes indeed they did 💜
Jan 19, 2020 @ 17:10:11
Haven’t heard Harry Chapin in a while…
Jan 19, 2020 @ 17:07:53
He is a brilliant song writer💜
Jan 19, 2020 @ 21:18:07
Two excellent songs. Never heard Harry Braff before. They sound an awful lot like The Beatles here. Not sure who came first, maybe The Beatles sound like them?
Jan 19, 2020 @ 22:00:41
The Beatles first hit was 1964, Bee Gees 1967 there were a lot of parallels between both groups though💜
Jan 20, 2020 @ 00:10:44
Yes, those harmonies is one big one. I can see it with the brothers and their voices. How The Beatles did it was a wonderful mystery ❤
Jan 20, 2020 @ 06:58:59
The Beatles were all talented lads and they were lucky to hit the scene just at the right time just when what they had was wanted! 💜
Jan 21, 2020 @ 21:31:08
The Bee Gees always, any time, from any decade! 😊👍
Jan 21, 2020 @ 20:45:39
Yes indeed always fresh 💜