Harry Chapin - Cats in the Cradle

For the Intro I play a simple chord melody - (I use an [E-on the 7th fret,
a [D-in 1st position), and an [E](1st position). I basically use these three
chords with a lot of ornimentation for chord melody (not seen here) - just
listen to the original intro to hear the melody & you'll be able to match it
with these chords and ornamentation. I don't play this version with a capo
since it fits my voice better without one - however use a capo if needed.
Almost all of the chords used here are basic first-position chords (unless
you want to play them elsewhere). The A/C# Chord is just an "A" Chord with
a C# (A-string-4th fret) in the bass.
Here are basic the chord fingerings used:
E-022100  G-32
D-000232  Bm-2

0033  A-002220
24432 C-032010

Questions/Comments . . . Ian C.T. vom Saal - ianvomsaal@yahoo.com
Harry Chapin - Cats in the Cradle


[Intro]
E D E   (I use an [E-on the 7th fret, a [D-in 1st position), and an [E](1st position)


[Verse 1]
             
My child arriv

             
ed just the ot

             
her day, He ca

              
me to the worl

        
d in the usual

 way
              
But there were

             
 planes to cat

             
ch and bills t

         
o pay, He lear

ned to walk wh

ile I was away
             
And he was tal

           
king 'for I kn

#         
ew it, and as 

he grew
             
He said "I'm g

           
onna be like y

            
ou, dad, you k

             
now I'm gonna 

       
be like you"


[Chorus]
             
And the cat's 

              
in the cradle 

       
and the silver

 spoon,
             
  Little boy b

          
lue and the ma

n in the moon
             
 "When you com

              
min' home dad?

    
" "I don't kno

w when,
            
But we'll get 

            
together then,

             
 You know we'l

            
l have a good 

    
time then"


[Verse 2]
             
My son turned 

             
ten just the o

              
ther day, He s

             
aid "Thanks fo

              
r the ball dad

      
, come on lets

 play
             
Can you teach 

              
me to throw", 

             
I said "Not to

             
day I got a lo

              
t to do", He s

    
aid "that's ok

ay"
         
He walked away

        
 but his smile

 never dimmed,
             
He said "I'm g

           
onna be like h

             
im, yeah, You 

             
know I'm gonna

       
 be like him"


[Chorus]
             
And the cat's 

              
in the cradle 

       
and the silver

 spoon,
             
  Little boy b

          
lue and the ma

n in the moon
             
 "When you com

              
min' home dad?

    
" "I don't kno

w when,
            
But we'll get 

            
together then,

             
 You know we'l

            
l have a good 

    
time then"


E D E   (I use an [E-on the 7th fret, a [D-in 1st position), and an [E](1st position)


[Verse 3]
             
Well he came f

              
rom college ju

             
st the other d

             
ay, So much li

              
ke a man I jus

 
t had to say
             
"Son I'm proud

              
 of you can yo

             
u sit for a wh

             
ile?" He shook

              
 his head and 

  
he said with a

 smile,
             
"What I'd real

          
ly like dad is

   
 to borrow the

 car keys,
           
 See you later

      
 can I have th

em please?"


[Chorus]
             
And the cat's 

              
in the cradle 

       
and the silver

 spoon,
             
  Little boy b

          
lue and the ma

n in the moon
             
 "When you com

              
min' home dad?

    
" "I don't kno

w when,
            
But we'll get 

            
together then,

             
 You know we'l

            
l have a good 

    
time then"


[Instrumental]
      
E D E   (I use

 an [E-on the 

7th fret, a [D

-in 1st positi

on), and an [E

](1st position

)


[Verse 4]
             
I've long sinc

             
e retired, my 

              
son's moved aw

             
ay, I called h

              
im up just the


 other day
             
I said "I'd li

              
ke to see you 

             
if you don't m

              
ind", He said 

             
"I'd love to d

             
ad if I could 

find the time,
              
You see the my

           
 new job's a h

          
assle and the 

kids have the 

flu
             
But it's sure 

            
nice talkin' t

             
o you dad - It

           
's sure nice t

         
alkin' to you"
             
And as I hung 

          
up the phone i

 
t occurred to 

me,
            
He'd grown up 

        
just like me
           
My boy was jus

      
t 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 com

              
min' home son?

             
" "I don't kno

             
w when, But we

            
'll get togeth

       
er then Dad,
              
(SLOWLY). . . 

             
We're gonna ha

            
ve a good time


 then"


[Outro]
E D E   (I use an [E-on the 7th fret, a [D-in 1st position), and an [E](1st position)