[Verse 1]

             
A child arrive

           
d just the oth

er day
             
Came to the wo

             
rld in the usu

           
al way
              
But there were

              
 planes to cat

       
ch and bills t

o pay.
             
He learned to 

             
walk while I w

as away
             
He was talking

              
 'fore I knew 

it and as he g

rew he said,
             
"I'm gonna be 

      
like you, dad,
             
You know I'm g

              
onna be like y


ou"


[Chorus]

             
The cats in th

              
e cradle and t

        
he silver spoo

n
             
Little boy blu

         
e and a man on

 the moon
             
When you comin

            
' home son, I 

don't know whe

n
           
We'll get toge

       
ther then,
             
You know we'll

          
 have a good t

    
ime then


[Verse 2]

             
Well my son tu

           
rned ten just 

the other day
             
He said "Thank

              
s for the ball

       
 dad, come on,

 let's play
             
Could you teac

              
h me to throw?

            
", I said "Not

 today
             
I got a lot to

              
 do", he said 

  
"That's OK"
             
And he walked 

              
away and he sm

             
iled and he sa

id,
              
"I'm gonna be 

 
like him, yeah

,
             
You know I'm g

              
onna be like h


im"


[Chorus]

             
The cats in th

              
e cradle and t

        
he silver spoo

n
             
Little boy blu

         
e and a man on

 the moon
             
When you comin

            
' home son, I 

don't know whe

n
           
We'll get toge

       
ther then,
             
You know we'll

          
 have a good t

    
ime then


[Verse 3]

             
Well he came f

             
rom college ju

st the other d

ay
             
So much like a

              
 man I just ha

   
ve to say
             
I'm proud of y

              
ou, could you 

 
sit for a whil

e
             
He shook his h

            
ead and he sai

d with a smile
  
What I'd reall

y like, dad, i

s to borrow th

e car keys
             
See you later,

     
 can I have th

em please 


[Chorus]

             
The cats in th

              
e cradle and t

        
he silver spoo

n
             
Little boy blu

         
e and a man on

 the moon
             
When you comin

            
' home son, I 

don't know whe

n
           
We'll get toge

       
ther then,
             
You know we'll

          
 have a good t

    
ime then


[Bridge]

Three parts simultaneously 
Electrical guitar

     
     

[Verse 4]

             
I've long sinc

              
e retired, my 

 
son's moved aw

ay
             
I called him u

     
p just the oth

er day
             
I'd like to se

        
e you, if you 

don't mind
             
He said: I'd l

              
ove to, dad, i


f I could find

 the time.
         
You see, my ne

w job a hassle

 and the kids 

have the flu,
             
But it's sure 

              
nice talking t

   
o you dad, 
             
It's been sure

        
 nice talkin' 

to you


[Verse 5]

       
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]

             
The cats in th

              
e cradle and t

        
he silver spoo

n
             
Little boy blu

         
e and a man on

 the moon
             
When you comin

            
' home son, I 

don't know whe

n
           
We'll get toge

       
ther then,
             
You know we'll

          
 have a good t

    
ime then