This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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"
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
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-a, not today
I got a lot to do, he said, that's okay
And he, 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 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 they 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 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
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 the 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 in the moon
"When you coming home, son?" "I don't know when"
But we'll get together then, dad
We're gonna have a good time then
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"
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
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-a, not today
I got a lot to do, he said, that's okay
And he, 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 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 they 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 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
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 the 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 in the moon
"When you coming home, son?" "I don't know when"
But we'll get together then, dad
We're gonna have a good time then
Lyrics submitted by kevin, edited by bailey1143
Cat's In The Cradle Lyrics as written by Harry F. Chapin Sandy Chapin
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think a lot of people are totally missing the point of this song.
It's about a father who was always too busy to spend time with his son, even though his son always promises to grow up just like him.
Till one day many years later he sees his son acting the same way he used to, not making time for his family at all, and realizes too late that he really did grow up just like his father...
It's a cautionary tale about spending time with your kids. It's sad. It's not supposed to be something you're proud of, jeez...
Right on the money with the meaning, I heard this song in high school and swore I'd never be like that. I changed more diapers than my wife did. I've been active in cub scouts,girl scouts ,boy scouts. I tried to make all my kids' football and basketball games and any activity they had. Most of all, I never stop hugging and kissing them and I listen to what they say.(You never get a chance to do it over).
Yep. Pretty straight forward but still quite poignant and sad. Always gets me a bit teary. And think about it with my daughter.
@Bullzeye thanks, never would have got that!
@Ursamayor59 @Ursamayor59 same here! But i think a lot of parents should listen to this song ones a week.
@Bullzeye Hell, absolutely this. way later to to this party - but you are SPOT on with your analysis.\r\n\r\nRemember to may nights I came home, and my father was in front of the ol\' work cpu (way before WFH was thing)... \r\n\r\nCrazy how songs speak volumes... \r\n\r\n
"and the cats in the cradle and the silver spoon, little boy blue and the man on the moon"
basically "the cats in the cradle" is the son and the "silver spoon" is the father in the sense that the son is at home while the father is away making money to feed (silver spoon) and take care of the childs welfare.
"little boy blue and the man on the moon" explains how far away they are from each other...a little boy on the earth compared to his father who is so far away he might as well be in space.
and the fact that he says all of this using several nursery rhymes put together...is just ingenious.
omg I been trying to figure that out for like EVER
this song is amazing its about a dad who was always too busy to spend time with his kid until he was alll grown up and his kid was too busy to spen time with him
The first time I heard this was when I was 6. I remember loving how it sounded but finding it difficult to listen to in full. As I grew older and was able to understand the words and how powerful they are...
what a story.
I still find it difficult, but that's a good thing. Sometimes we need a reminder of how important quality time is.
@keykeyx10000 This song is the most prophetic cautionary tale I have ever heard! For sure!
I agree with many of the comments above- this song is about the importance of family...
I think aside from a sociological look at the family, it is actually a metaphor of society as a whole. Why does the father not have time for his son? Perhaps the phenomena of mass consumption has something to do with it. The father probably did not have time for his son because he valued work and money more then he did their relationship.
This is not something new. Our society is so pre-occupied with material gain, money and work, we have forgotten the importance of family unity. Much like the father in this song has...
I agree that it's not supposed to be a good thing that the father thinks his son has turned out just like him. HOWEVER, I don't think the father is correct. His son is busy because of his job (similar), but also because his own kid has the flu. That's not a throwaway line. The son has no time for the father because the son is busy building his own family, and he's there for his own child even though work is hectic. That's nothing like the way he grew up. At the end, the father completely misses, once again, that it's not all about him.
@sabrecalc I get that from it too. I think the child grew up resenting that his father was never there and promised to himself (probably as a child) that HE would never be that kind of father. It could be interpreted that it's a repetitive vicious cycle, but I think the son grew up wanting more and for a life that was different.
i really like what this song sends, as a kid you want nothing more than to spend time with your loved ones, and in the end when the father is grown up realizes that after everything else, after all the things like work and material things which lose importance in old age all you need is your loved ones. Somewhere in between these important things get lost, which is what this song perfectly encompasses.
@dylankid Correct, but it's also a cautionary tale in it's most prophetic and karmic form. It's warning you to remember that as a child and in old age you'll remember and know what's truly important and to make use of that knowledge during those murky years rather than wasting them.
Well, children should learn from this song that they will turn out like their parents unless they make a conscious effort to be different. A lot of people know what it's like to be low priority with their Dad, and nowadays with both parents, but it need not be like this in the future. Make time for your kids now, and they will learn to make time for you & for their own kids.
@Leanaht Exactly, it's a warning about breaking the vicious cycle.
Britbart, nobody denies that. The son isn't dissapointed, he just thinks his dad is the greatest guy in the world and wants to be like him, not really even noticing that his dad is never there for him.
His dad is always proud of him, but is going to be dissapointed that his son can't take the time to see him. His dad's feelings are bittersweet, he's proud of his son but his son also helped him see his own faults as a father.
@Johnnycrulez Love can be there, but unless fully expressed...what good is it? Do you love a woman but never tell her or show her either? When you do this to anyone you watch love slip away from you because you didn't make it important or nurture it. I wouldn't say the son is disappointed in his father either, but I would say he is despondent towards him.
He's wife wrote the chorus about the man in the moon part and Harry wrote the rest. She wrote it as a poem.