Chapin often said in interviews that the basis was the comments from a teacher on the report card for his secretary's son...."your son marches to the beat of a different drummer but no worries, we'll have him marching in the parade in no time"....an attitude that HC wasn't pleased with. This in effect is his version of that boy and the teacher and what he feels would happen to an otherwise thoughtful and expressive young student if stifled in this way by the teacher. Note in the end of the song the new teacher is clearly more willingly to engage the kids and encourage their creativity.
Chapin often said in interviews that the basis was the comments from a teacher on the report card for his secretary's son...."your son marches to the beat of a different drummer but no worries, we'll have him marching in the parade in no time"....an attitude that HC wasn't pleased with. This in effect is his version of that boy and the teacher and what he feels would happen to an otherwise thoughtful and expressive young student if stifled in this way by the teacher. Note in the end of the song the new teacher is clearly more willingly to engage the kids and encourage their creativity.