The follow up to the story of Harry & Sue introduced in Chapin's first hit song "Taxi", finds the two characters in somewhat of a role reversal, Harry, who in Taxi is a down on his luck cab driver is now a successful entertainer, and Sue, the supposed wealthy married actress, is now single, living alone, and working a regular job in relative obscurity. Harry seeks her out in "Sequel". armed with confidence from his success that he clearly lacked when he last saw her in Taxi, and is surprised to find Sue living so quietly in obscurity (the way he used to).
He eventually questions her as to why she seems OK with her now more modest lot in life...
"So I asked why she looked so happy now and she said I Finally Like Myself, At Last I Like Myself"
In essence, Sue didn't need the fame or the "footlights" which are referenced here but originally are part of Taxi's lyrics to be happy in life, Harry however needed the confidence boast provided by the character's new found success, which he clearly lacked in Taxi.
HC leaves the final verse of the song somewhat open, as if there might be another installment in the story, which there never was.
If you are familiar with the original song Taxi then you notice several references to the original story such as Sue's old address 16 Parkside Lane, the reference to Harry taking a taxi to Sue's home ("10 years ago it was the front seat, driving stoned & feeling no pain, now Im straight & sitting in the back....") which harks back not only to Harry;s old job from the first song but the closing verse ("I go flying so high when Im stoned..."), as well as the footlights reference in the final verse, which here refers to Harry's character's new career but in Taxi was a repeated verse referencing the end of the original relationship ("She took off to find the footlights, and I took off to find the sky").
The song was HC last hit single, just missing the US Top 20 in late 1980.
The follow up to the story of Harry & Sue introduced in Chapin's first hit song "Taxi", finds the two characters in somewhat of a role reversal, Harry, who in Taxi is a down on his luck cab driver is now a successful entertainer, and Sue, the supposed wealthy married actress, is now single, living alone, and working a regular job in relative obscurity. Harry seeks her out in "Sequel". armed with confidence from his success that he clearly lacked when he last saw her in Taxi, and is surprised to find Sue living so quietly in obscurity (the way he used to).
He eventually questions her as to why she seems OK with her now more modest lot in life...
"So I asked why she looked so happy now and she said I Finally Like Myself, At Last I Like Myself"
In essence, Sue didn't need the fame or the "footlights" which are referenced here but originally are part of Taxi's lyrics to be happy in life, Harry however needed the confidence boast provided by the character's new found success, which he clearly lacked in Taxi.
HC leaves the final verse of the song somewhat open, as if there might be another installment in the story, which there never was.
If you are familiar with the original song Taxi then you notice several references to the original story such as Sue's old address 16 Parkside Lane, the reference to Harry taking a taxi to Sue's home ("10 years ago it was the front seat, driving stoned & feeling no pain, now Im straight & sitting in the back....") which harks back not only to Harry;s old job from the first song but the closing verse ("I go flying so high when Im stoned..."), as well as the footlights reference in the final verse, which here refers to Harry's character's new career but in Taxi was a repeated verse referencing the end of the original relationship ("She took off to find the footlights, and I took off to find the sky").
The song was HC last hit single, just missing the US Top 20 in late 1980.