Talk:Cat's in the Cradle

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An infobox was requested for the 1975 Harry Chapin version of "Cat's in the Cradle" at Wikipedia:WikiProject_Missing_encyclopedic_articles/List_of_notable_songs/3. —Preceding unsigned comment added by InnocuousPseudonym (talk • contribs) 06:55, 29 September 2007 (UTC) This song was NEVER recorded by Guns N Roses!!! As a cover song, or an original!!! Yes, he is right. Guns N' Roses never recorded this song, or even played it live. It has just been falsely renamed on p2p networks and such. Jim Croce never recorded this song. I've removed them, and Cat Stevens (again), per [1]. Frencheigh 20:42, 18 October 2005 (UTC) I had to remove Jim Croce, again. Jim Croce died in 1973, but Verities and Balderdash (the album which the song was on) wasn't released until a year later. Let's hope Jim Croce doesn't show up on there again. MrCheshire 08:25, 15 January 2006 (UTC) Removed the mention of Cat Stevens yet again. Anyone who disagrees can check out number 12 on this FAQ- http://catstevens.com/faq/index.html I have searched the Internet thoroughly and I have found nothing to suggest that Guns N' Roses ever recorded this song. DJMalone 10:19, 10 February 2006 (UTC) I added a mention about Guns N' Roses. The misconception that it's their song is, I think, quite common. I really don't see why we can't metion that there is a parody of the song, I do not see what is wrong with that info, but it keeps getting deleted.

Contents

[edit] Origin of the phrase (not the song)

What is the origin of the phrase "Cat's in the Cradle"? Does it refer to the situation where a baby has grown past cradle age, and therefore the cat is free to sit in the cradle? The other lyrics make sense:

--70.57.151.211 03:54, 7 September 2006 (UTC)

I always thought that it was a cliche which I just did not know... but I've asked around and nobody knows, either! Anyway, it's a heck of a stretch, but maybe it's a reference to Cat's Cradle? --Doc Sigma (wait, what?) 03:28, 15 October 2006 (UTC)

My name is Chuck; my email is ckrauseesq@aol.com. To my knowledge, "Cat in the cradle" is a 2 person game(usually a parent at first) played with string...a tied loop of string(about 24"diam) is wound around the upheld palms of the 2 hands and held taut..then wound around each hand..then the middle finger of each hand engages and pulls out the string circle from the opposite hand. This creates a sort of "cradle"; the other person can then participate by taking the "cradle" from the first by removing the loops from the hands of the first person in varous ways, etc, etc. Typically, a parent and child will play this game after the child is taught this game of skill.

[edit] Incorrect

This is all very wrong as I have the GNR cover of cats in the cradle and I am listening to it right now!! it has been recorded by them!! Use the force 15:38, 10 December 2006 (UTC) @

lol...idiot, your the one thats actually wrong! Insaneassassin247 17:53, 20 December 2006 (UTC)

under 'covers and use in popular culture', the first bullet point says cat stevens covered the song.. the second says he didn't. i don't know whether cat stevens sang it (and the faq link above doesn't work), but it's kind of silly for the wikipedia article to contradict itself. Inhahe 16:22, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

I can believe that P2P networks have falsely labelled the song by GNR (it wouldn't be the first person) however it states in this article that this is often confused with the Ugly Kid Joe version. I remember once downloading a terrible cover that sounded akin to GNR and it was certainly not the glorious UKJ one as it was much more rock/metal influenced and had an Axl Rose like sheering voice. There must be another version of this song that it is confused with.Tony2Times (talk) 17:45, 23 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Kids have the flu?

These lyrics are mentioned in the article. I could swear I've always heard Harry Chapin sing, "the kids are the flu" rather than have the flu. This could mean that the kids were a handful and it took lots of patience to deal with them. I think back in the 70's the term "the flu" did have a popular meaning aside from the sickness, maybe to mean that something was undesireable and it might have caused you great disappointment or hardship.

Also, I'm not sure any dads aside from single parent dads ever did much to take care of sick kids, as they have traditionally been the breadwinners. So he could've left the kids with his wife to go spend time with his dad.

-- The line is definitely "and the kids have the flu". Don't you think the line "the kids are the flu" is a little unlikely in a song with this message?

Of course, no one would put that in a song!! And if they did it wouldn't be on the charts.

To spell it out, the importance of these lines is that the son is now the one making the same kind of excuses for not spending time with his father, and probably isn't spending much time with his own kids either- whether they have the flu or not. Overall, the song reflects on our society's (and our own) priorities: that we focus on money, work, etc. thinking these are the most important things in our lives, but eventually we look back and realize that, although we didn't see it then, relationships with people were much more important and sadly neglected. I think the song is something of a lament, because once we realize this, it's too late. Prosebuster 23:22, 9 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Infobox

Have a look at the infobox, does it seem wierd that its a cover version rather than the original which seem to be occupying the infobox.KTo288 20:02, 21 August 2007 (UTC)

Yes, that box should be replaced with information for the original... 60.242.88.86 19:50, 18 September 2007 (UTC)


[edit] Title

There seems to be some incongruity between the title of the article and the title of the song. Is it Cat's In The Cradle (suggesting there is one cat) or Cats In The Cradle (suggesting mutliple cats)?Tony2Times (talk) 17:53, 23 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Song in Married with Children

I remember the song being played in Married with Children. I dont know which episode but i remember the scene: Al sits in the garage and listens to the radio when the song is played. He then starts to cry due to the sad lyrics. It might be a cover version (probably by UKJ). —Preceding unsigned comment added by 212.41.65.2 (talk) 10:25, 20 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Lyrics

There is no mention in significant change in lyrics from Chapin's original song to some of the most present versions. In Chapin's version, the first two periods of time end with:

When you coming home, dad?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then, son.
You know we'll have a good time then.

The final two time periods end with:

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.

However, the version I'm accustomed to listening to has only one chorus:

When you coming home, son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then.
You know we'll have a good time then.

I find it rather significant that the chorus fits in Chapin's song as would be expected, while present versions seem to ignore what question is asked because it doesn't make sense in the first two stanzas. Bravosfan567 (talk) 05:42, 17 February 2008 (UTC)

That is Ugly Kid Joe's version. It makes sense because they changed a line break and cut a word:
When you comin' home?
Son, I don't know when
We'll get together then
You know we'll have a good time then.
See? In this case, it is always the kid asking and his dad replying. -- Stormwatch (talk) 19:15, 5 April 2008 (UTC)