Cats in the Cradle

Cats in the Cradle
by Harry Chapin


A 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, "Not today,
I got a lot to do." He said, "That's ok."
And he walked away, but his smile never dimmed,
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 he 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 and 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 could find the time.
You see, my new job's a hassle, and the kid's got 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.
You know we'll have a good time then."



Through the use of situational irony and chronological imagery, Harry Chapin illustrates the tendency of children to embody the habits of their parent figures when they grow into adulthood. The story in “Cats in the Cradle” demonstrates the way in which American culture places a heavier emphasis on financial success than on the importance of family values.
Chapin entitled the song “Cats in the Cradle,” incorporating aspects of the nursery rhyme “Hey Diddle Diddle” within the work in order to capture retrospective childhood memories. The end rhyme scheme enhances the natural rhythm of the song and creates a story-like effect for the listener. The song begins with lyrics which trivialize the significance of the birth of a child, demonstrating that the speaker puts business and money first. “A 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.” By oversimplifying the birth of his child, the author creates a detached tone, adding to the initially indifferent perspective that he has about his own son. As time progresses the Father realizes how foolish he was, but by the time he has his epiphany, it is much too late for him to make amends. Not only has he forfeited a relationship with his son, but he has also implanted a lack of concern for family within his boy.
Ironically, the Father within the song works excessively in order to provide his family with material goods which have no value because of his absence. “‘Thanks for the ball, dad, come on let's play. Can you teach me to throw?’ I said, ‘Not today, I got a lot to do.’ He said, ‘That's ok.’” As a role model to his son, the Father should instill within him the value of time spent with loved ones, but rather, he shows by example that making money surpasses all else. Promises are left unfulfilled and plans are put off until it is too late: ‘“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."’ The repetition of the word ‘then’ at the end of the two final lines stresses the uncertainty of when the father will have enough time for his son. Ultimately, when the father completes all of his commercial endeavors he wants to spend time with his son, but he realizes that his son will put his career first because that is the example that was set for him.
In the end, the song portrays the young boy as a grown adult who, just like his Father, does not make time for the things that really matter. Throughout the song, Harry Chapin utilizes repetition to emphasize that the boy yearned to be like his father, "I'm gonna be like you, dad. You know I'm gonna be like you" and he concludes by saying: “He'd grown up just like me. My boy was just like me.” This situational irony shows how lessons learned early in life are hard to forget. In the end the father and the son have traded places, one wants to spend more time together and the other believes that he has no time to ‘waste’ with family. Previously, the young boy had asked his father to spend time with him and when his dad replied that he was too busy, he unknowingly taught his son a skewed order of priorities. He only comes to realize it when time forces him into a different perspective: “I said, ‘I'd like to see you if you don't mind.’ He said, ‘I'd love to, dad, if I could find the time.’”
By telling a particular tale that is also universal in many respects, Harry Chapin enlightens the listener with an ironic and eye-opening message. He subtly warns against the danger of putting a career before family and shows how this ideology is passed down from one generation to the next.