Harry Chapin: A Better Place to Be (video)

[Bill Mattocks]

Love this video. Just found it on Youtube and thought I'd share. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I love it. Harry was quite a storyteller. We lost him way too soon.

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[Gordon Nore]

Cheers, Bill. I was a big fan of Harry as a teenager. I saw him perform in Toronto four times over the years -- the last time was the year he died. One of my favourite Chapin songs is "Remember When The Music" -- there are two versions of it on the Sequel album.

 

[Ken Morgan]

Honestly he passed on before I got into music. Thanks Bill, I may have to look some of his work up.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Honestly he passed on before I got into music. Thanks Bill, I may have to look some of his work up.

Most people who remember him probably remember his hits - "Cat's in the Cradle" and "Taxi." But he was a story teller and some of his songs were too long for commercial airplay - a real shame. For a hoot, check out 30,000 pounds of bananas. Funny, but it also paints a picture of life in a small city, I dunno, it's just great.

 

[MA-Caver]

There are alot of young folks that will look at you and say Harry who?? (same with Croce).
At least there are those of us that still remember (them).

Thanks for sharing guys!

 

[Gordon Nore]

There are alot of young folks that will look at you and say Harry who?? (same with Croce).
At least there are those of us that still remember (them).

Thanks for sharing guys!

Harry was a great humanitarian. He founded World Hunger Year, and played half of his concert dates as benefits for this charity.

World Hunger Year (WHY) is an organization that seeks to address the root causes of hunger and poverty. WHY was founded in 1975 by folk singer Harry Chapin, a social activist who was as well known for his humanitarian efforts as for his guitar ballads, and 95.5 WPLJ New York,[1] legendary radio D.J. Bill Ayres. Its Board of Directors is currently chaired by Jen Chapin.
WHY is convinced that solutions to hunger and poverty can be found at the grassroots level. WHY advances long-term solutions to hunger and poverty by supporting community-based organizations that empower individuals and build self-reliance, i.e., offering job training, education and after school programs; increasing access to housing and healthcare; providing microcredit and entrepreneurial opportunities; teaching people to grow their own food; and assisting small farmers. WHY connects these organizations to funders, media and legislators.

I mentioned one of my favourite Chapin songs is Remember When The Music. Two versions below...

Bruce Springsteen cover at memorial concert

The Chapin Sisters

Just learned about this group. In this vid, you can see Tom Chapin at left on guitar, as well as Harry's lifelong friend and bassist "Big John" Wallace, who provided the memorable background vocals in the song Mr Tanner.

Abigail and Lily are daughters of folk singer Tom Chapin and their half-sister Jessica Craven's father is director Wes Craven. The sisters grew up in New York, but it wasn't til 2004 when all three had relocated to Los Angeles that they began their band, at the urging of their brother, Jonathan Craven.

 

[Gordon Nore]

Most people who remember him probably remember his hits - "Cat's in the Cradle" and "Taxi." But he was a story teller and some of his songs were too long for commercial airplay - a real shame. For a hoot, check out 30,000 pounds of bananas. Funny, but it also paints a picture of life in a small city, I dunno, it's just great.

I used to do a cover of the original Taxi song at folk nights in university. I also play Corey's Comin', another of Harry's great stories. There's a compilation CD out there of one of the last gigs at a club in New York before he died.