Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson for September 28, 2017

Cat in the Cradle and A silver Spoon. Makes you think of what you or your dad was doing wrong.

That song came on the car’s radio one Monday morning as my dad was driving me back to college after a weekend home. Papa was deaf in one ear, so I turned up the volume so he could hear the song. I told him the dad in the song was NOTHING like him. Despite the heavy travel demands of his job, he never missed a school event, always help us with big projects, always listened, and made time every weekend for us. Years later, my mom told me that he considered that morning among the best days of his life. I can see his influence in my sister and my brother, and I hope I was even half so good with my kids as he was with us.

My father wouldn’t even cross the room to spend time with us. He could make fun of us in front of other people, criticize everything, and tell me I was going to hell. He’d drive the school bus to my sister’s ball games and sit in the parking lot rather than go in and watch. Never attended a school concert, or even my college graduation (I paid for college myself.) Selfish, evil man, but if you asked I’m he’d say he was a strong Christian and a great father.

I’ve always wondered what the cat had to do with all the other stuff in that song. That part never made sense to me. Anyone want to explain it to me?

Harry Chapin wrote me back when I was 16 as I admired his work to alleviate hunger in the US, amongst other social concerns…

My dad was a clergyman, so his evenings could be hectic, but he was always home when we got in from school.

Cats love to sleep in soft places, and they will sleep in a cradle if you let them. This has caused some people to think they can suck the breath out of babies.

ummm…. the dad didn’t pass his flawed values to his son… if he had, the son would have also not made time for his kids… but he was there for his kids… the son didn’t make time for his dad, because the dad didn’t make time for him!!

The “cat’s in the cradle…” refrain is meant to elicit childhood memories through familiar nursery rhyme themes. Simple as that.

What a great reminiscence of a 40+ -year old classic. I doubt they’ll be remembering “Look What You Made Me Do” 40 years from now…

That’s one ugly kid!

Just a thought, the cat’s in the cradle could also be a jab at the fact that it was sung by Cat Stevens.

To quote Kurt Vonnegut: “No wonder kids grow up crazy. A cat’s cradle is nothing but a bunch of X’s between somebody’s hands, and little kids look and look and look at all those X’s . . . No damn cat, and no damn cradle.”

A definite “coffee through the nose” moment! Thanks! I really needed that!

Even back when I was in my very early 20’s that song always got to me, still does! I had great parents! The song is just nostalgic about what we missed and what could have been. At least to me.

57 Don..I was waiting for someone to mention that..

The song is a haunting reminder, that you should take action now and enjoy time with your kids & family, not just “wait until later”. Waiting will lead only to regretting the wasted time.

I still can’t bear to listen to that song