Soul Stirring Harry Chapin

When I was coming of age in the 1970s, a voice I so loved and still remember today is the late great vocalist Harry Chapin. His word invoked tears – humbling, sad – yet inspiring. You could call Chapin a beautiful soul. He was a singer, songwriter, a philanthropist, and a hunger activist. His work began to shine in the 1970s when a lot of us were coming of age. His words – his voice – moved us to tears.

Especially moving was a summer day in 1981 when we learned he was killed – rear-ended by a semi-truck when he was stopped on the Long Island Expressway. Concerned for his safety, he had turned on the emergency flashers and made a fateful lane change. He was struck violently from behind and did not survive.

A nation – a society – was driven to tears.

Chapin brought us 11 albums in the 1970s and continued recording until he passed. Some 14 of his singles became hits – with “Taxi” and “Cat’s In The Cradle” topping the charts. Soul-stirring music we listen to even today.

We listen. We cry.

Harry was a remarkable performer – yet he was so much more. He fought tirelessly to end world hunger – creating the Presidential Commission to end World Hunger back in 1977 – and was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his efforts. Most of his travels were efforts to end world hunger.

Chapin was a native New Yorker from Brooklyn Heights who came from a family of musicians. He began performing with his siblings and his father in his teens. He went on to achieve greater levels of education in the years to follow. It is my belief Chapin endlessly pursued efforts to make the world a better place.

As the 1970s unfolded, Chapin found himself in great demand – signing a multi-million deal with Elektra Records, which was considered one of the greatest recording deals of his time. His albums and singles rocked the charts with “Taxi” as a 25 Billboard Hot 100. Chpain became a force to be reckoned with worldwide. It is said top radio personality Jim Connors promoted this song, which kept it high in the charts for some 16 weeks.

When Chapin appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, the phones at NBC rang off the hook, inspiring the show’s producers to have him back for a second night in a row. His music career took flight.

Because “Taxi” sounded like a true story, Chapin was asked if it was based on truth, he said, “It is emotionally true, if not literally…” Apparently, Chapin was at a low spot in his career when he heard a former girlfriend had gotten married. She wanted to become an actress but instead got married and went in a different direction. That’s when he spun that story into “Taxi” about a guy driving a taxi in San Francisco who picked up his former girlfriend as a fare. The message in the lyrics was they had both sold out their dreams. She was going to become an actress, and he was going to learn to fly. That led to “How are you, Harry?” and “How are you, Sue?” Immortal words that remain with each of us to this day. It evokes a mental picture we just can’t shake.

Harry Chapin touched so many lives in his brief period of fame. The same can be said for the late Jim Croce with “Time In A Bottle.” Both men left such deep impressions on so many. Whenever I hear their words, I weep.