Chapin based the song on a poem written by his wife Sandy about her ex-husbands neglectful father. Sandy showed it to Harry as a warning when he was on the road too much and he made it into a song.  

Cat's In The Cradle / Vacancy 

S       
A--7--2-2-----------------7--------5--7----7-|
E--0-------------5--5--2-----2----------2----|
C--------------------------------------------|
G-----4-4--6--4-----------------4------------|
                                  
A-----5--2----------------------|
E--0-----------------0-----2--0-|
C-----------------------2-------|
G-----------3--2--0-------------|

E                          D
My child arrived just the other day
G                       A
He came to earth in the usual way
               E                    D
But there were planes to catch, and games to play
   G                     A
He learned to walk while i was away
           D
And he was talking 'fore you knew it, and as he grew
          A        G        E              A             G        E            
He said "I'm gonna be like you, dad.  You know i'm gonna be like you."


CHORUS:
        E                          D
And the Cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
G                       A
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
E                          D
When ya coming home dad, i dont know when
    A           G      E               A                  G         E
But we'll get together then, yeah, you know we'll have a good time then.


The Chord progression along the verse and the chorus stays the same,
(...)

Cats In The Cradle

E                    G
Well A child arrived just the other day
A                        E    
He came to the world in the usual way
E                                  G
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
A                      E           
He learned to walk while I was away
D                      D/C#         D/B        D/A 
And he was talkin 'for I knew it and as he grew hedsaid 
D/G        D/F#         E
I'm gonna be like you dad 
G           G/F#          E
you know I gonna be like you


E                             D
The cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
G                       A
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
E                           D
When you coming home dad,  I dont know when
G                        E
But we'll get together then 
G                       E
You know we'll have a good time then



E                      G
My son turned ten just the other day
A                               E
He said thank for the ball dad c'mon lets play
E                                  G
Could you teach me to throw I said not today  
A                        E
I got a lot do he said that okay
D                      D/C#         D/B        D/A                                              
And he walked away with a smile and as he did he said
D/G        D/F#         E
I'm gonna be like him,yeah
G          G/F#             E
You know I'm gonna be like him"


 E                             D
The cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
G                       A
Little  boy blue and the man in the moon
E                           D
When you commin' home dad, I dont know when
G                  E
but we'll get together then
G                               E
you know we'll have a good time then.


E                               G
Well he came home from college just the other day
A                           E
So much like a man I just had to say
                              G
Son I'm proud of you can you sit for a while
A                        E
He shook his head and he said with a smile 
D                      D/C#         D/B        D/A    
What i'd really like dad is to borrow the car keys 
D/G        D/F#         E
See you later can I have them please?"


E                             D
The cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
G                       A
Little  boy blue and the man in the moon
E                           D
When you comin' home son, I dont know when
G                  E
We'll get together then dad
G                               E
You know we'll have a good time then.

Interlude

G G/F# D E        G D A E


E                           G
I've long since retired my son's moved away 
A                 E
I called him up just the other day
E                               G
I said I'd like to seee you if you dont mind
A                         E
He said I'd love to dad  if I could find the time
D                D/C#         D/B        D/A 
My new jobs a hassle and my kid's got the flu
D/G        D/F#         E                        
But its nice talkin' to you dad 
G          G/F#             E
Its been sure nice talkin' to you
D                D/C#         D/B        D/A  
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
D/G        D/F#         E
He'd grown up just like me 
G         G/F#       E
My boy was just like me


 E                             D
The cats i the cradle and the silver spoon
G                       A
Little  boy blue and the man in the moon
E                           D
When you comin' home son, I dont know when
D                  E
We'll get together then dad
G                               E
You know we'll have a good time then.


C   
Jaja, okay okay
                  F
Ya sé qué pasa aquí
   A#                            C
Encuentras la grandeza frente a ti
             C
Y no sabes bien qué sentir
       F            A#                      C
Es adorable, que jamás los humanitos cambiarán
           C       F
Despierta ya, oye bien, 
           A#                   C
este como ves es Maui, de verdad
             C                F
Sé que como yo no encuentras dos
        A#          C
Lo que miras es un semi Dios

[Coro 1]
Am         F           C
  Yo solo sé decir de nada
        E7               Am
Por el mar, el cielo, el sol
                F            C
No hay de que agradecer, de nada
     E7                    C
Soy sólo un ordinario semi yo

[Estrofa 2]
C                                F  
Hey, ¿qué fortachón el cielo elevó?
                        A#
Cuando eras de esta altura, éste
C                  C
  Si la noche enfrió, 
                  F
¿quién fue quien fuego te llevó?
       A#          
¿Qué, alguien me nombró? 
C              C       F
  Oh, yo sólo lazo el sol
          A#                    C
De nada, para estirar tu diversión
          C       F
Brisa yo hago soplar, de nada, 
   A#           C
y así tus velas elevar

[Coro 2]
Am        F            C
  Yo sólo sé decir de nada, 
        E7                  Am
por las islas que traje del mar
              F                  C
No ruegues jamás, nunca más, de nada
         E7                     Am
¡Ha! Genial es mi manera de servir, 
    F
de nada, 
    C
de nada

[Parte Rap]
C
De nada dudes ya
Hey, honestamente te explicaré 
de natural modo cada fenómeno
El mar, el sol, el gas, 
oh, ese es Maui hablando de más
Anguilas que, yo las enterré, 
de la palmera los cocos creé
Un consejo, una lección te doy
No me molestes si en mi descanso estoy
Am
  El tapiz que en mi piel se ve, 
F
  es el mapa de lo que gané
C
  Por donde fui provoqué mil sucesos
E7
  Ve al pequeñín mini Maui nomás zapateando,
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ¡Hey!

[Coro 3]
Am          F              C
  Yo sólo puedo decir, de nada (de nada)
           E7              Am
Por el mundo especial que doy
                 F           C
No hay de que agradecer, de nada (de nada)
    E7                     Am
De nada hablaré, que ya me voy
          F            C
Te toca a ti decir de nada (de nada)
       E7             Am
Pues quiero esa barca ya
             F          C
Muy lejos navegaré, de nada (de nada)
       E7               Am
Pues Maui nada sabe de nadar
              F                 C  F C
(De nada) De nada (De nada) de nada
         C
Y gracias

De Nada

G      Em
I found a love for me
               C                         D
Darling just dive right in, and follow my lead
                G                 Em
Well I found a girl beautiful and sweet
          C                                  D
I never knew you were the someone waiting for me

                                 G
Cause we were just kids when we fell in love
              Em                     C               G  D
Not knowing what it was, I will not give you up this ti-ime
                   G                         Em
But darling just kiss me slow, your heart is all I own
             C                  D
And in your eyes you’re holding mine

       Em   C            G          D              Em
Baby, I’m dancing in the dark, with you between my arms
C                G     D                Em
Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song
          C                G                 D              Em
When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath
         C                G        D             
But you heard it, darling you look perfect tonight

               G                    Em
Well I found a woman, stronger than anyone I know
                C                                        D
She shares my dreams, I hope that someday I’ll share her home
           G             Em
I found a love, to carry more than just my secrets
         C                              D
To carry love, to carry children of our own

                              G                     Em 
We are still kids, but we’re so in love, fighting against all odds
                  C               G  D
I know that we’ll be alright this ti-ime
               G                            Em 
Darling just hold my hand, be my girl, I’ll be your man
          C              D
I see my future in your eyes



       Em   C            G          D              Em
Baby, I’m dancing in the dark, with you between my arms
C                G     D                Em
Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song
          C                G                 D               Em
When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath
         C                G        D             
But you heard it, darling you look perfect tonight

G Em C D 


       Em     C            G          D              Em
Baby, I’m dancing in the dark, with you between my arms
C                G     D                Em
Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song
          C                G                 D               Em
When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath
         C                G        D             
But you heard it, darling you look perfect tonight


Perfect

BAA BAA BLACK SHEEP


C         G
Baa, baa, black sheep,
F            C
Have you any wool?

F        C
Yes sir, yes sir,
G          C
Three bags full.

C           G
One for the master,
F           C
One for the dame,

F               C
And one for the little boy
G                  C
Who lives down the lane.

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Intro (2X):
Am	G	F	C

Verse 1:
                C	               Am		
There's so much craziness surrounding me
                F	 	             G		            
There's so much going on it gets hard to breathe
     Am     F		                          C
When all my faith has gone you bring it back to me
Am	         G	       F   C
You make it real for me

             C	             Am		
When I'm not sure of my priorities
               F	 	             G		
When I've lost sight of where I meant to be
     Am   F		            C
Like holy water washing over me 
Am	         G	       F   C
You make it real for me

Chorus:
    G	    Am	   F	             C
And IIIIIIIII'm running to you baby
G    Am	              F	           C
  Youuuuuuuuu are the only one who saved me
       G     Am	         F	               C
That's    whyyyyyyy I've been missing you lately
      Am	         G	       F   C
Cause you make it real for me 

Verse 2:
          C	                   Am		
When my head is strong but my heart is weak
              F	 	          G		
I'm full of arrogance and uncertainty
     Am      F				                          C
When I can't find the words you teach my heart to speak
Am	         G	       F   C
You make it real for me yeah

Chorus:
    G	    Am	   F	             C
And IIIIIIIII'm running to you baby
G    Am	              F	           C
  Youuuuuuuuu are the only one who saved me
       G     Am	         F	               C
That's    whyyyyyyy I've been missing you lately
      Am	         G	       F   C
Cause you make it real for me 

Bridge:
G                           F                 C
    Everybody’s talking in words I don't understand
G                                    F              C
    You got to be the only one who knows just who I am
Em                                    F	
    You’re shining in the distance I hope I can make it through
           D	                              G                                    
Cause the only place that I want to be is right back home with you 


Verse 3:
                 C	             Am		
I guess there's so much more I have to learn
               F	 	                       G		
But if you're here with me, I know which way to turn
        Am         F		                   C
You always give me somewhere, somewhere I can run
Am	            G	       F   C
   You make it real for me 

Chorus:
    G	    Am	   F	             C
And IIIIIIIII'm running to you baby
G    Am	              F	           C
  Youuuuuuuuu are the only one who saved me
       G     Am	         F	               C
That's    whyyyyyyy I've been missing you lately
      Am	         G	       F   C
Cause you make it real for me 
Am	         G	       F   C
You make it real for me

You Make It Real

G         Em		  
1) Almost heaven,   West Virginia,
2) All my mem'ries, gather round her, 

   D			 C                G
1) Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah       River.
2) miner's lady,         stranger to blue water.

                      Em  
1) Life is old there, older than the trees, 
2) Dark and dusty,    painted on the sky, 

   D
1) younger than the mountains
2) misty taste of moonshine

   C			G
1) growin' like a breeze.
2) teardrop in my eye.

              G              D            Em        C
       Country roads, take me home, to the place I belong.
	      G               D              C            G
     West Virginia, Mountain momma, take me home Country roads


           Em       D            G 
 	I hear her voice in the morning hour she calls me,
            C        G              D 
        the radio reminds her of my home far away
            Em               D            C
        and driving down the road I get a feeling 
 	       G                     D          D7    G
        that I should have been home yesterday, yesterday.

Country Roads

Intro/Verse
A|--4--1--3--6---------------------------------------------------|
E|--------1--4---------------------------------------------------|
C|--8--5---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------|

Chorus
A|--1--4--4--4--6------------------------------------------------|
E|--------2-----4------------------------------------------------|
C|--5--8-----8---------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------|

Solo
A|--8-8-8-8-8-9-6-6-8-9-I----------8-------------------------------|
E|-------------------------9-9-9-9---4-4-4-------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

A|--8-8-8-8-8-9-6-6-8-9-I------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------9-9-9-9-------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

School Friends

Am      C              F              C
I had a dream, we were sipping whisky neat
        F              C                 G
Highest floor, the Bowery, and nowhere’s high enough
    Am              C                F             C
Somewhere along the lines, we stopped seeing eye to eye
         F               C           G
You were staying out all night and I had enough


      F           Am             F                    C       
No, I don't wanna know where you been or where you're goin’
      F               Am                 G
But I know I won't be home and you'll be on your own


            F                    C                G
Who's gonna walk you through the dark side of the morning?
            F                 C                 G
Who's gonna rock you when the sun won't let you sleep?
             F                C               G         E7   Am
Who's waking up to drive you home when you're drunk and all alone?
             F                    C                G
Who's gonna walk you through the dark side of the morning, it ain’t me


Am        C              G         F   
Ow-ow, ah-ah the Bowery, ow-ow, ah-ah whiskey neat
Am          C       G         G
Where y’go, I’m so, grateful, I (it ain’t me)

F         C              Am        G
Ow-ow, ah-ah the Bowery, ow-ow, ah-ah whiskey neat
F           C       G
Where y’go, I’m so, grateful, I (it ain’t me)

Am     C           G      F   
Ow-ow, the Bowery, ow-ow, the whiskey neat
Am          C       G         G
Where y’go, I’m so, grateful, I (it ain’t me)

F      C           Am     G
Ow-ow, the Bowery, ow-ow, the whiskey neat
F           C       G         G
Where y’go, I’m so, grateful, I (it ain’t me)


Am  C  Am       C              F           C
       I had a dream, we were back to seventeen
       F                   C            G
Summer nights and the Libertines, never growing up
Am             C          F                 C
I'll take with me the polaroids and the memories
        F              C                G
But you know I'm gonna leave behind the worst of us


             F                    C                G
Who's gonna walk you through the dark side of the morning?
             F                 C                 G
Who's gonna rock you when the sun won't let you sleep?
             F                C               G         E7   Am
Who's waking up to drive you home when you're drunk and all alone?
             F                    C                G               
Who's gonna walk you through the dark side of the morning

         F      C     G
It ain’t me, no-o, no-o
         F      C     G
It ain’t me, no-o, no-o
         F      C     G  E7  Am
It ain’t me, no-o, no-o
             F                    C                G                
Who's gonna walk you through the dark side of the morning, it ain’t me


Am     C           G      F   
Ow-ow, the Bowery, ow-ow, the whiskey neat
Am          C       G         G
Where y’go, I’m so, grateful, I (it ain’t me)

F      C           Am     G
Ow-ow, the Bowery, ow-ow, the whiskey neat
F           C       G         G
Where y’go, I’m so, grateful, I (it ain’t me)

Am     C           G      F   
Ow-ow, the Bowery, ow-ow, the whiskey neat
Am          C       G         G
Where y’go, I’m so, grateful, I (it ain’t me)

F      C           Am     G
Ow-ow, the Bowery, ow-ow, the whiskey neat
F           C       G         G
Where y’go, I’m so, grateful, I (it ain’t me)

Am     C           G      F   
Ow-ow, the Bowery, ow-ow, the whiskey neat
Am          C       G         G
Where y’go, I’m so, grateful, I (it ain’t me)

F            C           Am           G
No no, no no no, Bowery, no no, no no no, whiskey neat
F           C       G                     Am
Where y’go, I’m so, grateful, I, it ain’t me

It Ain't Me

LA RE
Jo et duré a casa si fa mal temps
MI FA#m
Jo t’empararé si un cas tens por
SIm MI
Jo te cuidaré si estàs malalta
RE LA
De tot cor, de tot cor
RE REm LA
De tot cor

MI RE DO#m-SIm-LA

FA#m DO#m
Estic a punt d’anar-me’n
RE LA RE
Mes abans de partir et diré
REm LA
Que et duc dins es pensament

FA#m DO#m
No deix de recordar-te
RE LA RE
I alen els teus alens tot calents
REm SIm MI
De lluny i de prop me tens


Jo et duré...

FA#m DO#m
I a dalt de s’escenari
RE LA RE
Quan estic concentrat cantant
REm MI
Jo sempre te tenc present

FA#m DO#m
Perquè m’ets necessari
RE LA
Com s’aire que respir
RE REm SIm MI
Necessit estar amb tu en tot moment


Jo et duré... ( bis )

De tot cor

E|--------------|---------0----|-3-------0----|--------------|
A|-1---1---1----|-1---1--------|--------------|-1-------1----|
C|-0------------|-0---0--------|--------------|-0------------|
G|--------------|--------------|-2------------|--------------|

E|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
A|-0------------|-0---0---1----|-0------------|--------------|
C|--------------|--------------|-0-------2----|-0------------|
G|-0-------0----|-0---0--------|--------------|--------------|

E|--------------|---------0----|-3-------0----|--------------|
A|-1---1---1----|-1---1--------|--------------|-1-------1----|
C|-0------------|-0---0--------|--------------|-0------------|
G|--------------|--------------|-2------------|--------------|

E|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
A|-0------------|---------0----|-1-------1----|-1------------|
C|--------------|-0---2--------|-0-------0----|-0------------|
G|-0-------0----|--------------|--------------|--------------|

E|--------------|---------0----|-3-------0----|--------------|
A|-1---1---1----|-1---1--------|--------------|-1-------1----|
C|-0------------|-0---0--------|--------------|-0------------|
G|--------------|--------------|-2------------|--------------|

E|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
A|-0------------|-0---0---1----|-0------------|--------------|
C|--------------|--------------|-0-------2----|-0------------|
G|-0-------0----|-0---0--------|--------------|--------------|

E|--------------|---------0----|-3-------0----|--------------|
A|-1---1---1----|-1---1--------|--------------|-1-------1----|
C|-0------------|-0---0--------|--------------|-0------------|
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E|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
A|-0------------|---------0----|-1-------1----|-1------------|
C|--------------|-0---2--------|-0-------0----|-0------------|
G|-0-------0----|--------------|--------------|--------------|

Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush

S                     S        
A|-------------------------------------| 
E|--6------6-6---3-------------------1-| 
C|-------------5---5-------------------| 
G|-------------------------------------| 
                                                              
A|----------------------------------------------------------| 
E|--1--1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1------------------------------| 
C|-----4-4-4-4-3-3-3-3-2-2-2-2------------------------------| 
G|----------------------------------------------------------| 

A|-----5--8--10--8--5--|--8-12--------12--|----5-8-10-8-5-------| 
E|--6------------------|------------------|--6------------------| 
C|---------------------|------------------|---------------------| 
G|---------------------|-------5--7-5-----|---------------------| 
     S      S      S      S            
A|----------------7------7-8----8---| 
E|--5-6----5-6------1----5-6----6---| 
C|--4-5------2------2-----------2---| 
G|---------6------6-----------------|

Cats In The Cradle

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