Verities & Balderdah - Harry Chapin
Track List:
Cat’s in the Cradle
I Wanna Learn a Love Song
Shooting Star
30,000 Pounds of Bananas
She Sings Songs Without Words
What Made America Famous
Vacancy
Halfway to Heaven
Six String Orchestra
The track list here is fantastic
I’ve not listened to this album before, but I’ve listened to every song on this album other than Vacancy and Halfway to Heaven. This album has my favorite Chapin song to play and what I often consider my favorite Chapin song overall, Shooting Star.
I suspect that part of the reason that I’ve heard a lot of these and that a lot of these songs were played live is that the album did have his biggest hit, Cat’s In The Cradle, this would mean on the tour he was likely pulling most of the new songs from this album. Seems reasonable.
One of my friends mentioned yesterday that Chapin’s last concert was released as a concert film. I didn’t realize that so last night I watched it and realized that it was not my first viewing.
With this album I notice the same thing I notice with all the other Chapin albums. I am just not used to the mix and arrangements rather I am familiar with the live mix and arrangements. Bananas has a completely different feel.
Vacancy is an interesting song about running a motel. A mundane profession that is amazingly romanticized in the song.
Halfway to Heaven starts with a singing guitar that would confuse whale sonar and make Gilmore smile. The song is about a man who saves himself for marriage. Has a few kids and now finds that the spark between him and his wife is gone. He is tempted by his secretary and eventually decides to pursue an extramarital affair. It’s an interesting story.
Another album I have enjoyed listening to.
