Harry Chapin
Story of a Life
Rhino Records/Warner Archives

Harry Chapin was one of America's best folk singers, social activists and human beings. Chapin wrote story songs about everyday people such as dry cleaners or motel managers, frequently drawing upon his own life experiences. Songs like: Taxi, Sniper, Better Place To Be, They Call Her Easy, Mr. Tanner, Mail Order Annie, Cat's In The Cradle, I Wanna Learn A Love Song, Dance Band On The Titanic, I Wonder What Happened To Him, and Last Stand, plus others, which are classics of the folk-rock era. They will make you smile, laugh and cry, but they will never bore you.

His live concerts were amazing gatherings full of positive energy and immense humor (I saw him way back in 1975 and have been a fan ever since) !! He had a rapport with the audience that few artists ever achieve or master. His songs were insightful glimpses into the harsh reality. They were stories that unfolded like cinematic dramas and passionate vignettes. Harry wrote songs for the soul. But Harry Chapin did more than just talk about important issue: he acted upon them. As one of the first anti-hunger activists, he founded World Hunger Year in 1975 and worked to alleviate world hunger.

Harry Chapin died in 1981 but his legacy will continue well into the 3rd millenium. This 3-CD collection is an excellent intro to his masterful insight of the human character in its glory or its struggle to "make ends meet". There is simply one fault with this set... It is too darn short. I wish that it would include a couple more CD's worth of his work. I would love it even more !!!

Copyright © 2000 Stavros Moschopoulos