Harry Chapin - The Rock

[@brandongalvin493]

“The rock slips a little bit...” That part always gave me chills.

[@TheItallianogirl]

This song scared the crap out of me when I was little. The first crash chord still makes me jump every time.

[@onuw]

Same.

[@TheMandarinlives]

Me too. Absolutely terrified

[@bskogzz]

Harry Chapin was a master at turning stories into a musical art form. This and "Sniper" are the two best examples. Plus, "Danceband on the Titanic" "taxi" etc

[@wesbarcus3761]

I'll turn 70 in December, 2022. Been listening to this and many Chapin stories. This one always has been one of my favorites. Timeless!

[@patboyle8734]

Been listening to Harry since 1972 and like you I'm of the older generation I'm so happy to read comments by younger people I know Harry's music will live on.I remember where I was when my wife told me he passed.First concert I took my wife to was 1979 for the Legends of the lost and found tour.

[@aggression77]

This is a truly great song. My father had me listen to this when I was a child. My father just pasted away, now Harry's songs mean so much more.

[@Krelli86]

Same. My dad just passed as well.

[@johncannon669]

I feel ya. I use to listen to Harry Chapin with my father. Cats in the Cradle. My father passed in February of this year. I still tear up when I hear that song.

[@whatitdomofaker]

My father also passed last year and I have very fond memories of listening to Harry while I was growing up.

[@christophergolias3610]

I am 24 years old and this may be the song I best remember for the rest of my life ...heard it the first time when I was 8. God bless you harry chapin

[@CognizantCheddar]

Harry Chapin was irreplaceable.

[@tommiesmith3191]

No one could weave a tale of yarn better than Mr. Chapin. To the powers that be I'd like to ask, why you would take him away as quickly as you gave him to us? Storytellers like him and Jim Croce and more of course are sorely missed.

[@dakthevamp15]

I love how his songs tell a story. That's what makes him diffrent from other singers, and for this I will always remember him.

[@marclevine3139]

When he died a commentator called it the death of the American Story teller.

[@fractalchez]

The part that gives me chills is the moment right before the lyrics "stop the rock himself". The music captures exactly that he knows exactly what's going to happen to him, and he has no choice but to go through with it. This man was absolutely brilliant.

[@markstaley7667]

Love me some Harry Chapin, great story teller!!

[@Paul_Wetor]

I was fortunate to see him perform live a few times in the 1970s. Many performers have stage banter but Harry was a master storyteller, during and between songs. "Mr. Tanner" is probably my favorite, but this song is second.

[@sabresbest]

Timeless. Under rated

[@TheKagome1031]

This is on of my favs! I was born in 1982 so my brother and I grew up listening to Harry Chapin all thanks to my dad. We still enjoy singing the songs every time we are together :) I love you Harry!

[@STEWCAT88]

There will NO body better than the late great HARRY CHAPIN!!!!

[@mikeralston777]

A teacher played this for us in 6th grade and I never forgot it. Part of the reason I eventually started writing songs.

[@StapledFish]

Amazing, gives me the goose bumps every time!

[@ryanshaunkelly]

we all miss Harry very much Glad we still have his music.

[@jo-anneflavel9361]

Here in South Australia radio station 5KA used play this as a album track. Remember it well and love it

[@AnimeShinigami13]

this song reminds me of the American tendency to say "it can't happen here" well... all kinds of things are happening here, violence, natural disasters, economic upheaval, and someday that rock really will fall.

[@marclevine3139]

The 2016 election proved it can happen here.

[@kennethjacobus6541]

​@@marclevine3139 - The rock will fall if Biden is elected in 2020. That will make Harris president.

[@marclevine3139]

@@kennethjacobus6541 The rock will fall if Trump is re-elected. The country will fall if that happens. The American experiment will be over.

[@kennethjacobus6541]

Both sides believe that the rock will fall if the other side wins. We will just have to wait and see, and hope that the country survives.

[@robertmcpherson1617]

@@kennethjacobus6541 Maybe, just maybe...the town that is our country will listen to the guy and turn their true attention to the rock... Sadly, even I in my optimism do not see that happening! So still, the rock...slips...a little...bit...

[@mwilson277jan]

a very underrated song

[@robertmcpherson1617]

Bam! "Underrated"again!

[@gilgameshmcballin]

This song has always had a specific and obvious meaning to me; but then I considered that attempting to stop the rock was the cause of it moving in the first place

[@MylesJacobSwie]

It's sad how few people have head this song.

[@davidmichaels5120]

And great how many HAVE heard it! Utube rules!

[@Mickyair]

So like us humans to shun those who have alternative ideas. Never expressed better than by you Harry. God Bless.

[@fractalchez]

IMO quietly his best song. People on both sides of this story need to hear it.

[@shraikadunbar6364]

I love this song it's such beautiful poem has a lot of meaning. It scares me a little ever time.

[@davidtelliho5043]

No one listens until it`s too late. Few will understand how this is to-day.

[@kossttamojaan]

amazing storyteller. such a loss.

[@robertmcpherson1617]

OK. Where do I even start regarding this ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE of storytelling? Of course, simply as a face value story it has plenty of suspense, drama and excitement! This is certainly achieved through the narrative but that music just draws out the power to an extent that blows the mind! The strings give me chills. Now let's talk about metaphor. The town can be any country, state or city of people anywhere on the globe turning their heads from an obvious and likely fixable problem because it may be a little uncomfortable to deal with. However, there is always a contingent who sees and faces the truth. The line, "He was showing them contingencies when they showed him to the street" tells me that he was threatening to make them see a part of their reality that they wanted to deny. Where he runs under the rock to "add a prop" is the ultimate heroism! He doesn't necessarily purposefully sacrifice himself but knowingly dives head first into extreme and possibly deadly danger inevitably losing his life for...these people!! And he never even gave it a second thought!!! And they STILL laughed at him! I cry every time I hear this amazing story song!

[@theoriginalaquawoman]

Listen very carefully at the end....you can hear the low rumble of the rock...slipping......slipping.

[@electronmusicjunkie]

I have to say of all of the tune Chapin made, outside of "Sniper", this one is the scariest but really good.

[@robertmorganfisher2813]

Thunder and Lightning just released a metal cover of this that's not bad. A song that's SO timely.

[@brianjezuit4085]

I've always thought that this would make a great movie 🍿😁☕🥁

[@GreenForce82]

Feels like a Shel Silverstien poem. Sounds like the voice of the last protest singer. Sticks like glue. Some say smell is the sense most closely tied to memories, however I believe that music IS a sense. And it is at least as intrinsically tied to our memories if the time the song held the most meaning or was first heard... We're all just crazy boys and girls, hoping to add a prop. But as we disappear the rock comes to a stop. And high upon the mountain, if you're watching very closely the rock slips a little... Bit.

[@athuddriver]

Is this even more relevant to today. It seems a proper representation of the plight environmentalists are facing.

[@pdoylemi]

Exactly. In his day it was pollution, and rivers catching fire, and now it is the potentially far worse climate change. And what do we so often hear? The climate has always changed! Nothing to see here folks! You want some coal to heat your house?

[@MrBowdallen]

I swear all of his songs are more relevant today guy was ahead of his time in how he saw the world.

[@allanszast7579]

At a concert thati went to, Harry said he wanted this as an animated short.

[@JOHNNYV8JPV8]

“HARRY WITH GOLDEN WHITE WINGS” ----~~~~~***~~~**~~~**-- To the things Oh I pray I prayer some singers Have mighty wings So in songs they can slay those with an attitude of the finger! Oh glorious White Wings! `` A man willing to ride and in a voice So from on high and emotions collide To sing in choice to raise his voice before he did die> To ride free and with no stars collide. `` A singer that’s raw but wishing still alive that was alive 35 years ago That death did dig in it’s claw A horrible crash I-495 Oh the traffic still a whiz and flow It’s the voice with a bigger claw!!!! ``` Be that Angel with white and gold wings Let your voice boom and please come alive again Oh Please for a TAXI Sing And repeat WOLD in a room and talk to Chris Kyle a sniper with no sin. But the repeat of Cat’s in Cradle memories bring Angel Wings. --Harry Forster Chapin (December 7, 1942 - July 16, 1981--- Sing with that deep and bold, oh today so fresh but old a man with a story to be told Booming so very bold Flying high sorry when you did die a Voice to story you can’t compare but off in Heaven Gold WINGS so shall we stare… BY: JohnnyV @hartwick NY>>>

[@maxholperin4928]

This song can apply to the Federal Reserve right now. It, like the little boy, is trying to stop a rock that will always fall, and all it can do is so the rock for a short time while the danger of a financial depression only increases as it is being built up.

[@aleclowry7654]

Epic song;)

[@robertmcpherson1617]

That is because this song reaches us on a visceral level. Every crisis to which the majority turns a blind eye is exemplified in this song!

[@estalker1647]

This is such a scary and realistic song. One poster I've seen among the US military lately is "I guard against the Dangers you pretend don't exist." This song, and "Bummer" - Harry wasn't a soldier, but he understood us. So many things, here in the Land of Plenty, the Fat Sheep bah and bleat about how terrible things are...when the true danger is still out there.

[@theultimatesayian6887]

this a good song

[@soluschristus8360]

2 Timothy 3:1-5 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

[@MrWS_Clud665]

Rip paranoid boi

[@erintyres3609]

Listened with headphones... I never noticed the rumble at 3:35 before.

[@katiesummerfield8592]

It's sad that everyone makes a big deal of singers like Billie Ellish and stuff where all they do is complain and stuff, while this legendary music is barely known. God bless u Harry Chapin

[@brianhoulahan3507]

... and HC donated most of his earnings

[@Jetset906]

I always associated "The Rock" as death itself. Sooner or later........

[@rbheiss]

This song is very insightful. In an era of so called Science and News as well as social media that may or may not be correct until proven ultimately otherwise things get banned. People like the singular individual pointed out in this song will be called 'daft' or a 'crazy fool'. If one individual were to save a town for example from a calamity as stated in the song that solitary soul would still be considered a nut if it didn't fit some idiotic narrative because they wouldn't realize that one solitary soul saved them in the short term from an immediate threat at the expense of his own life. Yet the threat still exists and the rock slips a little bit. Now Mr. Chapin was what some might describe as a liberal and perhaps the one who stopped the rock was also a liberal or perhaps an independent or maybe a conservative. Should it matter really? We are all in this together and when there are threats to our town on a smaller scale or threats to this Constitutional Republic it is important that we all recognize those threats and address them together before calamity strikes. These are indeed trying times and perhaps through this song we can learn once again to stand undivided and united because the voice that might not seem popular might be the most important voice of all. Comments always welcomed and never BANNED by me as if I had any power, Rolland

[@islandonlinenews]

The Rock = Fukashima

[@Shinx7009]

+islandonlinenews ???? what

[@RichKolasa]

Harry did attend the Air Force Academy, I believe, and decided against a military life while there.

[@randomperson7847]

This is so sad.

[@relaxrx]

A warning for TODAY!!!!

[@Jsmithyy]

the rock is going to fall on us isn't it , your having a bad dream isn't it ? when no thing ever came of that isn't it ? the professor said if it does not fall this year it is likely to fall this year? how long are we waiting one hundred thousand years ? isn't it ? contingincies isn't it ? thirty thousand pounds of bananas sliding down on the night he was working when the ground began to grumple as it disappeared the truck came winding down smearing along the road into the Scranton PA.

[@Jsmithyy]

josh chapin, the rock is you isn't it ?he ran to his mother she said your having a dream

[@345erd645g]

sadly missed

[@Jsmithyy]

the rock is the one we stand on isn't it Joshua chapin and from this truth not only is it our responsibility to preserve its our responsibility to speak louder and stronger the truth , just preserving the history is a failure , push forward dear Joshua and lay the foundation stones for those who can not speak as clearly as you and me and your father ,

[@BalkanBoys-]

hellllllllllllo yr 8 radford

[@Voltor07]

@supermoomaa Not that unrealistic.

[@Jsmithyy]

a great pinball?

[@IoanaNoemyToma]

#moralevolutionfirst #terraprotectivitybeforeproductivity #allterriansallprotectivegods #peacenotwar #pandetoxification

[@patrickruth153]

Sounds like he’s alive by Dolly Parton

[@magellanrose7748]

gunga

[@gadigames]

Interesting. Harry was very much a 'global society' kind of guy. I doubt very seriously if he was thinking in terms of our military being the poor guy that feel under the rock. Given his liberal mind set, and the time that the song was written, I think it was a reflection on the people that speak out for the rights of the little guy, and the people who scoff at them. In our current time, I would think Harry would be referring to global warming and the nay-sayers who refuse to acknowledge it.

[@williammartinec4063]

Of course it's a Harry metaphor for what are carelessly ignoring about our surroundings.

[@Jsmithyy]

I can hear the piano man Elton john in this song ,

[@zuttinetnetwork1778]

Official song of Alex Jones

[@davidtelliho5043]

no one listens, to-day

[@allenholloway5109]

Global warming.