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Harry Chapin a man that could not 'Let it Be'

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Author Topic: Harry Chapin a man that could not 'Let it Be'  (Read 385 times)
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Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?
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« on: Jun 12, 2010 03:06 am »

can you explain what you mean please ?

Let us look at a man that did not 'Let it Be' A great musician but like Jesus he could not endure the hardships and sufferings of others and would not give up creating a world envisioned in his mind that included everyone.

Philanthropic work of Harry Chapin (remember he wrote 'Taxi' and 'Cats in a Cradle')

Chapin was resolved to leave his imprint on Long Island. He envisioned a Long Island where the arts flourished and universities expanded and humane discourse was the norm. "He thought Long Island represented a remarkable opportunity," said Chapin's widow, Sandy.[3]

Chapin served on the boards of the Eglevsky Ballet, the Long Island Philharmonic, Hofstra University. He energized the now-defunct Performing Arts Foundation (PAF) of Huntington.

In the mid-1970s, Chapin focused on his social activism, including raising money to combat hunger in the United States. His daughter Jen said: "He saw hunger and poverty as an insult to America"[4]. He co-founded the organization World Hunger Year with legendary radio DJ Bill Ayres, before returning to music with On the Road to Kingdom Come. He also released a book of poetry, Looking...Seeing, in 1977. Many of Chapin's concerts were benefit performances (for example, a concert[5] to help save the Landmark Theatre in Syracuse, New York), and sales of his concert merchandise were used to support World Hunger Year.

Chapin's social causes at times caused friction among his band members and then-manager Fred Kewley. Chapin donated an estimated third of his paid concerts to charitable causes, often performing alone with his guitar to reduce costs.

One report quotes his widow saying soon after his death — "only with slight exaggeration" — that "Harry was supporting 17 relatives, 14 associations, seven foundations and 82 charities. Harry wasn't interested in saving money. He always said, 'Money is for people,' so he gave it away." Despite his success as a musician, he left little money and it was difficult to maintain the causes for which he raised more than $3 million in the last six years of his life [6]. The Harry Chapin Foundation was the result.

My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say "I'm gonna be like you dad
You know I'm gonna be like you"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home dad?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

My son turned ten just the other day
He said, "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let's play
Can you teach me to throw", I said "Not today
I got a lot to do", he said, "That's ok"
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah
You know I'm gonna be like him"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

Well, he came home from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
"Son, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head and said with a smile
"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

I've long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
He said, "I'd love to, Dad, if I can find the time
You see my new job's a hassle and kids have the flu
But it's sure nice talking to you, Dad
It's been sure nice talking to you"

And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then
« Last Edit: Jun 12, 2010 10:30 am by Steve Hydonus » Report Spam   Logged

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Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?
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« Reply #1 on: Jun 12, 2010 05:23 am »

Harry Chapin died in an old Volkswagon he drove around. This was his epitaph: 

"I Wonder What Would Happen to this World." by Harry Chapin It is:

    Oh if a man tried
    To take his time on Earth
    And prove before he died
    What one man's life could be worth
    I wonder what would happen
    to this world
« Last Edit: Jun 12, 2010 06:03 am by Steve Hydonus » Report Spam   Logged

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« Reply #2 on: Jun 12, 2010 05:41 am »

i really like that last bit... thank you  Smiley
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Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?
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« Reply #3 on: Jun 12, 2010 05:58 am »

Death
Harry Chapin's gravestone

On Thursday, July 16, 1981, just after noon, Chapin was driving in the left lane on the Long Island Expressway at about 65 mph on the way to perform at a free concert scheduled for later that evening at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, NY. Near exit 40 in Jericho he put on his emergency flashers, presumably because of either a mechanical or medical problem (possibly a heart attack). He then slowed to about 15 miles (24 km) per hour and veered into the center lane, nearly colliding with another car. He swerved left, then to the right again, ending up directly in the path of a tractor-trailer truck. The truck could not brake in time and rammed the rear of Chapin's blue 1975 Volkswagen Rabbit, rupturing the fuel tank by climbing its back and causing it to burst into flames.

The driver of the truck and a passerby were able to get Chapin out of the burning car through the window and by cutting the seat belts before the car was completely engulfed in flames. He was taken by police helicopter to a hospital, where ten doctors tried for 30 minutes to revive him.[citation needed] A spokesman for the Nassau County Medical Center said Chapin had suffered a heart attack and "died of cardiac arrest," but there was no way of knowing whether it occurred before or after the accident. In an interview years after his death, Chapin's daughter said "My dad didn't really sleep, and he ate badly and had a totally insane schedule."[4]

Even though Chapin was driving without a license, his driver's license having previously been revoked for a long string of traffic violations, his widow Sandy won a $12 million decision in a negligence lawsuit against Supermarkets General, the owners of the truck.

Chapin was interred in the Huntington Rural Cemetery, Huntington, New York. His epitaph is taken from his song "I Wonder What Would Happen to this World." It is:

    Oh if a man tried
    To take his time on Earth
    And prove before he died
    What one man's life could be worth
    I wonder what would happen
    to this world

« Last Edit: Jun 12, 2010 06:02 am by Steve Hydonus » Report Spam   Logged

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« Reply #4 on: Jun 12, 2010 07:59 pm »

Steve,

I had no idea Harry Chapin was involved with helping others so much. The world needs more people with kind and caring hearts helping others. And I had no idea of the circumstances of his death, thank you for sharing these insights with us, regarding a man who could not just " let it be ".

I do know that his song " Taxi " was one of my favorites.

love and light, always
Desiree

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« Reply #5 on: Jun 13, 2010 06:45 am »

Steve,

I had no idea Harry Chapin was involved with helping others so much. The world needs more people with kind and caring hearts helping others. And I had no idea of the circumstances of his death, thank you for sharing these insights with us, regarding a man who could not just " let it be ".

I do know that his song " Taxi " was one of my favorites.

love and light, always
Desiree

Thank you Steve for your long reply, in your Harry Chapin thread,  in answer to my question.

When I posted about this song, " Let it Be " I was not suggesting that when there are others in need of help that one should ignore this plea for help and just  'let things be'.

My focus on this song, was a basic one  - I was just focusing on the phrase " let it be " in regards to what is going on with me.  When I feel that I am receiving a message I concentrate on the message and not the messenger.

I appreciate you sharing your interpretation of " let it be " .

love and light, always
Desiree
Thanks for your thoughts they have made me look at my own life in relief. Also you are right sometimes a song can speak to us in a personal way. It does not mean that we necessarily relate to the messenger.

i know the feeling Desiree. To some things we should: Let It Be. We must also watch what we dream/ask for>>>>


Taxi

It was raining hard in 'Frisco,
I needed one more fare to make my night.
A lady up ahead waved to flag me down,
She got in at the light.
Oh, where you going to, my lady blue,
It's a shame you ruined your gown in the rain.
She just looked out the window, and said
"Sixteen Parkside Lane".
Something about her was familiar
I could swear I'd seen her face before,
But she said, "I'm sure you're mistaken"
And she didn't say anything more.
It took a while, but she looked in the mirror,
And she glanced at the license for my name.
A smile seemed to come to her slowly,
It was a sad smile, just the same.
And she said, "How are you Harry?"
I said, "How are you Sue?
Through the too many miles
and the too little smiles
I still remember you."
It was somewhere in a fairy tale,
I used to take her home in my car.
We learned about love in the back of the Dodge,
The lesson hadn't gone too far.
You see, she was gonna be an actress,
And I was gonna learn to fly.
She took off to find the footlights,
And I took off to find the sky.
Oh, I've got something inside me,
To drive a princess blind.
There's a wild man, wizard,
He's hiding in me, illuminating my mind.
Oh, I've got something inside me,
Not what my life's about,
Cause I've been letting my outside tide me,
Over 'till my time, runs out.
Baby's so high that she's skying,
Yes she's flying, afraid to fall.
I'll tell you why baby's crying,
Cause she's dying, aren't we all.
There was not much more for us to talk about,
Whatever we had once was gone.
So I turned my cab into the driveway,
Past the gate and the fine trimmed lawns.
And she said we must get together,
But I knew it'd never be arranged.
And she handed me twenty dollars,
For a two fifty fare, she said
"Harry, keep the change."
Well another man might have been angry,
And another man might have been hurt,
But another man never would have let her go...
I stashed the bill in my shirt.
And she walked away in silence,
It's strange, how you never know,
But we'd both gotten what we'd asked for,
Such a long, long time ago.
You see, she was gonna be an actress
And I was gonna learn to fly.
She took off to find the footlights,
And I took off for the sky.
And here, she's acting happy,
Inside her handsome home.
And me, I'm flying in my taxi,
Taking tips, and getting stoned,
I go flying so high, when I'm stoned.
« Last Edit: Jun 13, 2010 04:50 pm by Steve Hydonus » Report Spam   Logged

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« Reply #6 on: Jun 22, 2010 02:28 am »

Steve,

Strange how I can like a song, and never really pay attention to the lyrics. Words fade in and out of our consciousness when mixed with the music, and we hear what we want to hear at times. The lyrics alone do not make a song complete.

yes, we should  " also watch what we dream/ask for>>>> " good advice  Smiley  I thank you.

love and light, always
Desiree
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