Thank you to our guest writer, Nomi Berger! About “Cat’s in the Cradle” Harry’s ode to his son Josh, written when Josh was born. "Cat's in the Cradle" is a 1974 folk rock song by Harry Chapin from the album Verities & Balderdash. What does cat's cradle expression mean? Cat's cradle is a game involving the creation of various string figures between the fingers, either individually or by passing a loop of string back and forth between two or more players. I've long since retired and my son's moved away. Although the image of a cat in a cradle is positive in the Dutch fairy tale and even in Chapin’s song, in that it conjures up images of a child put to sleep by being read a nursery rhyme, that’s not the case in the other possible definition of the phrase. This PDF is also available for individual purchase for $3. The phrase “cat’s in the cradle” is a classic idiom: Taken together, its words mean something entirely different than they would on their own—literally, a cat inside a baby’s cradle. The Story The song is told in first-person by a father who is too busy to spend time with his son. In fact, this turn of phrase is actually taken from song lyrics that describe a father whose busy schedule keeps him from spending quality time with his son. He said, "I'd love to, dad, if I could find the time. It’s time to face the music means that it’s time to come to terms with the consequences of your actions. In the past, he set out to write a book about the day the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, entitled The Day the World Ended. "Cat's in the Cradle" is a 1974 folk rock song by Harry Chapin from the album Verities & Balderdash.The single topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in December 1974. 1. What’s more, you aren’t likely to be able to figure out that meaning through deduction; you simply must know the expression outright. Nowhere in the song does it mention a woman, only a father and son. Though the son repeatedly asks him to join in childhood activities, the father always responds with little more than vague promises of spending time together in the future, which is peppered with images from nursery rhymes. "Cat's Cradle" is a game played with string, "Silver Spoons" are ornamental spoons for babies, and "Little Boy Blue" is a nursery rhyme. “Cat’s Cradle” is a simple sequence game played with a looped length of string. Interestingly, Cat’s Cradle is one of the oldest games ever recorded in our history. What’s more, you aren’t likely to be able to figure out that meaning through deduction; you simply must know the expression outright. Cat's in the Cradle is a song about the relationship of a son and his father, not about a woman with a cat. When Chapin reworked the lyrics, he incorporated the references to children’s nursery rhymes, including those familiar to us like “Little Boy Blue” and “The Man in the Moon.” Although not well known by many, there is a Dutch fairy tale entitled “The Cat and the Cradle,” which is most likely where he got his famous line and song title from. Other sources speculate that perhaps it is a reference to an old myth that cats steal the breath of babies in the cradle, killing them. With CopyAI’s automated creativity tools, you can generate marketing copy in seconds. In the spot, a father is involved in one of the political groups and he isn't much of an example for … Definition of cat's cradle in the Idioms Dictionary. I called him up just the other day. As Chapin's only #1 hit song, it became the best known of his work and a staple for folk rock music. The song later became a hit for the hard rock group Ugly Kid Joe. As to "silver spoon", it was once common even in families of modest means for some relative (generally a grandparent) to award a new infant with a silver spoon engraved with the name and birth date of the child. The term cat’s in the cradle refers to a situation where a person does not spend time on any given relationship. You can never make time for me these days.”. You can find me on LinkedIn, or access my online portfolio here! The cat’s in the cradle with my ex, he doesn’t bother with our son anymore. Two or more partners use the string to form various shapes, each building on the last. "Man In The Moon" could be about the human features children see when they look at the moon. "Cat's in the Cradle" is a 1974 folk rock song by Harry Chapin from the album Verities & Balderdash. While the son longs to … "I don't know when, But we'll get together then, dad. 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