We continue our look back at the music of 50 years ago…..
Nobody did depression, loneliness and loss quite like Harry Chapin…and he did it right out of the chute starting with his debut LP “Heads & Tales” released in 1972.
You might only know this album from the single “Taxi”…the hit that exploded Chapin into our consciousness. It’s one of those songs (another that springs to mind is Lily, Rosemary & The Jack of Hearts by Dylan) that should be made into a movie, if it hasnt been already.
But that is just one of the gems on this record. Many are trips inside Chapin’s head and it’s a place full of contradictions. Love and loss, being alone, wasted time, all of the themes that singer-songwriters mined so well in the 70’s. But also hope and the pleasures that come from struggling and surviving.
The album also includes a long, historical song about the dangers of the sea and those left behind. “Dogtown” is a precursor to songs like ‘Sniper” that will seared into our brains later in Chapin’s career
Chapin’s band goes a long way to drive the the feeling of this record. Especially Tim Scott’s cello whiich adds a fullness to these songs. John Wallace on bass and background vocals is also a standout. Chapin makes fun of his guitar playing on future records but it’s very tasteful and mixes nicely with the rest of the band.
I had a chance to catch Chapin’s live show at Quandt Fieldhouse at UWSP and he was a master at working the crowd. His early death in that car crash robbed the world of a tireless worker for hunger issues and a unique musical voice. This is where it began.
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