You never seem to acknowledge my requests... but here’s trying. Chapin recorded a sequel to “Taxi” which shows what happens between the taxi driver and Sue. The sequel is actually titled “Sequel.” Check it out.
Hey Jamel!! Can you please react to 'Bandeh' by the Indian Ocean Band! I know we don't do much indian content here but it is an extraordinary piece. Won't disappoint.
Harry Chapin came from a very musical family. His brother Tom is still writing and performing, and Tom's daughters are The Chapin Sisters. All worth a listen.
@Robert Smith I think Gordon would have a chuckle and eye twinkle after decades and decades of performing, if he read your comment. 😄. He has class. But on Harry, yes. ☹️ Way to soon, as so many greats we lost in their even younger, years.
"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" If that doesn't rip your heart out...
Tucson, Arizona (Gazette) is another really good one. Also "Windows and Walls", " As the Raven Flies", "Our Last Farewell", and " Sweet Magnolia" among others. Another rabbit hole.
You really are experiencing what music used to be like...when the artists were real musicians and could sing and tell stories. Absorb all you can. You'll come to appreciate it more and more as your library grows and expands
Chapin was an incredibly generous artist who donated most of his earnings to charitable organizations all these years later his organizations are still active especially here on Long island.
@@MessalineApghar he was not the founder of Island Harvest, he was the founder of World Hunger Year (WHY Hunger- along with Bill Ayres) and Long Island Cares. I used to volunteer with his brother Tom at WHY.
Harry was an incredible human being. Search his work and continued foundation that fights hunger. I witnessed him give away half of the concert proceeds to feeding hungry people. I had the privilege of meeting him several times and each time he did this at each concert. He was way ahead of the time and even after his untimely death still impacts hunger.
Bro, between Simon and Garfunkel, Jim Croce, Gordon Lightfoot and Harry Chapin are the creme de la creme of storytelling and music composing in the world in music. Thank you for bringing the great music alive to pass on to the next generation. It means so much.
“I stashed the bill in my shirt”....If that doesn’t get you, I don’t know what to say.........This song, and Dan Fogelberg’s, “Same Old Lang Syne”, always get me choked up.........
Until I read your comment, I did not know about "Sequel". I read the lyrics. It was very well-written and thought-provoking. It was about good times and bad times and coming to terms with the past and moving on and letting go of the "demons" and negative thoughts. Thanks for the info, man.
"Sequel" was pretty good but it seemed to me maybe it was rushed out, some of the verses were kinda klunky, I kinda think Harry might have wanted to work a couple of them over some more.
@@JStarStar00 I can see that, but I believe they tried to make it both a continuation of the story, and have parallels at the same time. I have often thought that even Sequel didn't seem to end the story, and had he not been killed tragically, there might have been part three.
@@richgoebel882 Harry Chapin did perform "Sequel" in concert in 1980 and joked that any final chapter of the saga would be called "Hearse" as he hauled Harry and Sue out to pasture.
She wanted to be an actress and now she is acting "happy" in the life she had.... he wanted to fly and became a driver.... they both got a form of their dream in a cruel kind of way
Harry Chapin's "A Better Place To Be." Is about a rotund waitress... A little midnight watchman... And a girl he picks up one night. This to me is one of his greatest hits, and true tear jerker...It is worth reacting to. Brilliant!
My first two concerts, Morris Stage in Morristown, NJ and Capital Theatre in Passaic, NJ. Somewhere I have the playbills...I have to find them before I depart this earth, man!
Ahhhh! Great memories of Harry Chapin concerts in the 70s! Harry was an amazing story teller! Taxi was one of the few stories/songs he wrote that was short enough for the radio. He had so many stories that would totally transport the hearer. Big John Wallace on the vocals singing the high parts. You should hear Big John singing "Mr Tanner", another great Harry Chapin story. "Mail Order Annie", "Story of a Life", "There Only Was One Choice", "Dance Band on the Titanic" all great stories. He was the BEST, and I cried like a baby the day he died!
I have to give those songs a listen!!! I was in my early 20s when Harry passed away. Here on Long Island he us still with us ...places named after him. Thank you for the recommendations I also cried when he passed away I was headed home from work in Plainview when I passed the wreckage on the Long Island Expressway that day in July ....1981 not realizing it was Harry Chapin
I agree with all of those songs. One of my personal favorite stories is "Corey's Coming." Other greats are "I Want to Learn a Love Song" which is supposedly about how he met his wife, and "Shooting Star" which was written to her.
What i loved about his concerts was no introduction. Harry would walk out and start, and one by one, the other members would come out and start playing. No egos, just a desire to entertain
My wife and I saw Harry Chapin in the Spokane Opera House in the late-1970's, maybe early 1980's. He put everything he had into his performance, including sitting at a table in the lobby after the show, signing autographs and shaking hands. One of the most impressive things I have ever seen was one song where Harry simply stepped to the front of the stage and belted out an entire song solo, no microphone or amplification. The way it used to be, before we were able to 'crank it up to 11'. Good accoustics in an opera house anyway, but Harry showed us how it is done with that voice!
We have lost a lot more than just that. Movies, music and the entertainment industry have been mostly in the toilet for years and as a society we are badly failing!
The greatest story teller in song ever , he breaks my heart , Harry no one ever like you , my all time favourite singer . Thank god I managed to you live 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
After doing Harry's version, Jamel should also check out the tribute version, where the "Mr. Tanner" the song is about was brought in to sing on it. th-cam.com/video/hLtlvPHyTVE/w-d-xo.html
As a professional vocalist, "Mr. Tanner" makes me cry every time I hear it. Harry Chapin tells one great story after another - this is one of his very best! Please react to "Mr. Tanner"
When I was in my very early 20s in the early 1990s me and my boys loved Harry. Not like anything else we listened to. We still say "I stashed that Bill in my shirt" to each other. Try out "A better place to be." Or " I wanna learn a Love song." I could be anywhere in the world but I am here with you Jamal.✌
As a screenwriter and songwriter, I did an interview recently and told the interviewer that I would rate songwriting as being more difficult than screenwriting because you've only got 3-4 minutes to condense a story down to it's bare bones to create the visuals inside a person's mind. This is very hard to do and there are very few today who can do this. Thus , the great thing about your channel and those who request songs for you to react to, is this: They want to keep great music alive.
I live in Long Beach NY and never knew Harry drove a cab here. That was way before I moved here. I was 17 when he passed. What an amazing man. It was Never about himself, Always about giving to charity, and helping others. He founded Would Huger Year. The world lost a special soul when we lost Harry.
Met him twice. One of the most genuine and bigger than life people you'd ever meet . Good man. The song is autobiographical also . You need to check out Mr.Tanner . It will make you cry .
@@kestrelhill It's kinda devastating isn't it ? Soul Crushing. You actually hear and feel a man's lifelong dream destroyed at the end of that review . Some people don't give up , but Mr. Tanner was completely gutted........ 😔 Full time consideration of another endeavor might be in order........
Bass player, John Wallace, in falsetto Sings - 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...
He was on Carson once talking about Cats in the Cradle. Carson commented about people praising the depth of feeling and insight that Harry must have to write a song like that. He deflected that by pointing out that if he had the virtues Carson was describing he wouldn't be leaving his own son basically fatherless most of the time because he is always on the road.
This song and Jim Croce's "Operator" may be the two best songs about exes ever written. Both are full of melancholy and both end with the singer coming to terms of their past relationships. Also both Croce and Chapin died way too soon. I am so grateful that TH-cam and folks like you are keeping these performers alive by listening to their music. Can't remember who said it but to paraphrase, You don't truly die until someone utters your name for the last time, so Harry and Jim are still living on through their music.
I was thinking about Fogelberg's story. Not nearly so achingly sad, somehow. But very much the same thing about the lost love's relationship with her present husband. That's every bit as depressing.
Part of the charm of Harry Chapin’s music is the unique instrumentation. His brother Tom Chapin is playing the cello. He went on to perform children’s music.
I seem to remember that high vocal in the middle is the cello player. Be sure to check out the follow up song appropritely titled 'Sequel'. It literally finishes this story.
Jamal, Now that you heard part 1 of "Taxi" Harry has a part 2 of "Taxi". It's ten years later and goes to find Sue. I know you will love it. More great storytelling. Thanks for keeping great music alive.
harry was my older brothers favorite singer back in the day. he was 41 when he passed.. everytime i hear harry it make me think of the times when i was a kid and would go with my brother on his milk route and blast harry at 3 am ..
Thanks for helping keep Harry's music alive. He debuted this song on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. Johnny was so incredibly impressed that for the first time ever he invited a guest back the very next night. Two other songs from Harry that showcase his fabulous story telling ability are "Better Place To Be" and "Mr. Tanner" I think you would have a great experience reacting to them.
He actually was going to learn how to fly. He applied to the Air Force Academy and was accepted, but changed his mind before he actually began attending.
I was lucky to have seen Harry Chapin when he was doing college tours, I saw him at Rutgers when I was 15, my English teacher took a few of us to see HC and during the high part she was chosen to sing it on stage with Harry and his band. It was an amazing concert and I was gutted when he died around 5 years later. Such a loss, he was so talented. 💔
One of my all time Fav artist. When I was a teen I was the only one of my friends and peers that Loved Harry Chapin. I went to see him in concert by myself.
When we were kids, my mom would play this on rainy days when we were stuck inside. One of my fondest memories is dancing all together and laughing the whole time. I didn't know the real story at the time, but bananas are hilarious to a 5 year old.
@@elysehfm8797 it is mashed up😂 😂😂 I sang the wrong words too until I was 18 and I heard my Aunt sing: I’m not talk in’ about moving in and I don’t want to change your life...🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@elysehfm8797 I sing it "I'm not talkin' bout millennium, and I don't want to change your life" Seriously...the opposite of "one night" is millennium.
Such a rare instance when an artist decides to do a "part 2" -- same melody, same characters, same story -- and have it be a success to boot. And, sadly, it wound up being his last Top-40 chart single before his tragic accident.
His music can take you all over the place. I HIGHLY recommend the "Greatest Stories Live" - an incredible album. Only thing it is missing is "Remember When The Music". You might also like "A Better Place To Be". Perhaps a live version of "30,000 lbs of Bananas" or "Six String Orchestra" might hit the spot if you want something lighter.
Enjoyed listening to Taxi again after so many years and your commentary was spot on... the way I felt about it when I first heard this haunting song. Harry Chapin tragically died in a traffic accident on Long Island way too young. He supported his Food Bank to help those in need. He was a wonderful person and an amazing entertainer. Thank you for sharing this.
Half of the story was true, I just read. A google search led me to the article about the young woman he dated from the song. The part about the taxi ride he made up after once wondering what it would be like if he might pick her up by chance in his cab in NYC.
Paul CO 2 years ago I can give you a little history about Harry based on my personal experience. I worked a concert for him in 1979 at the US Air Force Academy. As cadets, we were able to volunteer to work concerts (setting up chairs, escorting people in, etc.) in exchange for attending for free. We also always got to meet the act in person, which was worth far more than anything else! Harry set the standard in audience participation of concerts, believe me. He could draw us all in like no one else. Everybody loved him, he would always get everyone on their feet and singing along. He kept a gallon of orange juice at his feet and would drink from it all night. The band told us that it was half vodka, but we didn’t have the nerve to ask him, lol… This song, Taxi, chronicled his life. He actually went to the Air Force Academy, and later dropped out. That is what he was referring to at the end of the song about his dreams of flying. He talked about getting caught staying up too late with his music, so he would have to march detention on the weekend, but instead of carrying his rifle, they made him carry his banjo as if it were a rifle. That and many other stories really got us interested in him as a person as well as musician. Everyone one of course knew of his fantastic humanitarian works and we all were extremely proud of him. Harry and his group were very nice to us kids who worked the concert and made us feel like we were the most important people in the world when he talked to us. What a great man.
It is very odd that his great Song "Cat's in the cradle" came out and played the day I learned of my Dad's death and driving to Mom's house on the other side of the state. While I listened to it driving, I swear he had written it just for me back in 1974. I will never forget that day or that song. Incredible Song writer and musician. RIP Harry.
Few composers possess the gift that Harry Chapin was blessed with. In a few short minutes, he could weave a complex story into a hauntingly beautiful melody. One of my favorite Chapin songs is WOLD (read as the call letters of a radio station). As is the case with Taxi, WOLD ends with the listener having to imagine the ending...just as Harry intended. "Taxi" has been around for nearly 50 years...but whenever you hear it, you can't help but listen to the end. The story and melody are forever captivating.
So glad you reacted to this song. I've not heard it in years. The second voice you hear around mid-song is Harry's bass player (John Wallace) singing in falsetto. It would be great to see you react to some of Dan Fogelberg's songs such as "Leader of the Band", "Hard to Say", and/or "Longer." Really enjoying this channel, JJ!
Try Harry’s Corie’s Coming. It’s got a cult following and you’ll need to listen to it several times to fully get the story. Also, Dance Band on the Titanic as well as Better Place to Be & Mr Tanner... I could go on and on.
You should treat yourself and listen to Harry Chapin's live version of "A Better Place To Be". You want to hear some amazing storytelling, it's one of his best.
I was fortunate to have been able to go to one of Harry Chapin's concerts on April 6, 1979 @Centenary College, Shreveport, LA It was an absolute wonderful experience. One of my favorite songs at the concert was 'All My Lifes A Circle'. RIP Harry.
You want story songs. Try Jimmy Dean Big Bad John follow-up The Cajun Queen there a little known 2 nd one about their son. Another Balladeer The Great Marty Robbins. El Paso,follow up El Paso City. My Woman my woman my wife.
I grew up listening to the Greatest stories live album, this song sound incredible on that album along with World, I wanna learn a love song and 30,000 pounds of bananas.
Thank you for saying we could be anywhere but we are here with you. Very kind during this pandemic. I have heard and loved this song my whole life. You say "here we feel the music". Wow, now this means something different to me at 55. You cannot plan life.
Every song from that album is just great. Mr. Chapin a master in in putting music to storytelling. Always with an O Henry kind of ending. Alot of them from that era. A lost art now days.
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th-cam.com/video/NRS62nccwmw/w-d-xo.html
You never seem to acknowledge my requests... but here’s trying. Chapin recorded a sequel to “Taxi” which shows what happens between the taxi driver and Sue. The sequel is actually titled “Sequel.” Check it out.
Hey Jamel!! Can you please react to 'Bandeh' by the Indian Ocean Band! I know we don't do much indian content here but it is an extraordinary piece. Won't disappoint.
Check out " A Better Place To Be". It's, even more pointe,,than "Taxi"
Harry Chapin came from a very musical family. His brother Tom is still writing and performing, and Tom's daughters are The Chapin Sisters. All worth a listen.
We didn't get enough of him. Tragic that he went away too soon.
Just like Jim Croce.
And Harry Nilsson and Gordon Lightfoot
Gordon is still alive at 82 years old and still touring.
I always wonder what other great songs did we miss due to their deaths!
That is sad. The good die young. Him, Jim Croce, Freddie Mercury, Bon Scott.
@Robert Smith I think Gordon would have a chuckle and eye twinkle after decades and decades of performing, if he read your comment. 😄. He has class. But on Harry, yes. ☹️ Way to soon, as so many greats we lost in their even younger, years.
One of the greatest songs ever written.
A true humanitarian, also.
"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"
If that doesn't rip your heart out...
Ahh, but it has.. and does.
Always thought he nailed male perception/emotion/behaviour in that verse.
My mom loved this song and especially those lyrics!! I love that he did this one! It's special to me. She's been gone 15 years.
@@lylemacdonald6672 yes. It makes me cry. "Another man never would have let her go".
Harry will never ever be bettered
Man! That was a sad song. That's one thing about songs 30-40 years ago; the story's in the songs actually touched the soul.
THIS WAS 1972 49 Years ago
Agree, I was 12 when it came out and just got the chills all over again...
SEQUEL ...is the part 2 of this story ....10 years later.
Want one to really jerk a tear? Try Bobby Goldsboro - Honey
You can close you're eyes and see the story. Not many singers can do that. RIP Harry
So true Warren. Joni Mitchell and Dan Fogelberg are a couple of others that immediately come to mind.
@@rubicon-oh9km Also John Prine for me
@@warrenburlingame7087 Absolutely. Gordon Lightfoot. Bruce Cockburn. Dylan. Springsteen. So many great ones. Could go on and on.
@@rubicon-oh9km guess I'm a little partial about John Prine. His song Paradice was written about a small town not far from where I'm from
@@rubicon-oh9km also Billy Joel.
Dan Fogelberg is a serious singer-song writer. Leader of the Band is a tribute to his father who was a high school band teacher.
th-cam.com/video/qsocZrEcp0Y/w-d-xo.html
Yes! And Same Old Lang Syne
@@heidithatswho.2481 For Sure..!
Tucson, Arizona (Gazette) is another really good one. Also "Windows and Walls", " As the Raven Flies", "Our Last Farewell", and " Sweet Magnolia" among others. Another rabbit hole.
Yes! My favorites:
"SAME OLD LANG SYNE"
"LONGER"
"LEADER OF THE BAND"
"HARD TO SAY"
"RHYTHM OF THE RAIN"
You really are experiencing what music used to be like...when the artists were real musicians and could sing and tell stories. Absorb all you can. You'll come to appreciate it more and more as your library grows and expands
Not to mention no pro-tools, autotune, etc.
Chapin was an incredibly generous artist who donated most of his earnings to charitable organizations all these years later his organizations are still active especially here on Long island.
he founded Island Harvest
And spent very little on himself.
I know because I live on Long Island!
I'm on LI too
@@MessalineApghar he was not the founder of Island Harvest, he was the founder of World Hunger Year (WHY Hunger- along with Bill Ayres) and Long Island Cares. I used to volunteer with his brother Tom at WHY.
Harry was an incredible human being. Search his work and continued foundation that fights hunger. I witnessed him give away half of the concert proceeds to feeding hungry people. I had the privilege of meeting him several times and each time he did this at each concert. He was way ahead of the time and even after his untimely death still impacts hunger.
This is one of the greatest songs ever made..
It is underrated, and not played much anymore..
Thanks
Big John Wallace on the high vocals!
Dude had vocal pipes like the Medieval Castrati.
He also played the cello, didn't he?
@@lreadlResurrected Bass
@@lreadlResurrected He played base guitar. He knew him as a kid from choir.
Big John did low vocals as well, didn’t he?
Years later he meets up with Sue again in “Sequel”....maybe better than “Taxi” where you find out what happened....brilliant song.
Bro, between Simon and Garfunkel, Jim Croce, Gordon Lightfoot and Harry Chapin are the creme de la creme of storytelling and music composing in the world in music. Thank you for bringing the great music alive to pass on to the next generation. It means so much.
Can’t forget Bob Dylan.
Well, dont forget John Prine
“I stashed the bill in my shirt”....If that doesn’t get you, I don’t know what to say.........This song, and Dan Fogelberg’s, “Same Old Lang Syne”, always get me choked up.........
Fogelberg was another great story teller. Even his uptempo songs were doing that. One of my favorite artists.
I believe the word was 'dough', but yes absolutely choked up...
@@peterdellos8824 Maybe so…🤷🏼♂️
_A Better Place to Be_ - is Harry's best story.
Have have " I wish that I was beautiful or that you were halfway Blind" tattooed on my forearm.
Agreed!
Yes!!!!
One of my favorites
My favorite Harry Chapin song.
There actually is a sequel to this song called.... "Sequel".
Until I read your comment, I did not know about "Sequel". I read the lyrics. It was very well-written and thought-provoking. It was about good times and bad times and coming to terms with the past and moving on and letting go of the "demons" and negative thoughts. Thanks for the info, man.
"Sequel" was pretty good but it seemed to me maybe it was rushed out, some of the verses were kinda klunky, I kinda think Harry might have wanted to work a couple of them over some more.
I've heard it, it was nice, and maybe some people needed answers.
I has OK with how the original ended, and the unanswered questions.
@@JStarStar00 I can see that, but I believe they tried to make it both a continuation of the story, and have parallels at the same time.
I have often thought that even Sequel didn't seem to end the story, and had he not been killed tragically, there might have been part three.
@@richgoebel882
Harry Chapin did perform "Sequel" in concert in 1980 and joked that any final
chapter of the saga would be called "Hearse" as he hauled Harry and Sue out to pasture.
It is really mind blowing how much impact these types of songs have on people. A long dead art
"The perfect voice for storytelling". Nailed it.
She wanted to be an actress and now she is acting "happy" in the life she had.... he wanted to fly and became a driver.... they both got a form of their dream in a cruel kind of way
@donereally well, yes. that's the whole point of the song!
The singer/songwriters of the 70's were incomparable & bizarrely most died tragically young!
There must be a reason why the 70s sold the most records.
Harry C is a songwriter who sings. A storytelling poet.
IIRC, he was a filmmaker first. Nominated for an Oscar in the documentary category, before switching to music full time.
Harry Chapin's "A Better Place To Be." Is about a rotund waitress... A little midnight watchman... And a girl he picks up one night. This to me is one of his greatest hits, and true tear jerker...It is worth reacting to. Brilliant!
The first concert I attended was seeing Harry Chapin on a college tour in 1974. Sublime. R.I.P.
My first two concerts, Morris Stage in Morristown, NJ and Capital Theatre in Passaic, NJ. Somewhere I have the playbills...I have to find them before I depart this earth, man!
I never get bored of this song. I haven't for 40 years. What a storyteller! Brilliant! Too bad he died in a car wreck. Such a loss.
He most likely died of a heart attack while driving, the tanker truck just finished the job. He was working himself to exhaustion. :(
Ahhhh! Great memories of Harry Chapin concerts in the 70s! Harry was an amazing story teller! Taxi was one of the few stories/songs he wrote that was short enough for the radio. He had so many stories that would totally transport the hearer. Big John Wallace on the vocals singing the high parts. You should hear Big John singing "Mr Tanner", another great Harry Chapin story. "Mail Order Annie", "Story of a Life", "There Only Was One Choice", "Dance Band on the Titanic" all great stories. He was the BEST, and I cried like a baby the day he died!
I have to give those songs a listen!!!
I was in my early 20s when Harry passed away. Here on Long Island he us still with us ...places named after him.
Thank you for the recommendations
I also cried when he passed away
I was headed home from work in Plainview when I passed the wreckage on the Long Island Expressway that day in July ....1981 not realizing it was Harry Chapin
I agree with all of those songs. One of my personal favorite stories is "Corey's Coming." Other greats are "I Want to Learn a Love Song" which is supposedly about how he met his wife, and "Shooting Star" which was written to her.
What i loved about his concerts was no introduction. Harry would walk out and start, and one by one, the other members would come out and start playing. No egos, just a desire to entertain
"There's a wild man wizard he's hiding in me illuminating my mind"...just love that line🧙🏻♂️💗
Makes me wonder if he made a deal with the "Chief Commander" as Bob Dylan called him in an interview
My wife and I saw Harry Chapin in the Spokane Opera House in the late-1970's, maybe early 1980's. He put everything he had into his performance, including sitting at a table in the lobby after the show, signing autographs and shaking hands.
One of the most impressive things I have ever seen was one song where Harry simply stepped to the front of the stage and belted out an entire song solo, no microphone or amplification. The way it used to be, before we were able to 'crank it up to 11'. Good accoustics in an opera house anyway, but Harry showed us how it is done with that voice!
“Flowers are Red” is a very thought provoking song by Harry Chapin.
It’s a beautiful song.
I played that song a lot when my daughter was young..to remind me to encourage her to use all of the colors....
Amen to that!
We have long lost the art of storytelling
We have lost a lot more than just that. Movies, music and the entertainment industry have been mostly in the toilet for years and as a society we are badly failing!
Boy, that’s the truth.
Probably because we've lost the art of sitting still and listening.
@@zq9m3xh8 - a point well worth considering.
They used to be called Ballads in the music world.. knowledge being passed down from generation to generation in the form of story's.. imagine that...
One of the saddest, most heartbreaking song ever.
Mr. Tanner is probably the sadder
And I love how Sequel has an air of full circle...and hope for the fufture
The greatest story teller in song ever , he breaks my heart , Harry no one ever like you , my all time favourite singer . Thank god I managed to you live 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Another great Harry Chapin song is "Mr. Tanner", would love to see your reaction. Keep the music alive!
After doing Harry's version, Jamel should also check out the tribute version, where the "Mr. Tanner" the song is about was brought in to sing on it.
th-cam.com/video/hLtlvPHyTVE/w-d-xo.html
Definitely, from the live album.
Need to do W.O.L.D. It is about a DJ getting older and you do such a great job as a TH-cam DJ.
Yes, I love W.O.LD... gotta do that one.
Agreed. "W.O.L.D." is a must-listen.
That's my favorite radio station...
YES!!!!!
Brilliant song!
I think him and Jim Croce are some of the best storytellers.
Gordon Lightfoot for the trifecta...
Agree 100%
Also Mr Bob Seger
and 2 great storytellers taken way too soon RIP to both
The thing about Harry: everything is in perfect meter and rhymes.
another great is Jackson Browne's "The Load Out/Stay" a tribute to his roadies, a long one but a good one.
The guy singing the high notes is Big John Wallace. He also has a great baritone voice and the song "Mr. Tanner" shows it off at its best.
My husband calls this one of those "I feel old now" songs. Remembering things that once were but can't be again.
Great descriptive term.
As a professional vocalist, "Mr. Tanner" makes me cry every time I hear it. Harry Chapin tells one great story after another - this is one of his very best! Please react to "Mr. Tanner"
Now you have to listen to the sequel to Taxi, cleverly called "Sequel". It finishes the story of Harry and Sue, after he became famous..
"Mr Tanner" and "Sniper" , two great stories that only Harry could do, oops forgot W*O*L*D
@Paul Sharp A Better Place to Be and On The Road yo Kingdom Come, What Made America Famous, Mail Order Annie so many to list, lol
I completely agree with you about “Sniper”.
100% on Mr. Tanner but add I wanna learn a love song too.
@@anyamanning9427 find the live version of sniper... small band, no frills... chilling.
Sniper doesn't get nearly enough attention
When I was in my very early 20s in the early 1990s me and my boys loved Harry. Not like anything else we listened to. We still say "I stashed that Bill in my shirt" to each other. Try out "A better place to be." Or " I wanna learn a Love song." I could be anywhere in the world but I am here with you Jamal.✌
One of the most beautiful songs ever written.
the falsetto voice was bass player John Wallace
I remember seeing them perform this on carson and were requested to return the next night.
That is so interesting. Never knew that!
Dan Fogelberg ~"Same Old Lang Syne" You Will Love It....!!!
another great story song.....always makes me choke up......
@@jcbass2u "The snow turned in to rain...."
Beautiful song 🎶
"Longer" by him is a beautiful song, so full of love.
Yes this, It brings me so much nostalgia.
As a screenwriter and songwriter, I did an interview recently and told the interviewer that I would rate songwriting as being more difficult than screenwriting because you've only got 3-4 minutes to condense a story down to it's bare bones to create the visuals inside a person's mind. This is very hard to do and there are very few today who can do this. Thus , the great thing about your channel and those who request songs for you to react to, is this: They want to keep great music alive.
I live in Long Beach NY and never knew Harry drove a cab here. That was way before I moved here. I was 17 when he passed. What an amazing man. It was Never about himself, Always about giving to charity, and helping others. He founded Would Huger Year. The world lost a special soul when we lost Harry.
The look on Jamel's face when Harry said "we learned about love in the back of a Dodge".
Met him twice. One of the most genuine and bigger than life people you'd ever meet . Good man. The song is autobiographical also . You need to check out Mr.Tanner . It will make you cry .
Mr Tanner makes me cry every time - how often does a song tell you maybe you're better off not chasing your dream?
@@kestrelhill It's kinda devastating isn't it ? Soul Crushing. You actually hear and feel a man's lifelong dream destroyed at the end of that review . Some people don't give up , but Mr. Tanner was completely gutted........ 😔 Full time consideration of another endeavor might be in order........
Chills every time, hits close to home...
Bass player, John Wallace, in falsetto Sings -
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...
On harry's first time on the tonight show he did taxi and carson was so blown away he brought him back the next night i think did 18 tonight shows
He was on Carson once talking about Cats in the Cradle. Carson commented about people praising the depth of feeling and insight that Harry must have to write a song like that. He deflected that by pointing out that if he had the virtues Carson was describing he wouldn't be leaving his own son basically fatherless most of the time because he is always on the road.
@@NT-fo3me Think I heard Sandy chipped in on the song writing.
@@Caperhere Yeah, she more than chipped in. She wrote the lyrics as a poem and Harry turned it into a song.
I love the wide variety of music that you include in your videos!
This song and Jim Croce's "Operator" may be the two best songs about exes ever written. Both are full of melancholy and both end with the singer coming to terms of their past relationships. Also both Croce and Chapin died way too soon. I am so grateful that TH-cam and folks like you are keeping these performers alive by listening to their music. Can't remember who said it but to paraphrase, You don't truly die until someone utters your name for the last time, so Harry and Jim are still living on through their music.
Nothing punches in the gut like Tom Waits Martha. It’s incredible he was so young when he penned that world weary classic.
@@michaeloreilly2533 OMG, yes, Tom Waits. His song I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love With You is one of the greatest songs of the 70's.
"Through the too many miles and the too little smiles, I still remember you." Thanks for doing Taxi.
Yes please do "Chapin's "Sequel" for the end of this story and Dan Fogelberg 's "Same Old Lang Syne" for another take on the story.
I was thinking about Fogelberg's story. Not nearly so achingly sad, somehow. But very much the same thing about the lost love's relationship with her present husband. That's every bit as depressing.
this is one of my favorite songs of all time! you can feel it, thank-you for doing this one!
A wonderful Chapin story is "30,000lbs of bananas"
I love this one!
hey, how about the bluesman eh? thats a great song. harry was so good live. i got to see him one time.
@@captainmoretokin2172 I saw him twice
@@HappyInSantaMarta ; Kewl. how far apart between the two shows?
@@captainmoretokin2172 2 years
Part of the charm of Harry Chapin’s music is the unique instrumentation. His brother Tom Chapin is playing the cello. He went on to perform children’s music.
What a beautiful, wistful song!
I seem to remember that high vocal in the middle is the cello player. Be sure to check out the follow up song appropritely titled 'Sequel'. It literally finishes this story.
The high voice was John Wallace who played that incredible bass.
Jamal, Now that you heard part 1 of "Taxi" Harry has a part 2 of "Taxi". It's ten years later and goes to find Sue. I know you will love it. More great storytelling. Thanks for keeping great music alive.
harry was my older brothers favorite singer back in the day. he was 41 when he passed.. everytime i hear harry it make me think of the times when i was a kid and would go with my brother on his milk route and blast harry at 3 am ..
Thanks for helping keep Harry's music alive. He debuted this song on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. Johnny was so incredibly impressed that for the first time ever he invited a guest back the very next night. Two other songs from Harry that showcase his fabulous story telling ability are "Better Place To Be" and "Mr. Tanner" I think you would have a great experience reacting to them.
“Better Place To Be” rips your heart out.
@@vinnygi me too , he breaks my heart every time
This story is as much about Sue as it is about Harry. He's "flying" stoned and she's "acting" happy.
He actually was going to learn how to fly. He applied to the Air Force Academy and was accepted, but changed his mind before he actually began attending.
I was lucky to have seen Harry Chapin when he was doing college tours, I saw him at Rutgers when I was 15, my English teacher took a few of us to see HC and during the high part she was chosen to sing it on stage with Harry and his band. It was an amazing concert and I was gutted when he died around 5 years later.
Such a loss, he was so talented. 💔
That melodic operatic voice is " big john"......RIP to them both💜
“Big John” Wallace is still alive and still plays with the band.
If I'm not mistaken, Big John Wallace was also that amazing cello pl;ayer.
big john is the bass player
Thanks, Francis.....wasn’t certain 😊
Harry was a terrific story teller. Listen to his song "Sniper" about the August 1, 1966 University of Texas massacre - chilling!
"30,000 Pounds of Bananas" is another clever classic. One of the funniest songs you'll ever review.
One of my all time Fav artist. When I was a teen I was the only one of my friends and peers that Loved Harry Chapin. I went to see him in concert by myself.
This song is a heart breaker and totally fantastic!
30,000 lbs of bananas was a true story
When we were kids, my mom would play this on rainy days when we were stuck inside. One of my fondest memories is dancing all together and laughing the whole time. I didn't know the real story at the time, but bananas are hilarious to a 5 year old.
And so is Mr Tanner!
English Dan and John Ford Coley I'd Really Love To See You Tonight...
@@elysehfm8797 it is mashed up😂 😂😂 I sang the wrong words too until I was 18 and I heard my Aunt sing: I’m not talk in’ about moving in and I don’t want to change your life...🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@elysehfm8797 I’m not talkin’ about losing it and I don’t want to change your mind...that was 30 years ago and I still chuckle🤣
@@elysehfm8797 at the thought of some crazed person begging another to see “you tonight” I’d rather your linens!🙌🏼
@@elysehfm8797 I sing it "I'm not talkin' bout millennium, and I don't want to change your life" Seriously...the opposite of "one night" is millennium.
Lol, y’all killin me!
Harry is another great songwriters from the 70’s and this is such a beautiful written song and it’s sad we lost him so young
When I saw this performed live...the falsetto was sung by the man playing the viola...it was magic...
Check out Harry Chapin's Sequel, which is part 2 of Taxi to see how the story ends. Also, his tune Mail Order Annie is another epic story
.
Definitely need to do Sequel .. ends the story
Such a rare instance when an artist decides to do a "part 2" -- same melody, same characters, same story -- and have it be a success to boot. And, sadly, it wound up being his last Top-40 chart single before his tragic accident.
His music can take you all over the place. I HIGHLY recommend the "Greatest Stories Live" - an incredible album. Only thing it is missing is "Remember When The Music". You might also like "A Better Place To Be". Perhaps a live version of "30,000 lbs of Bananas" or "Six String Orchestra" might hit the spot if you want something lighter.
Enjoyed listening to Taxi again after so many years and your commentary was spot on... the way I felt about it when I first heard this haunting song. Harry Chapin tragically died in a traffic accident on Long Island way too young. He supported his Food Bank to help those in need. He was a wonderful person and an amazing entertainer. Thank you for sharing this.
The great Harry Chapin, doing his great song! Loved him!
Half of the story was true, I just read. A google search led me to the article about the young woman he dated from the song. The part about the taxi ride he made up after once wondering what it would be like if he might pick her up by chance in his cab in NYC.
Please listen to Harry's "Better Place to Be." It's such an amazing story.
It was Harry’s favorite j believe.. love it 😎
I hope he reacts to this one...
One of my favorite lessons from Harry Chapin is Flowers Are Red.
Paul CO
2 years ago
I can give you a little history about Harry based on my personal experience. I worked a concert for him in 1979 at the US Air Force Academy. As cadets, we were able to volunteer to work concerts (setting up chairs, escorting people in, etc.) in exchange for attending for free. We also always got to meet the act in person, which was worth far more than anything else!
Harry set the standard in audience participation of concerts, believe me. He could draw us all in like no one else. Everybody loved him, he would always get everyone on their feet and singing along. He kept a gallon of orange juice at his feet and would drink from it all night. The band told us that it was half vodka, but we didn’t have the nerve to ask him, lol…
This song, Taxi, chronicled his life. He actually went to the Air Force Academy, and later dropped out. That is what he was referring to at the end of the song about his dreams of flying. He talked about getting caught staying up too late with his music, so he would have to march detention on the weekend, but instead of carrying his rifle, they made him carry his banjo as if it were a rifle. That and many other stories really got us interested in him as a person as well as musician. Everyone one of course knew of his fantastic humanitarian works and we all were extremely proud of him.
Harry and his group were very nice to us kids who worked the concert and made us feel like we were the most important people in the world when he talked to us. What a great man.
He was always mesmerizing with his stories. Gone way too soon.
Sandy was his wife and she collaborated on writing a lot of his songs.
It is very odd that his great Song "Cat's in the cradle" came out and played the day I learned of my Dad's death and driving to Mom's house on the other side of the state. While I listened to it driving, I swear he had written it just for me back in 1974. I will never forget that day or that song. Incredible Song writer and musician. RIP Harry.
Few composers possess the gift that Harry Chapin was blessed with. In a few short minutes,
he could weave a complex story into a hauntingly beautiful melody. One of my favorite Chapin
songs is WOLD (read as the call letters of a radio station). As is the case with Taxi, WOLD ends
with the listener having to imagine the ending...just as Harry intended. "Taxi" has been around
for nearly 50 years...but whenever you hear it, you can't help but listen to the end. The story and
melody are forever captivating.
So glad you reacted to this song. I've not heard it in years. The second voice you hear around mid-song is Harry's bass player (John Wallace) singing in falsetto. It would be great to see you react to some of Dan Fogelberg's songs such as "Leader of the Band", "Hard to Say", and/or "Longer." Really enjoying this channel, JJ!
I saw Harry Chaplin in 1978 Terre Haute Indiana. One of the best concerts I have ever been to. A songwriting masterpiece
I own this album. Love his songs and musicians are amazing. Harry Chapin Live is worth a listen.
Try Harry’s Corie’s Coming. It’s got a cult following and you’ll need to listen to it several times to fully get the story. Also, Dance Band on the Titanic as well as Better Place to Be & Mr Tanner... I could go on and on.
Love "Corrie's Coming" - and "Mr Tanner" always makes me cry.
@@onlythefireborn me too
Corey's coming always brings tears to my eyes. Now divorced, I feel like I might be living that song in some ways. :(
You should treat yourself and listen to Harry Chapin's live version of "A Better Place To Be". You want to hear some amazing storytelling, it's one of his best.
Oh my. A beautiful, poetic masterpiece.
I was fortunate to have been able to go to one of Harry Chapin's concerts on April 6, 1979 @Centenary College, Shreveport, LA It was an absolute wonderful experience. One of my favorite songs at the concert was 'All My Lifes A Circle'. RIP Harry.
You want story songs.
Try Jimmy Dean Big Bad John follow-up The Cajun Queen there a little known 2 nd one about their son.
Another Balladeer
The Great Marty Robbins. El Paso,follow up El Paso City. My Woman my woman my wife.
It would be a shame if Jamel never heard Big Bad John or Tennessee Ernie's Tennessee Stud.
I grew up listening to the Greatest stories live album, this song sound incredible on that album along with World, I wanna learn a love song and 30,000 pounds of bananas.
Thank you for saying we could be anywhere but we are here with you. Very kind during this pandemic.
I have heard and loved this song my whole life. You say "here we feel the music". Wow, now this means something different to me at 55. You cannot plan life.
Every song from that album is just great.
Mr. Chapin a master in
in putting music to storytelling. Always with an O Henry kind of ending.
Alot of them from that era. A lost art now days.