Make sure you do the follow-up song, The Sequel, for the next chapter of this song. As an FYI Harry said "Taxi" is "about sixty-percent true". Chapin's biography Taxi: The Harry Chapin Story says this song was based on a relationship that Chapin had with a Bennett Junior College student named Clare MacIntyre, the inspiration for Sue.
What an excellent choice - new o me and it had me totally engaged. Lo ed the story, Harry's performance, and the wonderful arrangement. Thanks for the super reaction guys, I'm loving the contrast in your viewpoints!
You must do A Better Place to Be Right now why Harry's genius is in your head. Brilliant piece of songwriting. Harry was the founder of World Hunger before all those charity concerts were around. I used to bring cans of food to his concerts for the hungry because that's what Harry wanted. His documentary on his life is just Amazing.
Hi @markjo9626 Don reacted to my request of this song 11 months ago. You can find it if you search his channel. I've loved Harry for years and his best songs were never played on the radio because of their length - the really good stories! Hope you find it.
While it is not primarily about lost love, there is one line that shows that losing the possibility of love is one of the things they lost - "But another man never would have let her go."
Nice to see you two again. This isn't exactly country but I like it anyway. Harry is a great storyteller and that counts a lot. (Interesting backup vocalist too.)
It's not considered a country song, but if you guys liked this you will probably like the song "Lies" by Stan Rogers, another fantastic storyteller that died much too young. I think of him every time I get on a plane and I'm reminded not to smoke in the lavatory. Stan is intimately connected to that warning.
A first-time viewer here to comment. This is actually the second video I've watched (I'll be over to comment on that one in a minute, but wanted to hit this one while my thoughts were fresh). This is for R2NCountry. 1. "It was a sad smile just the same" To me, you could replace this with the word melancholy. I think of a woman smiling sort of half-fondly, half-sorrowfully about a long-ago memory. It is for this very reason that I put this song in the exact same place with "Same old Lang Syne" by Dan Fogelberg. It both has a similar feel, AND has a similar...I can't really say message, but tone to the story. 2. You talked about the tenor mid-song, being amazed. That's "Big John Wallace", he does both the high-tenor bits and the deep bass bits. "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?" A TRAGIC line, made more so by the fact that you have to struggle to hear & understand it. 3. At the end of the song (something you didn't mention so probably didn't catch...maybe the connotation I got), "And here she's ACTING happy inside her handsome home, and here I'm flying in my taxi, taking tips & gettin' stoned. So they ACT like they got what they wanted...but did they? 4. And last...I'll throw my hat in on a second recommendation that you listen to the continuation of the story. Simply titled "Sequel", it takes Harry's story up ten years later. There's an excellent video that combines both songs together (both live) so well you can hardly tell they're from two different shows. I'll leave it to you whether to do it as a React.
This song is "Blues" done another way. It is really a sad song in many ways and he brings out life's hard side, lost lovers that many experience in life. Yet he brings some humor to it as well in the end. Try listening to "TAXI" "Sequel" •part 2, reflective of 10 years later. Others mention a song by him that is really great and lots of fun also."30,000 Pounds of Bananas". More of a country trucker song.
By the way, big John was not just a backing vocalist. In addition to an absolutely incredible vocalist he was also their bass player. He probably doesn’t get anywhere near the respect that he deserves. Check out the song, Mr. Tanner if you want to see him showcase his talent.
Yes, Harry was gone way too soon, but his wife was a poet, and a lot of his songs was his wifes poems set to music by Harry. Cats in the cradle was one of them.
Folks, Harry added to this song with a continuation as "Sequel" where he meets up with her again, you might want to react to that. I notice that you have a map of N.J. on the wall, I grew up in Nutley, not far from Newark. Loved the reaction, but I think your guest was a little harsh on Harry.
10 years later he released “Sequel” which concludes the story. Why no one reacts to it is beyond me. The conclusion of the story is pretty amazing….PLEASE finish the story!!!
This isn’t the end of the story though. You guys really need to do the song sequel. It’s exactly what it sounds like. It’s the sequel to taxi and we get to find out how everything wraps up.
Really enjoyed your reaction. Left brain logic compared to right brain intuition. Just a side note. He never became a pilot and she never became an actress. They both accomplished their dreams by settling for a substitute. He flies in his taxi, she acts happy when she married wealth. Neither one is satisfied. He did write a sequel.
He sang, "We learned about love in the back of a Dodge. The lesson hadn't gone too far". This suggests they either hadn't "gone all the way" or they maybe hadn't been in love. Another telling line is "Oh, I've got something inside me but it's not what my life's about. 'Cause I've been letting my outside tide me over 'till my time runs out." What people see on the outside is not who he really is. Liv might not have been as critical of Harry's voice if she had listened to the studio version of this song instead of a live performance. If she hasn't heard "Cats in the Cradle", that should be a MUST listen and a possible reaction(?) P.S. In my opinion, the sequel, titled "Sequel" is a take it or leave it option. It's kind of "meh" and isn't nearly as good as this song.
Not sure why you laughed at the moment when she gave Harry $20 but that was a poignant moment in the story. He was defeated and stuffing it in his shirt was an admission of that.
You missed the opening. "It's a shame you ruined your gown in the rain." She was at a function and had a blowup with her husband and ran out into the rain to catch a cab home by herself.
I could of used a better morning selection. Never been a fan of Harry Chapin. This song to me is about lost loves and missed opportunities. I get the feeling they were part lovers who both had dreams and ambitions. Then they had a chance meeting and memories and emotions still linger. What I like about Liv's ratings, is she keeps in mind a song by definition must have a component of listenability to it. Thanks you two for the reaction
They both sold out their dreams. The song was released during a decade when artists turned inward, expressing doubts and vulnerabilities about themselves in the shadow of Vietnam and Watergate, a dark period in our history.
Truth. The real star singer-songwriters were stars for their ability to write a captivating lyric. In the case of artists like Harry, it was his ability to weave a story with words alone.
![Harry Chapin -- The Sequel (to Taxi) [REACTION/RATING]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/h3NgqNMGG74/mqdefault.jpg)
![Harry Chapin -- The Sequel (to Taxi) [REACTION/RATING]](/img/tr.png)
Yes, My Favorite Singer Songwriter. Pure Genius with the lyrics. Saw him five times and I swear he was just singing to me.
She became a success according to the world. Taxi, gated house, fine trimmed lawn.
Make sure you do the follow-up song, The Sequel, for the next chapter of this song.
As an FYI Harry said "Taxi" is "about sixty-percent true". Chapin's biography Taxi: The Harry Chapin Story says this song was based on a relationship that Chapin had with a Bennett Junior College student named Clare MacIntyre, the inspiration for Sue.
Agree they should definitely do part 2.---#UTRCM
What an excellent choice - new o me and it had me totally engaged. Lo ed the story, Harry's performance, and the wonderful arrangement. Thanks for the super reaction guys, I'm loving the contrast in your viewpoints!
@terrywoodyyc Oh yes, Liv is not shy about her thoughts, which are well formulated and insightful!! Thank you for the kind words, Terry!
Yep, Harry has a way of drawin' you in and painting a picture with his words.
You must do A Better Place to Be Right now why Harry's genius is in your head. Brilliant piece of songwriting. Harry was the founder of World Hunger before all those charity concerts were around. I used to bring cans of food to his concerts for the hungry because that's what Harry wanted. His documentary on his life is just Amazing.
Hi @markjo9626 Don reacted to my request of this song 11 months ago. You can find it if you search his channel. I've loved Harry for years and his best songs were never played on the radio because of their length - the really good stories! Hope you find it.
While it is not primarily about lost love, there is one line that shows that losing the possibility of love is one of the things they lost - "But another man never would have let her go."
Nice to see you two again. This isn't exactly country but I like it anyway. Harry is a great storyteller and that counts a lot. (Interesting backup vocalist too.)
Great song, great reaction, and most of us can relate to the emotion/message of the song
There was no sleeping in the back of the car, he said the lesson hadnt gone too far.
"I was gonna learn to fly" referred to the short time that Harry attended the Air Force Academy.
I didn't know that.
This is the song that put Harry on the map he played in on the Johnny Carson show and Johnny liked so much he brought him back the next night
It's not considered a country song, but if you guys liked this you will probably like the song "Lies" by Stan Rogers, another fantastic storyteller that died much too young. I think of him every time I get on a plane and I'm reminded not to smoke in the lavatory. Stan is intimately connected to that warning.
The high part is sung by John Wallace. He can sing the deepest base and the highest parts. Amazing talent.
A first-time viewer here to comment. This is actually the second video I've watched (I'll be over to comment on that one in a minute, but wanted to hit this one while my thoughts were fresh).
This is for R2NCountry.
1. "It was a sad smile just the same" To me, you could replace this with the word melancholy. I think of a woman smiling sort of half-fondly, half-sorrowfully about a long-ago memory. It is for this very reason that I put this song in the exact same place with "Same old Lang Syne" by Dan Fogelberg. It both has a similar feel, AND has a similar...I can't really say message, but tone to the story.
2. You talked about the tenor mid-song, being amazed. That's "Big John Wallace", he does both the high-tenor bits and the deep bass bits. "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?" A TRAGIC line, made more so by the fact that you have to struggle to hear & understand it.
3. At the end of the song (something you didn't mention so probably didn't catch...maybe the connotation I got), "And here she's ACTING happy inside her handsome home, and here I'm flying in my taxi, taking tips & gettin' stoned. So they ACT like they got what they wanted...but did they?
4. And last...I'll throw my hat in on a second recommendation that you listen to the continuation of the story. Simply titled "Sequel", it takes Harry's story up ten years later. There's an excellent video that combines both songs together (both live) so well you can hardly tell they're from two different shows. I'll leave it to you whether to do it as a React.
As for number 3, no, they both sold out their dreams. She’s in a loveless, sterile marriage and he’s getting stoned.
@@DJ-bj8ku That's why The Sequel is so good. It gives closure to Harry & Sue.
Now you need to do "Sequel", the continuation of "Taxi" which takes place 10 years later.
If you want to hear more about this… A few years later, he continued the story in a song appropriately titled “Sequel”.
Yes, please react to "Sequel" for the continuation of this story.
This song is "Blues" done another way. It is really a sad song in many ways and he brings out life's hard side, lost lovers that many experience in life. Yet he brings some humor to it as well in the end. Try listening to "TAXI" "Sequel" •part 2, reflective of 10 years later. Others mention a song by him that is really great and lots of fun also."30,000 Pounds of Bananas". More of a country trucker song.
By the way, big John was not just a backing vocalist. In addition to an absolutely incredible vocalist he was also their bass player. He probably doesn’t get anywhere near the respect that he deserves. Check out the song, Mr. Tanner if you want to see him showcase his talent.
Harry is driving his taxi in the sky. He made it.
No, he didn’t make it. It’s an escape from failure.
Harry was amazing. I wish they hadn’t played it so much faster than t(e studio version, but it is still incredible.
she's in an unhappy but rich marriage-she's 'acting happy'
Harry was a genius song writer. Gone entirely too soon
Yes, Harry was gone way too soon, but his wife was a poet, and a lot of his songs was his wifes poems set to music by Harry. Cats in the cradle was one of them.
Folks, Harry added to this song with a continuation as "Sequel" where he meets up with her again, you might want to react to that. I notice that you have a map of N.J. on the wall, I grew up in Nutley, not far from Newark. Loved the reaction, but I think your guest was a little harsh on Harry.
10 years later he released “Sequel” which concludes the story. Why no one reacts to it is beyond me. The conclusion of the story is pretty amazing….PLEASE finish the story!!!
Please do Sniper from the same performance. It’s stunning.
This isn’t the end of the story though. You guys really need to do the song sequel. It’s exactly what it sounds like. It’s the sequel to taxi and we get to find out how everything wraps up.
Really enjoyed your reaction. Left brain logic compared to right brain intuition. Just a side note. He never became a pilot and she never became an actress. They both accomplished their dreams by settling for a substitute. He flies in his taxi, she acts happy when she married wealth. Neither one is satisfied. He did write a sequel.
No they didn’t accomplish their dreams. They both sold out their dreams.
You got to listen to the second part it's called sequel worth the listen
He sang, "We learned about love in the back of a Dodge. The lesson hadn't gone too far". This suggests they either hadn't "gone all the way" or they maybe hadn't been in love. Another telling line is "Oh, I've got something inside me but it's not what my life's about. 'Cause I've been letting my outside tide me over 'till my time runs out." What people see on the outside is not who he really is.
Liv might not have been as critical of Harry's voice if she had listened to the studio version of this song instead of a live performance. If she hasn't heard "Cats in the Cradle", that should be a MUST listen and a possible reaction(?)
P.S. In my opinion, the sequel, titled "Sequel" is a take it or leave it option. It's kind of "meh" and isn't nearly as good as this song.
Not sure why you laughed at the moment when she gave Harry $20 but that was a poignant moment in the story. He was defeated and stuffing it in his shirt was an admission of that.
Check out sequel. It's taxi part 2. It finishes their story
He actually did drive a taxi.
You missed the opening. "It's a shame you ruined your gown in the rain." She was at a function and had a blowup with her husband and ran out into the rain to catch a cab home by herself.
Time for SEQUEL
I could of used a better morning selection. Never been a fan of Harry Chapin. This song to me is about lost loves and missed opportunities. I get the feeling they were part lovers who both had dreams and ambitions. Then they had a chance meeting and memories and emotions still linger. What I like about Liv's ratings, is she keeps in mind a song by definition must have a component of listenability to it. Thanks you two for the reaction
They both sold out their dreams. The song was released during a decade when artists turned inward, expressing doubts and vulnerabilities about themselves in the shadow of Vietnam and Watergate, a dark period in our history.
Harry was not known for his singing quality but none of the great singer songwriters ever were. Think Dylan and Kristopherson.
Truth. The real star singer-songwriters were stars for their ability to write a captivating lyric. In the case of artists like Harry, it was his ability to weave a story with words alone.