When we lost Harry, it was the closest pain I ever felt to losing a member of my family. A bit of all of us who loved him and his generous spirit and artistic brilliance died.
i dont know much about Harry But what i know of him i think this must have been one of the most honest and kind human beings ever lived! Harry had a good heart en this song came right of it
I saw Harry in concert a year before he died. He was travelling through Canada and the States by himself with no band and was raising money for world hunger. He did this on his own long before the huge events of 'farm aid' and 'we are the world' etc. He fought for world hunger before it was popular. Taken from us way too soon but he's had a huge impact on world poverty and even in the lives of some major humanitarian musicians out there....like Springsteen. Long but not forgotten
@@Rakook1 so right, saw him nine times- solo, with his band, and also with an orchestra- Harry said "it's like putting a Cadillac engine in a Volkswagen" he was the best
Harry was a performer like no other. I saw him many times at the then Garden State Arts Center in Holmdel. In fact my sister in law and I had tickets for the day after he died. I was so upset at his passing that it took me nearly 3 years before I could listen to his music again. Harry did many benefit concerts. Unlike most performers who profit from the tee shirts and other items sold at their concerts. The profit from those sales at his concert went to charity. He founded a charity he called WHY which stands for World Hunger Year. His concerts were always long and after the concert he would go up to where the items were sold to say hello and autograph any item you purchased there. In 1976 he wrote a song for the Bicenenial year. Mail Order Annie. It is still one of my favorites. He died 36 years ago which is half of my lifetime and I still miss him. Not only as a performer but also as the loving caring man he was.
This is the second comment I've seen about having tickets for a concert that was never to be. What a huge loss. I have often wondered if his family gets on here to hear his voice and maybe read the comments. I hope so. His legacy was as you said, the loving caring man he was. I think he changed the world in a lot of ways. What an incredible and creative human being he was. I often cry as soon as I hear his voice start to sing. He had a way of reaching right into your soul.
Yes, thanks for sharing ! I knew the earlier Harry 69-76. What an awesome man.He should be in the Singer/ Songwriter Hall of Fame with Croce, John Denver, etc. A Fbk group " Induct HC ..." Peace ✌️ be ~
Harry was the best and I still get goosebumps hearing the songs that left us 31 years ago today. My child was named Corey so he will always live in me.
Thank you for your service. My husband,father my children, came back was never the same, 48 years later he still doesn't see his children, what a loss.
This is the only song of Harry's that, in my opinion, was covered better by someone else. Although, in this case, I'm of course speaking of Big John's version. (Possible exception to this statement: Bruce's cover of "Remember When the Music".)
@@johndybala8580 I was in a marching band myself, and I was also a parent (my son was drum major at his school). It's the "one man" marching band I had trouble with.
@@LaCanadaMike I like to think that it's a metaphor for being the last one standing, while the rest of the band has slowly perished along the way and now it's time for you to make your last stand.
As much as I like this song, I like "Big John" Wallace's cover even more. It's from the Harry Chapin Tribute Concert. (ua-cam.com/video/hNIb__ShCTY/v-deo.html) I just wish that Big John had sung all three verses of whole song. I still remember how devastated I felt the morning that I heard Harry Chapin had been killed. I remember it more than when John Lennon had been shot and almost as well as when JFK had been killed. Lucky for me, a good 20 years later I found the "Gold Medal Collection" album which had several of his songs that I had never heard before, and now are favorites, Like "Corey's Coming", "The Rock" and "Story of a Life." My wife still cannot hear "Tangled up Puppet" without crying and making me turn it off.
Harry died after suffering a heart attack while driving to a benefit concert in Long Island (I believe) in 1980 :/. I still wish I had a chance to see this man live in concert.
I believe he was assassinated because of his politics. He would have logically been inclined to run for office within 5 years on from where he was when he died. The establishment knew he had a large following and nipped it in the bud. Imagine a man like Harry Chapin as a Senator, and then working towards the presidency. Well, Bernie Sanders was that, but we all know how that worked out... Just my crazy conspiracy theory humble opinion. Live Long And Prosper.
When we lost Harry, it was the closest pain I ever felt to losing a member of my family. A bit of all of us who loved him and his generous spirit and artistic brilliance died.
This is probably one of the BEST songs ever written !!! God Bless his Soul !!!
i dont know much about Harry
But what i know of him i think this must have been one of the most honest and kind human beings ever lived!
Harry had a good heart en this song came right of it
I saw Harry in concert a year before he died. He was travelling through Canada and the States by himself with no band and was raising money for world hunger. He did this on his own long before the huge events of 'farm aid' and 'we are the world' etc. He fought for world hunger before it was popular. Taken from us way too soon but he's had a huge impact on world poverty and even in the lives of some major humanitarian musicians out there....like Springsteen.
Long but not forgotten
Harry was as good if he had his band or not. I saw him in both cases
@@Rakook1 so right, saw him nine times- solo, with his band, and also with an orchestra- Harry said "it's like putting a Cadillac engine in a Volkswagen" he was the best
I have an 'every year is world hunger year' t shirt given to me by an old US friend who was there at a Chapin concert. Its cherished.
the late and great Harry, what a genius, he leaves a void that has not been filled
Harry music needs to be taught to every child .It would help shape the Worlds Humanity .I’d would teach them to just be kind .
Harry was a performer like no other. I saw him many times at the then Garden State Arts Center in Holmdel. In fact my sister in law and I had tickets for the day after he died. I was so upset at his passing that it took me nearly 3 years before I could listen to his music again.
Harry did many benefit concerts. Unlike most performers who profit from the tee shirts and other items sold at their concerts. The profit from those sales at his concert went to charity. He founded a charity he called WHY which stands for World Hunger Year.
His concerts were always long and after the concert he would go up to where the items were sold to say hello and autograph any item you purchased there.
In 1976 he wrote a song for the Bicenenial year. Mail Order Annie. It is still one of my favorites.
He died 36 years ago which is half of my lifetime and I still miss him. Not only as a performer but also as the loving caring man he was.
I have to be in a certain mood now to listen to Harry, it still hurts.
This is the second comment I've seen about having tickets for a concert that was never to be. What a huge loss. I have often wondered if his family gets on here to hear his voice and maybe read the comments. I hope so. His legacy was as you said, the loving caring man he was. I think he changed the world in a lot of ways. What an incredible and creative human being he was. I often cry as soon as I hear his voice start to sing. He had a way of reaching right into your soul.
Yes, thanks for sharing ! I knew the earlier Harry 69-76. What an awesome man.He should be in the Singer/ Songwriter Hall of Fame with Croce, John Denver, etc. A Fbk group " Induct HC ..." Peace ✌️ be ~
Harry was the best and I still get goosebumps hearing the songs that left us 31 years ago today. My child was named Corey so he will always live in me.
Harry was a great shining star that helped me with Vietnam and not being ashamed of it.
Thank you for your service. My husband,father my children, came back was never the same, 48 years later he still doesn't see his children, what a loss.
@@neme8528 Amen. Thank you for YOUR service. So sorry about your husband.
This such a great song
Gawdamn, Harry. Thank you.
We miss you Harry.
Miss him and his music do.
This song is absolutely fantastic
one man so many songs and ideas You were a saint Harry God Bless
I love this song
...beautiful!...
0:12
I’m going to try to do a piano description of this
Any luck?
This is the only song of Harry's that, in my opinion, was covered better by someone else. Although, in this case, I'm of course speaking of Big John's version.
(Possible exception to this statement: Bruce's cover of "Remember When the Music".)
Got to disagree. Big John is wonderful, but "one man marching band?"
@@LaCanadaMike I'm a marching-band parent, which is probably why it doesn't sound strange to me.
@@johndybala8580 I was in a marching band myself, and I was also a parent (my son was drum major at his school). It's the "one man" marching band I had trouble with.
@@LaCanadaMike I like to think that it's a metaphor for being the last one standing, while the rest of the band has slowly perished along the way and now it's time for you to make your last stand.
So true… just listened to John’s and I like it just as well or even a little more. Basically because of the meaning when John sang it.
What, Pete Seeger stopped being? Surely after Harry? Thank god for the protest singers.
As much as I like this song, I like "Big John" Wallace's cover even more. It's from the Harry Chapin Tribute Concert. (ua-cam.com/video/hNIb__ShCTY/v-deo.html) I just wish that Big John had sung all three verses of whole song.
I still remember how devastated I felt the morning that I heard Harry Chapin had been killed. I remember it more than when John Lennon had been shot and almost as well as when JFK had been killed. Lucky for me, a good 20 years later I found the "Gold Medal Collection" album which had several of his songs that I had never heard before, and now are favorites, Like "Corey's Coming", "The Rock" and "Story of a Life." My wife still cannot hear "Tangled up Puppet" without crying and making me turn it off.
what actually happened to him???? (exuse my ignorance lived hundrens lifetimes but only seen em through the eye's of 35yrs ).....
Harry died after suffering a heart attack while driving to a benefit concert in Long Island (I believe) in 1980 :/. I still wish I had a chance to see this man live in concert.
Jeffrey Mason July 16, 1981. We got the word during my 24th birthday party. Terrible, terrible day.
I believe he was assassinated because of his politics. He would have logically been inclined to run for office within 5 years on from where he was when he died. The establishment knew he had a large following and nipped it in the bud. Imagine a man like Harry Chapin as a Senator, and then working towards the presidency. Well, Bernie Sanders was that, but we all know how that worked out...
Just my crazy conspiracy theory humble opinion.
Live Long And Prosper.
@@GreenForce82 Frank, that is not true. And losing Harry devastates me to this day, Bro'!
@@jeffreymason6292 My four daughters all love him, but none had the joy of seeing him live.