Harold Forster Chapin was an American singer-songwriter, philanthropist, and hunger activist best known for his folk rock and pop rock songs. He achieved worldwide success in the 1970s. Chapin, a Grammy Award-winning artist and Grammy Hall of Fame inductee, has sold over 16 million records worldwide.
Verities & Balderdash is the fourth studio album by the American singer/songwriter Harry Chapin, released in 1974.. "Cat's in the Cradle" was Chapin's highest-charting single, finishing at number 38 for the year on the 1974 Billboard year-end Hot 100 chart. The follow-up single, "I Wanna Learn a Love Song," charted on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart at number 44, and Billboard Adult Contemporary at number 7. A promotional single, "What Made America Famous?", was released to radio stations as a 45 rpm single. The album was certified Gold on December 17, 1974.
Sequel is the ninth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Harry Chapin, released in 1980. It was the last complete album released during Harry's lifetime. A tenth studio album, The Last Protest Singer, made up of material he was working on at the time of his death, was released about six years after he died.
"Stoned Love" is a 1970 hit single recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label. It was the last Billboard Pop Top Ten hit for the group, peaking at number seven, and their last Billboard number-one R&B hit as well, although the trio continued to score top ten hits in the UK into 1972. In the UK, it was the post-Ross Supremes' biggest hit, reaching number 3 in the singles chart. The single spent six weeks in the UK top ten and five weeks in the US top ten. The BBC ranked "Stoned Love" at number 99 on The Top 100 Digital Motown Chart, which ranks Motown releases solely on their all time UK downloads and streams.
"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. As Chapin's only number-one song, it became the best known of his work and a staple for folk rock music. Chapin's recording of the song was nominated for the 1975 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2011.
"Always on My Mind" is a ballad written by Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher, and Mark James, first recorded by Brenda Lee, and first released by Gwen McCrae in March 1972. Lee's version was released three months later in June 1972. The song has been a crossover hit, charting in both the country and western and pop categories. Elvis Presley's recording was the first commercially successful version of the song.
"My Ding-a-Ling" is a novelty song written and recorded by Dave Bartholomew. It was covered by Chuck Berry in 1972 and became his only number-one Billboard Hot 100 single in the United States. Later that year, a longer version was included on the album The London Chuck Berry Sessions. Guitarist Onnie McIntyre and drummer Robbie McIntosh, who later formed the Average White Band, played on the single, along with Nic Potter of Van der Graaf Generator on bass.
"Big Yellow Taxi" is a song written, composed, and originally recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell in 1970, and originally released on her album Ladies of the Canyon. It was a hit in her native Canada as well as Australia and the UK. It only reached No. 67 in the US in 1970, but was later a bigger hit there for her in a live version released in 1974, which peaked at No. 24. Charting versions have also been recorded by the Neighborhood, and most notably by Amy Grant in 1994 and Counting Crows in 2002. The song was also sampled in Janet Jackson's "Got 'til It's Gone" (1997).
"Call Me" is a song by the American new wave band Blondie and the theme to the 1980 film American Gigolo. Produced and composed by Italian musician Giorgio Moroder, with lyrics by Blondie singer Debbie Harry, the song appeared in the film and was released in the United States in early 1980 as a single. "Call Me" was No. 1 for six consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it became the band's biggest single and second No. 1. It also hit No. 1 in the UK and Canada, where it became their fourth and second chart-topper, respectively. In the year-end chart of 1980, it was Billboard's No. 1 single and RPM magazine's No. 3 in Canada.
"Here We Go" is a hip hop and R&B song recorded by American rapper Trina. Built around a sample from Force MDs's "Tender Love" (1985), it was produced by Jim Jonsin for her third album Glamorest Life (2005) and features guest vocals by R&B singer Kelly Rowland. The song was released on September 23, 2005, as the album's second single and became Trina's first top 20 hit as a lead artist in the US, staying on the Billboard Hot 100 for 20 weeks. Elsewhere released in April 2006, "Here We Go" also saw success in the UK and New Zealand, reaching number 15 in both countries. In the United States, the song was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2006 for selling over 500,000 copies.
"By the Way" is a song by American funk rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. It is the title track and first single released from the band's eighth studio album of the same name (2002), on June 24, 2002. The song was the band's sixth number-one hit on the Modern Rock Tracks chart and spent seven weeks at number one on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Internationally, the song reached number two in the United Kingdom, becoming the band's highest-peaking single there alongside "Dani California", and peaked atop the Italian Singles Chart.
"When You Walk in the Room" is a song written and recorded by Jackie DeShannon. It was initially released as a single on November 23, 1963, as the B-side to "Till You Say You'll Be Mine". It was re-released as an A-side in September 1964, and later included on the album Breakin' It Up on the Beatles Tour. The single charted on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 99.
"LoveStoned" is a song by American singer and songwriter Justin Timberlake from his second studio album, FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006). It was released on June 29, 2007. It was written and produced by Timberlake, Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley and Nate "Danja" Hills. In contrast to the album's theme about sexual innuendos with themes of love, "LoveStoned" contains sexually suggestive lyrics. Musically "LoveStoned" is an upbeat dance song, contrasting with the interlude of "I Think She Knows" which has a more slow, quiet, guitar-driven sound. The song won the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording at the 2008 ceremony. The official remix by Justice, Tiësto and Kaskade was released later.
"W.O.L.D." is a song written and performed by Harry Chapin. The song is about an aging disc jockey who travels the United States seeking happiness, which he believes he will find by following his passion for being a radio broadcaster, only to discover that his life, looks, and voice have all passed him by, as hinted in the OLD of the title.
"Wanna Get to Know You" is a song recorded by G-Unit. It was released in January 2004 through Interscope Records and 50 Cent's G-Unit Records as the third single from their 2003 debut album, Beg for Mercy.
What a Feelin' is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Irene Cara. Released on November 2, 1983, this album is a continuation of the work that Cara began with producer Giorgio Moroder on the soundtrack to the 1983 film Flashdance. The dance-pop song she co-wrote with Moroder and Keith Forsey for the film, "Flashdance... What a Feeling", went to number one on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 and foreshadowed the style of this album, which was unlike her R&B-heavy debut. Although Cara was more accustomed to composing music, she relinquished most of those duties to Moroder here and shifted much of her songwriting focus to lyrics.
"A Better Place to Be" is a song by Harry Chapin from his 1972 album, Sniper and Other Love Songs. The song is about a midnight watchman confiding in a waitress, while drinking gin, about a woman that he met a week before and had a one-night stand with.
"Sunday Morning Sunshine" is a song written and performed by Harry Chapin. The song was included on his 1972 album, Sniper and Other Love Songs. The song was released as a single the same year as his top 20 hit, "Taxi" and debut album, Heads & Tales. Cash Box described it as a "realistic look at city life." Record World said to "look for this melodic self-penning to be covered often and well." The song charted on the Billboard Hot 100, however it received more commercial success when it charted as a top 30 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary. The song has also been included on numerous posthumous compilation albums. King Biscuit Flower Hour recorded a live performance of the song for the show.
"Story of a Life" is a song written and performed by Harry Chapin, from the album Sequel. The song is the final single released from the album, and Chapin's final single before his death in July 1981. When released, it became a hit on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100. Peaking at 105, it stayed on the chart for five weeks making all three singles from the album hits. It has been included on numerous anthology releases.
"The Dream (Hold On to Your Dream)" is a song written by Giorgio Moroder, Pete Bellotte, and the song's performer, Irene Cara, for the 1983 film D.C. Cab. Although not included on initial pressings of Cara's What a Feelin' LP, the decision to release the film four months earlier than originally slated prompted an arrangement for her album to be reissued with the song. A slightly different version (more noticeable in the intro) was also included on the film's soundtrack album; an edited version was released on the 7-inch single, and the 12-inch single included a much longer dance remix.
