So many of Harry's stories were based in part on real life events. This might be the most famous, from 1965, but songs like "Taxi" (born out of his depression for taking a taxi driving job to support his family while his music career floundered), "Cat's In The Cradle" (based on a poem his wife composed about the complex and sad relationship her ex husband had with his dad), "Mr Tanner" (based on a review of an actual concert in NY by a local mid western business man), "WOLD" based in part on the life of a popular Erie PA DJ who championed Chapin's music on the radio, and so many more based on stories and people he met first hand in his travels. His story telling ability was second to none among American Song Writers of the time, his concerts warm, outgoing, outrageous and fun affairs, his generosity and devotion to helping those less fortunate (doing 130 plus benefit shows every year) truly extraordinary....he is an individual sorely missed.
And my life story as a kid moving a lot and going to school after school ,finding out how different the teachers were and how manipulative they can be with the song Flowers are red. I was that kid and it brings tears to my eyes even more now that Harry is gone. He was a master story teller and, I can only pray to see him again someday.
This is my all-time favorite Harry Chapin song... and I really like Harry's music! The thing that most impressed me in this video: He breaks a string at about 3:20 in the video. He calmly removes the capo from that guitar, picks up a spare guitar from beside his stool, puts the capo on that one, all without missing a beat in his singing! THAT's a showman! I just have to wonder about the two "dislikes" this video has... What's not to like?
OMG!!! I was surfing, just remembering my time in Hamilton ... and came across this video. Thank you for posting it .. I was at this Concert. It was my third visit with Harry. I had the pleasure of actually meeting he and his brother Tom. I miss him and his his music. He truly was the ULTIMATE story teller. Thanks Harry..
Harry Chapin was one of the most talented singer songwriters of the 70s. His songs have the timeless quality that encourage sing-a-longs by the audience. The accident which took him in 1981 (too soon!) ended a career which doubtless would still be endearing crowds, in much the same way as James Taylor and Carole King did this year with their highly successful Reunion Tour. He was a renaissance man whose charitable work and eco-sensitivity were ahead of his time! God bless him!
He was one of America's greatest human beings that possessed so much generosity and unselfishness....... A person of great integrity and talent that should be honored far more than we all do.
I KNOW! Whenever anyone asks me what were the best concerts I've ever seen (and I've seen TONS with big names...) Harry's is always in the top .... he was a GREAT entertainer!!!
I can't think of Harry and not smile and wonder what if. A talent like his is the exception not the rule. He made our world a better place to be. We will not forget.
I never had the pleasure of seeing Harry live but i love him rest in peace my brother you will never be forgotten,your music will live in my heart forever:)
Harry, we all miss you so much. -JohnnyO I was a Chapin fanatic but for various reasons, never got to see him live. I guess I thought I catch him eventually. So sad. I remember exactly where I was when I heard that he had died. This guy was a genius, an incredibly talented songwriter, a visionary and a human being with a deep and warm heart. I am a singer songwriter and I never play a show without doing one of Harry's songs.
Harry was great, I was lucky to see him several times in the 70's in Kansas City. What a shame that he is gone! My kid grew up listening to this song and many others. Brings back alot of happy times.
Yes I miss him too. I lived in the same town as he did and my daughter remembers him showing up at her elementary school and singing for them. One time he showed up in the cafaqteria and sang for them at lunch hour.
I agree; we've been missing Harry for 39 years now, still remember the news on the car radio of his accident and death, very sad. Glad that you were able to see him in concert; that must of been wonderful.
I wish I was born before he died. I wish I had been able to go to one of his concerts they look incredible! This is the music my parents brought me up on this music! I am in love with everything about it! When i was little this was my favorite songs!
I love this song. I remember when i was little, riding home late at night, singing along on the radio. Of course the only line any kid that young remembers is to shout "OF BANANAS!!" This song is a classic, and I wish I heard this song on the radio more.
I always loved this song growing up, now I got go find some of the others I love like 6 String Guitar I hope I am remembering the name right. I was just a kid when I saw Harry in Concert right before he died, it is one of my favorite childhood memories.
Having seen him perform 9 times, I can truly say a Harry Chapin concert was always a wonderful experience. A great performer having fun playing his music. A man that cared for his fellow man, often playing over 100 concerts a year for organization fundraisers. He was also the co-founder of the World Hunger Year foundation.
I never had the Pleasure of Seeing Harry Live -A sin if you ask me-But I will always remember him fondly-I love you always Harry -you changed my life-!
my dad seen him in concert...before I was born...I grew up on him, James Taylor, Janis Ian, Cat Stevens. they are a big part of my musical inspiration.
Boy, wouldn't Harry have loved "Occupy Wall Street"? I had the luck to see him live in concert outdoors during a fall festival in downtown Albany, back around 1980 and will always cherish the memory.
Harry played at our high school. Of course, he played a LOT of Long Island high schools. Driving to another free concert at Eisenhower Park, some sort of mechanical failure or a heart attack caused him to slide across 3 lanes of the Long Island Expressway, bounced off the guard rail, and the tractor trailer (a supermarket delivery truck) couldn't get out of the way fast enough. He was 38.
I grew up outside Scranton in the 70s-80s. I'd never heard this song until I went away to college. It's my understanding that the song was banned locally from the radio, as courtesy to the driver's family. Now, I live within blocks of the accident site. And although I recognize the satire in the song and I can feel the enjoyment of the song's rhythm, I can't help but feel sad for the driver himself. RIP.
It's my understanding that he originally wrote the song as a reflection on how the media addressed the casualty numbers coming out of Vietnam while seemingly giving little thought to the human faces behind those numbers, not unlike how the man on the bus was fascinated with all the numbers (hence the repetition of 30,000 pounds of bananas and the recitation of "19 neat parked cars, 13 telephone poles ...") and barely spared a thought about the driver who lost his life. Somewhere between the Verities and Balderdash album and the GSL album, it came to be received differently in concerts. As he once said, "I spent too many years playing for people who didn't want to hear a damn one of my songs to not play the ones they do want." There was also the fact that GSL placed "Harry, it sucks" alongside "Harry, keep the change" in the fandom's lexicon.
Sure miss him! Even the cheap seats were great! I do believe that I went to one of the concerts on this tour at the University of N Fla. in the 70's. I recognize the bass player and stage setup. What a treat, thanks for sharing!!!
I owe my parents to knowing Harry. My Mom used to play HC Greatest Stories Live when she was house cleaning. As a 40+ guy into metal and industrial, Harry will always be on my top listen to list!
Thinking of Harry after a day when a bananna taped to a wall sold for $120,000 at an art show in Florida. And to think that $120 grand Bananna could have been one of 30,000 pounds of Bananas headed into Scranton Pennsylvania on any given day ... Remembering Harry Chapin 😎 ...
Harry was not mocking the horrific accident; rather the horrific apathy at most people talking about the Mashed Bananas ! Please , he was a great humanitarian, for his founding WHY ? - World Hunger Year; which is still alive and well; his family and friends carrying on his legacy . He certainly belongs in The Songwriters' Hall of Fame , in my humble opinion, but then I only knew him a few minutes/ hours , back in 1975 !
What is also true is "human nature". Sometimes it's heroic and admirable; other times it's base and vile and despicable. There are many, many songs written that trivialize horrific disasters. Does anyone remember the jaunty little tune (I learned it at Girl Scout Camp! It's still online in Scout songbooks!) "Titanic" ? "Uncles and Aunts, little children lost their pants" ?? OMG I'm embarassed to hum the tune now. Comedians tell jokes about death and other dark subjects. Human beings all deal with these topics in myriad ways. Sometimes the consensus is that a line has been crossed. Sometimes it's no big deal. I think we'll always have some who will memorialize things in less than reverent terms.
Lol maybe he was singing about the cocaine in that 30000 pounds of bananas!! ;) wjla.com/news/offbeat/14000-pounds-of-cocaine-found-disguised-as-bananas-in-texas
Wow, I could've been at this concert - if it was a year earlier. I saw him in Rochester, NY, while I was a freshman at Brockport State Univ., in 1979 or 80. Then, in the fall of '80, I transferred to college in Long Island - where, Harry sadly, died shortly thereafter. Ironically, I then moved to PA in '84, after college & lived near Scranton with my husband (now ex) who actually worked at the bottom of that infamous hill in Scranton. That was definitely, one VERY treacherous hill!
I say him perform at the Paramount in Seattle back in I think 1975, Great concert, lots of energy and stage presents. I would have liked to see where he had taken his craft.
40+ Later a crew went to the mountains. Kanaskas country. By the the fire side we sang 30000 pounds of bananas. And other songs. It was a loving group. Sadly we dispersed. Still 40+ Years later I wish the best to each and all.
What a tremendous loss. Graduated high school in mid 70s, my 2 buddies and I saw Harry the 1st time was 7th or 8th grade and since there was still a hippy or 2 around then, that and ol' Harry was known to cuss (*gasp!* lol) so we had to tell the parents we were going to a movie until we we ALL grown up & didn't have to tell no body nuttin, including the parents, we didn't tell them where we were going - ever, it seemed once the 2nd day of our freshman year in high school! Oh to be that lucky & stupid again!
Sammydudehatequack Actually, the truck driver did die. Some people in Scranton didn't appreciate the song. They thought it was exploitative of the tragedy. I've loved the song for over 30 years. My heart goes out to the driver's widow and children, but I still love the song.
@Tncat9 I was a big Harry Chapin fan in college. My friend Don took me to see him play there in November of 1979 for my birthday, and it turns out that Harry had the same birthday I do. So then it became a tradition to see Harry at U of I in November (for some reason he always came and sang there for our birthday), although Don never paid for it again. I saw his last concert there before he died.
Harry is my idle. Watch for my video on youtube..A Letter to Harry. Harry I miss you. I guess I will be seeing you sooner than I thought..This disease is progressing faster than I hoped.
top 3 harry chapin story songs: 3.) cats in the cradle 2.) taxi 1.) 30000 pounds of bananas if could bring back a songwriter the world needs right now, harry chapin would be the one i'd recover. if God was willing to let him go, of course.
@lakelandchief as a performer myself, it can be difficult to hear the pitch you are singing up on stage with all the other instruments playing but if you block one of your ears, you can hear what note you're singing much clearer. I don't know why. but I hope that answers your question!
Such a classic. I was reminded of it today, when someone posted this article (from a couple years ago), with the headline: Big Rig Carrying Fruit Crashes on 210 Freeway, Creates Jam: www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-big-rig-crash-20130520-story.html
+Jeff Rothal And the legacy lives on....only this guy lived to tell the tale :D komonews.com/news/local/semi-truck-hauling-45000-pounds-of-bananas-overturns-on-i-5
Jeff Rothal You are most welcome! I went to college in Bellingham; this accident happened south of there. A place I drove through many weekends, from my home in Bothell and back to school. Beautiful area, and I am glad this driver didn't suffer the same fate as Harry's guy!
+Colleen H These things must be pretty common in agricultural areas. Earlier today we had a rig crash while carrying 30,000 pounds of...strawberries: www.ksbw.com/news/southbound-highway-one-closed-south-of-carmel-highlands/39646246?Social&FBPAGE&KSBW%20TV%20Action%20News%208&Content%20Type=Story
#ugottalisten2b4udie ...& he said, "God, make it a dream!" as he rode his last ride down. & he sideswiped nineteen neat parked cars, Clipped off thirteen telephone poles, Hit two houses, bruised eight trees, & Blue-Crossed seven people. It was then he lost his head.
I see the comment that Rod Serling of "Twilight Zone" was from Binghamton, NY.. I didn't know that. I did know that Rod was a member of the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment, "11th Airborne Division" during World War 2. Another member of "The Greatest Generation" that made it. Airborne, All The Way!
Saw him at PSU. During intermission I went to grab a drink of water at the water fountain. Guy in front of me taking a big drink, finished up, turned around to leave, it was Harry. RIP
I don't mind this song, but his brothers and the rest of the band really did t like it. They had several ways to end it live in concert. And before anyone hates on me... This came from his brother... The catch phrase "Harry, it sucks!"
So many of Harry's stories were based in part on real life events. This might be the most famous, from 1965, but songs like "Taxi" (born out of his depression for taking a taxi driving job to support his family while his music career floundered), "Cat's In The Cradle" (based on a poem his wife composed about the complex and sad relationship her ex husband had with his dad), "Mr Tanner" (based on a review of an actual concert in NY by a local mid western business man), "WOLD" based in part on the life of a popular Erie PA DJ who championed Chapin's music on the radio, and so many more based on stories and people he met first hand in his travels. His story telling ability was second to none among American Song Writers of the time, his concerts warm, outgoing, outrageous and fun affairs, his generosity and devotion to helping those less fortunate (doing 130 plus benefit shows every year) truly extraordinary....he is an individual sorely missed.
And my life story as a kid moving a lot and going to school after school ,finding out how different the teachers were and how manipulative they can be with the song Flowers are red. I was that kid and it brings tears to my eyes even more now that Harry is gone. He was a master story teller and, I can only pray to see him again someday.
@@captainmoretokin2172 but, can you do the josh? :)
this os one gentleman who belongs in the Rock & Roll Hall of fame. Music/Service.... Come on people!
This is my all-time favorite Harry Chapin song... and I really like Harry's music! The thing that most impressed me in this video: He breaks a string at about 3:20 in the video. He calmly removes the capo from that guitar, picks up a spare guitar from beside his stool, puts the capo on that one, all without missing a beat in his singing! THAT's a showman!
I just have to wonder about the two "dislikes" this video has... What's not to like?
It's a true story, and the driver died, doing his best to avoid killing anyone.
OMG!!! I was surfing, just remembering my time in Hamilton ... and came across this video. Thank you for posting it .. I was at this Concert. It was my third visit with Harry. I had the pleasure of actually meeting he and his brother Tom. I miss him and his his music. He truly was the ULTIMATE story teller. Thanks Harry..
Harry Chapin was one of the most talented singer songwriters of the 70s. His songs have the timeless quality that encourage sing-a-longs by the audience. The accident which took him in 1981 (too soon!) ended a career which doubtless would still be endearing crowds, in much the same way as James Taylor and Carole King did this year with their highly successful Reunion Tour. He was a renaissance man whose charitable work and eco-sensitivity were ahead of his time! God bless him!
He was one of America's greatest human beings that possessed so much generosity and unselfishness....... A person of great integrity and talent that should be honored far more than we all do.
It's amazing the command this man possessed over his audience. Obviously earned by his generous, humble & charismatic nature.
One of my mom’s favorite singers. RIP Mom 😔
Harry, keep the change. You can still count on the cheap seats. I still love and miss you
Harry by far put on the best shows i ever saw by far
I miss him sooooo much. He did the greatest concerts that I ever have been too. Rest in Peace Harry, Job well done!
I KNOW! Whenever anyone asks me what were the best concerts I've ever seen (and I've seen TONS with big names...) Harry's is always in the top .... he was a GREAT entertainer!!!
He died long before I was even born and I still miss him!
Harry Chapin, gone too soon. But while he was here, he was definitely "America's Storyteller" of the 1970's.
I can't think of Harry and not smile and wonder what if. A talent like his is the exception not the rule. He made our world a better place to be. We will not forget.
If only he were here now
I never had the pleasure of seeing Harry live but i love him rest in peace my brother you will never be forgotten,your music will live in my heart forever:)
Harry, we all miss you so much. -JohnnyO
I was a Chapin fanatic but for various reasons, never got to see him live. I guess I thought I catch him eventually. So sad. I remember exactly where I was when I heard that he had died.
This guy was a genius, an incredibly talented songwriter, a visionary and a human being with a deep and warm heart. I am a singer songwriter and I never play a show without doing one of Harry's songs.
Harry was great, I was lucky to see him several times in the 70's in Kansas City. What a shame that he is gone! My kid grew up listening to this song and many others. Brings back alot of happy times.
Yes I miss him too. I lived in the same town as he did and my daughter remembers him showing up at her elementary school and singing for them. One time he showed up in the cafaqteria and sang for them at lunch hour.
hi. 👋
I saw him in concert few times. I was broken-hearted 😢 when I heard he died.
My favorite person saw him in concert just before his death. I miss him in my life.
I agree; we've been missing Harry for 39 years now, still remember the news on the car radio of his accident and death, very sad. Glad that you were able to see him in concert; that must of been wonderful.
Omg my dad used to listing to this song haha long live the classics
we certainly lost a awesome talent! Taken too soon! Miss you Harry, Lisa of PA
I wish I was born before he died. I wish I had been able to go to one of his concerts they look incredible! This is the music my parents brought me up on this music! I am in love with everything about it! When i was little this was my favorite songs!
Ahh Harry...All these years later, your music is so great...So glad I saw you at your WMU and Kalamazoo concerts...**sigh**...
I listed this as my favorite song in my yearbook in 92. Wish I got to see him live. What a great storyteller!!
I love this song. I remember when i was little, riding home late at night, singing along on the radio. Of course the only line any kid that young remembers is to shout "OF BANANAS!!" This song is a classic, and I wish I heard this song on the radio more.
I always loved this song growing up, now I got go find some of the others I love like 6 String Guitar I hope I am remembering the name right. I was just a kid when I saw Harry in Concert right before he died, it is one of my favorite childhood memories.
Me and my monophonic symphony, "6-string orchestra".
@@whitemountaincellular9528 completely forgot about this comment thanks for the correct name.
You can see that he's genuinely having fun with this song.
THIS BRINGS BACK GREAT MEMORIES, THIS WAS THE ANTHEM AT THE HOSPITAL BARRACKS AT LUKE AFB.
One of my favorites, what a great, empathetic storyteller
My first ever concert with my parents as a little kid, loved him ever since
R.I.P. Harry
I find it amazing how he can switch guitars in the middle of that frenzy, almost like it was planned.
Having seen him perform 9 times, I can truly say a Harry Chapin concert was always a wonderful experience. A great performer having fun playing his music. A man that cared for his fellow man, often playing over 100 concerts a year for organization fundraisers. He was also the co-founder of the World Hunger Year foundation.
I never had the Pleasure of Seeing Harry Live -A sin if you ask me-But I will always remember him fondly-I love you always Harry -you changed my life-!
This is ALSO my FAVORITE song by him... My parents took me to his concert when I was 6 because I loved him so much! First and best concert EVER!!
I never had the Pleasure of Seeing Harry Live -A sin if you ask me-But I will always remember him fondly-I love yo always Harry -you changed my life-!
Tomorrow it will be forty years that I’ve missed Harry CHAPIN.
I was fortunate to hear Harry perform this at The Greek.
my dad seen him in concert...before I was born...I grew up on him, James Taylor, Janis Ian, Cat Stevens. they are a big part of my musical inspiration.
Boy, wouldn't Harry have loved "Occupy Wall Street"?
I had the luck to see him live in concert outdoors during a fall festival in downtown Albany, back around 1980 and will always cherish the memory.
saw harry a few years before this at a little college in new jersey he played for almost 4 hours loved this man way beyond music
was the college Trenton state college in 1979
He could make you cry with his songs. How many musicians can do that?
Tim Spriggs ...they touch the universal truth and then tell us....
It doesn't get any better than Harry.
08:44 my favorite part. I love how they conspired against him with their own version!
Yes! I would have paid good money to hear Big John keep going with that funkified version of Taxi!
Mine might be at 10:00 where he tries to eat the mic.
Thank you for this, Cathy, a real gift from a true genius. So missed.
This song is perfect for They Might be Giants to do a cover. They even have a big John singing baritone!😂
Saw Joan Jett last week at Eisenhower Park. A free concert at the Harry Chapin stage. He never made it but he lives on!!
Harry played at our high school. Of course, he played a LOT of Long Island high schools. Driving to another free concert at Eisenhower Park, some sort of mechanical failure or a heart attack caused him to slide across 3 lanes of the Long Island Expressway, bounced off the guard rail, and the tractor trailer (a supermarket delivery truck) couldn't get out of the way fast enough. He was 38.
Miss you dad. I will find you.
I used to luv his music when I was a kid.
I grew up outside Scranton in the 70s-80s. I'd never heard this song until I went away to college. It's my understanding that the song was banned locally from the radio, as courtesy to the driver's family. Now, I live within blocks of the accident site. And although I recognize the satire in the song and I can feel the enjoyment of the song's rhythm, I can't help but feel sad for the driver himself. RIP.
It's my understanding that he originally wrote the song as a reflection on how the media addressed the casualty numbers coming out of Vietnam while seemingly giving little thought to the human faces behind those numbers, not unlike how the man on the bus was fascinated with all the numbers (hence the repetition of 30,000 pounds of bananas and the recitation of "19 neat parked cars, 13 telephone poles ...") and barely spared a thought about the driver who lost his life.
Somewhere between the Verities and Balderdash album and the GSL album, it came to be received differently in concerts. As he once said, "I spent too many years playing for people who didn't want to hear a damn one of my songs to not play the ones they do want." There was also the fact that GSL placed "Harry, it sucks" alongside "Harry, keep the change" in the fandom's lexicon.
I love this song!
Sure miss him! Even the cheap seats were great! I do believe that I went to one of the concerts on this tour at the University of N Fla. in the 70's. I recognize the bass player and stage setup. What a treat, thanks for sharing!!!
Thats not just any bass player.......that is the greatest part of Harry's band....Big John Wallace!!!
This song is actually frightening
I owe my parents to knowing Harry. My Mom used to play HC Greatest Stories Live when she was house cleaning. As a 40+ guy into metal and industrial, Harry will always be on my top listen to list!
I owe my parents for knowing his music too. Such a wonderful gift. His music was just so good. And his life was cut short way too soon. :(
Thinking of Harry after a day when a bananna taped to a wall sold for $120,000 at an art show in Florida.
And to think that $120 grand Bananna could have been one of 30,000 pounds of Bananas headed into Scranton Pennsylvania on any given day ...
Remembering Harry Chapin 😎 ...
Harry was not mocking the horrific accident; rather the horrific apathy at most people talking about the Mashed Bananas ! Please , he was a great humanitarian, for his founding WHY ? - World Hunger Year; which is still alive and well; his family and friends carrying on his legacy . He certainly belongs in The Songwriters' Hall of Fame , in my humble opinion, but then I only knew him a few minutes/ hours , back in 1975 !
You're Absolutely right Judy Kinne..It's GREAT to find others who love Harry as much as I do....Dennis
What is also true is "human nature". Sometimes it's heroic and admirable; other times it's base and vile and despicable. There are many, many songs written that trivialize horrific disasters. Does anyone remember the jaunty little tune (I learned it at Girl Scout Camp! It's still online in Scout songbooks!) "Titanic" ? "Uncles and Aunts, little children lost their pants" ?? OMG I'm embarassed to hum the tune now. Comedians tell jokes about death and other dark subjects. Human beings all deal with these topics in myriad ways. Sometimes the consensus is that a line has been crossed. Sometimes it's no big deal. I think we'll always have some who will memorialize things in less than reverent terms.
He has a cousin here in NC, name is Bill Chapin.
Lol maybe he was singing about the cocaine in that 30000 pounds of bananas!! ;) wjla.com/news/offbeat/14000-pounds-of-cocaine-found-disguised-as-bananas-in-texas
Wow, I could've been at this concert - if it was a year earlier. I saw him in Rochester, NY, while I was a freshman at Brockport State Univ., in 1979 or 80. Then, in the fall of '80, I transferred to college in Long Island - where, Harry sadly, died shortly thereafter. Ironically, I then moved to PA in '84, after college & lived near Scranton with my husband (now ex) who actually worked at the bottom of that infamous hill in Scranton. That was definitely, one VERY treacherous hill!
I say him perform at the Paramount in Seattle back in I think 1975, Great concert, lots of energy and stage presents. I would have liked to see where he had taken his craft.
Surprised “The Office” didn’t try to capitalize on this song during their series run….or at least write an obscure reference to it…
I LOVED this man...
40+
Later a crew went to the mountains. Kanaskas country. By the the fire side we sang 30000 pounds of bananas. And other songs. It was a loving group. Sadly we dispersed. Still 40+ Years later I wish the best to each and all.
What a tremendous loss. Graduated high school in mid 70s, my 2 buddies and I saw Harry the 1st time was 7th or 8th grade and since there was still a hippy or 2 around then, that and ol' Harry was known to cuss (*gasp!* lol) so we had to tell the parents we were going to a movie until we we ALL grown up & didn't have to tell no body nuttin, including the parents, we didn't tell them where we were going - ever, it seemed once the 2nd day of our freshman year in high school! Oh to be that lucky & stupid again!
Being from Scranton I Love this song. I hate it when Artists change the tempo of the song for the audience. Just sing the original version!!
He doesnt miss a beat, legend
Sammydudehatequack Actually, the truck driver did die. Some people in Scranton didn't appreciate the song. They thought it was exploitative of the tragedy.
I've loved the song for over 30 years. My heart goes out to the driver's widow and children, but I still love the song.
I wish Harry was still alive to see this story about truck overturning a few blocks from me with 30000 pounds( yes! Read the story!) of squid.
Yesterday a truck overturned near Brighton, Michigan carrying 38,000 pounds of...........bananas!
this was before i was born 1985 m brother has the tape
I love you Harry, I went to see you in 2004,
could that have been Steve there too? In
Huntington.
MY HOMETOWN and TRUE STORY!!!!!
MISS YOU!
I drive that road, Moosic Street, a lot. Nasty curve and hill!!
@Tncat9 I was a big Harry Chapin fan in college. My friend Don took me to see him play there in November of 1979 for my birthday, and it turns out that Harry had the same birthday I do. So then it became a tradition to see Harry at U of I in November (for some reason he always came and sang there for our birthday), although Don never paid for it again. I saw his last concert there before he died.
I loved him...
I miss Harry :-(
Harry is my idle. Watch for my video on youtube..A Letter to Harry. Harry I miss you. I guess I will be seeing you sooner than I thought..This disease is progressing faster than I hoped.
I may have been at this concert
My grandfather used to love this song but then again it didn't take much to amuse him
top 3 harry chapin story songs:
3.) cats in the cradle
2.) taxi
1.) 30000 pounds of bananas
if could bring back a songwriter the world needs right now, harry chapin would be the one i'd recover. if God was willing to let him go, of course.
Thirty thousand pounds of... Bananas!
What did I just SAY ? 30,000 # of Bannannassssss
@lakelandchief as a performer myself, it can be difficult to hear the pitch you are singing up on stage with all the other instruments playing but if you block one of your ears, you can hear what note you're singing much clearer. I don't know why. but I hope that answers your question!
Such a classic. I was reminded of it today, when someone posted this article (from a couple years ago), with the headline: Big Rig Carrying Fruit Crashes on 210 Freeway, Creates Jam: www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-big-rig-crash-20130520-story.html
+Jeff Rothal And the legacy lives on....only this guy lived to tell the tale :D komonews.com/news/local/semi-truck-hauling-45000-pounds-of-bananas-overturns-on-i-5
Colleen--thanks for sharing this great story!
Jeff Rothal You are most welcome! I went to college in Bellingham; this accident happened south of there. A place I drove through many weekends, from my home in Bothell and back to school. Beautiful area, and I am glad this driver didn't suffer the same fate as Harry's guy!
+Colleen H These things must be pretty common in agricultural areas. Earlier today we had a rig crash while carrying 30,000 pounds of...strawberries: www.ksbw.com/news/southbound-highway-one-closed-south-of-carmel-highlands/39646246?Social&FBPAGE&KSBW%20TV%20Action%20News%208&Content%20Type=Story
Jeff Rothal I bought a banana at the store
"It was funny he said The Only Man who could save him Now"🤘🖕😄
10:00 just killed me. XD
😂 I'm so happy someone mentioned it! If you pause the video at that moment, he gets this ridiculous wall-eyed look mid "Mashed"
harry keep the change/missya
Rest in Peace, Harry!
#ugottalisten2b4udie
...& he said, "God, make it a dream!"
as he rode his last ride down.
& he sideswiped nineteen neat parked cars,
Clipped off thirteen telephone poles,
Hit two houses, bruised eight trees,
& Blue-Crossed seven people.
It was then he lost his head.
2 people disliked this?!
haters gonna hate..
It's a true story, and the driver died, doing his best to avoid killing anyone.
The incident in question took place on Moosic Street (Route 307) about 1/4 mile south of I-81. Look for the sharp curve on the map.
I see the comment that Rod Serling of "Twilight Zone" was from Binghamton, NY.. I didn't know that. I did know that Rod was a member of the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment, "11th Airborne Division" during World War 2. Another member of "The Greatest Generation" that made it. Airborne, All The Way!
Saw him at PSU. During intermission I went to grab a drink of water at the water fountain. Guy in front of me taking a big drink, finished up, turned around to leave, it was Harry. RIP
I wish you all the best, bro...
You can always count on the cheap suits.
He just said that as I read your comment, how he acknowledged and included everyone.. ‘cheap seats’ 💚💚💚
i live 15 minutes away from where it happened
I don't mind this song, but his brothers and the rest of the band really did t like it. They had several ways to end it live in concert. And before anyone hates on me... This came from his brother... The catch phrase "Harry, it sucks!"
I drive down Moosic Street every day on the way to work.
Scranton, Pennsylvania!
thanQ VerrY beRRY MUCH0 GR AND E
I heard a recording of this, he did the "Yes we have no bananas" part last, and as far as I remember there were only three endings on it,
There were many lives lost that fateful day in 81, due to the overwhelming amount of audience precipitation...
Gone wayyyyyy too soon.
Moosic Street in Scranton.