Cats in the Cradle
Guns N' Roses Lyrics
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Came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
He was talkin' 'fore I knew it
And as he grew he said,
I'm gonna be like you, Dad,
You know I'm gonna be like you.
Chorus
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man on the moon.
When you comin' home?'
'Son, I don't know when, but we'll get together then.
You know we'll have a good time then.'
My son turned ten just the other day.
He said, 'Thanks for the ball, Dad. Come on, let's play.
Can you teach me to throw?'
I said, 'Not today. I got a lot to do.'
He said, 'That's okay.'
And then he walked away but the smile never dimmed and he said,
'You know, I'm gonna be like him, yeah.
You know I'm gonna be like him.'
Chorus
Well, he came from college just the other day,
So much like a man, I just had to say,
'Son, I'm proud of you. Can you sit for a while?'
He shook his head and he said with a smile,
'What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys.
See you later. Can I have them please?'
Chorus
I've long since retired, my son's moved away.
I called him up just the other day.
I said, 'I'd like to see you, if you don't mind.'
He said, 'I'd love to, Dad, if I could find the time.
You see my new job's a hassle and the kids have the flu,
But it's sure nice talkin' to you, Dad.
It's been sure nice talkin' to you.'
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me,
He'd grown up just like me.
My boy was just like me.
Chorus
The song "Cats in the Cradle" by Guns N' Roses describes the life of a father who is so consumed with work that he has little time for his son. It begins with the birth of his son and shows how the father misses most of the important milestones in his son's life. The father promises to spend time with him later when he's not so busy, but that time never comes. As the son grows up, he becomes more like his father, mirroring his workaholic tendencies, and when the father finally reaches out to his now-grown son, he finds a reflection of himself.
The song is a commentary on the pressures and responsibilities of modern life and how it can interfere with family life. It serves as a reminder to parents that time passes quickly, and they should make the most of it with their children because before they know it, they will have grown up and moved on.
Line by Line Meaning
My child arrived just the other day
The singer's child was born recently.
Came to the world in the usual way
The birth of the singer's child was normal.
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
The singer had obligations he couldn't avoid.
He learned to walk while I was away
The artist was not present when his child learned to walk.
He was talkin' 'fore I knew it
The artist wasn't present for many important milestones in his child's life.
And as he grew he said, I'm gonna be like you, Dad, You know I'm gonna be like you.
The singer's son wants to grow up to be like his father.
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon, Little boy blue and the man on the moon. When you comin' home?' 'Son, I don't know when, but we'll get together then. You know we'll have a good time then.'
The singer regrets not spending more time with his child while he was growing up. He promises to spend time with him later but is never able to.
My son turned ten just the other day.
The artist's son is now ten years old.
He said, 'Thanks for the ball, Dad. Come on, let's play. Can you teach me to throw?' I said, 'Not today. I got a lot to do.' He said, 'That's okay.' And then he walked away but the smile never dimmed and he said, 'You know, I'm gonna be like him, yeah. You know I'm gonna be like him.'
The artist's son wants to play catch but the artist is too busy. The son still wants to be like his father.
Well, he came from college just the other day, So much like a man, I just had to say, 'Son, I'm proud of you. Can you sit for a while?' He shook his head and he said with a smile, 'What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys. See you later. Can I have them please?'
The artist's son is now all grown up and has graduated from college. He wants to borrow the car and leave.
I've long since retired, my son's moved away. I called him up just the other day. I said, 'I'd like to see you, if you don't mind.' He said, 'I'd love to, Dad, if I could find the time. You see my new job's a hassle and the kids have the flu, But it's sure nice talkin' to you, Dad. It's been sure nice talkin' to you.' And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me, He'd grown up just like me. My boy was just like me.
The singer is retired and his son has his own family. The singer wants to see his son but his son is too busy. The singer realizes that his son is like him and may have made the same mistakes he did.
Chorus
The chorus repeats several times and emphasizes the main theme of the song: the father's regret over not spending enough time with his son while he was growing up.
Contributed by Miles H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Marco Palacios
gran canción, me encanta
Deiler Rojas torres
La canta otra banda
kyle dimeff
I love this song. My father says all the time that this song reminds him of me. This version of the song was ugly kid Joe. They did a good job
WESTARS OFFICIAL
Há uns 15 anos atrás meu pai comprou um CD pirata do Guns N Roses pra mim e tinha essa versão da musica no CD.. depois de mais velho que descobri que era a o Ugly Kid Joe.. kkkkkkk
Lucian Stefano HAKON
errou também não é do Ugly kid tmb não hahahah
Miriam Góes
@Lucian Stefano HAKON ESTA versão é sim do Ugly Kid Joe, mas a versão original é do Harry Chapin, mas é um pouco diferente, na pegada folk. Ambas são ótimas.
Nixx Audio Reviews
Eu ai, heueheuehdud
Ape
This is exactly my childhood, without the alcohol that is.
none of your business
Unfortunately it was my children's life. Between the farm, and my business I was nearly invisible to them. That guilt will never go away. I'm glad I could give them the business now that it's successful so they don't have to struggle building it. My boys are unbelievable fathers. Way better men than I could ever hope to be.
captainxhulio
I seriously hope this is a throw back to the lime wire days when you could hear Queen, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin perform together....