Cats In The Cradle Chords

by Harry Chapin
666,855 views, added to favorites 23,387 times
Difficulty: intermediate
Tuning: E A D G B E
Capo: 1st fret
Author hargie12 [a] 109.
7 contributors total, last edit on Mar 25, 2022
We have an official Cats In The Cradle tab made by UG professional guitarists.
Check out the tab

Chords

E
G
A
D
D/C#
D/B
D/A
D/G
D/F#
G/F#
C
Bm

Strumming

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1
&
2
&
3
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4
&
Capo First Fret
Key of F
 
[Verse 1]
  E                      G
A child arrived just the other day
   A                        E
He came to the world in the usual way
               E                   G
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
A                            E
  He learned to walk while I was away
           D              D/C#        D/B       D/A
And he was talkin 'fore I knew it and as he grew he'd say
D/G       D/F#    E
I'm gonna be like you, dad
    G              G/F#    E
You know I'm gonna be like you
 
[Chorus]
        E                          D
And the cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
G                        A
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
E                           D
When you coming home Dad, I don't know when
G                        E
But we'll get together then
G                       E
You know we'll have a good time then.
 
[Verse 2]
   E                       G
My son turned ten just the other day
        A                          E
He said thanks for the ball dad, c'mon let's play
        E                          G
Can you teach me to throw, I said "not today;  
        A                    E
I got a lot to do", he said "that's okay"
       D           D/C#        D/B         D/A
And he, he walked away but his smile never dimmed, he said
D/G        D/F#    E
"I'm gonna be like him, yeah
    G              G/F#    E
You know I'm gonna be like him"
 
[Chorus]
        E                          D
And the cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
G                        A
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
E                           D
When you comin' home Dad, I don't know when
G                  E
but we'll get together then
G                               E
you know we'll have a good time then.
 
[Verse 3]
         E                          G
Well, he came home college just the other day
   A                       E
So much like a man, I just had to say
         E                     G
"Son I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
   A                      E
He shook his head and he said with a smile
          D           D/C#      D/B         D/A
"What I'd really like Dad is to borrow the car keys.
D/G       D/F#         E
  See you later, can I have them please?"
 
[Chorus]
        E                          D
And the cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
G                        A
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
E                           D
When you comin' home son, I don't know when
G                  E
We'll get together then Dad
G                               E
You know we'll have a good time then.
 
[Interlude]
C D Bm E      C D Bm E
 
[Bridge]
E                            G
I've long since retired, my son's moved away
A                 E
I called him up just the other day
E                                G
I said "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
A                         E
He said "I'd love to dad if I could find the time"
         D                 D/C#          D/B         D/A
You see, my new job's a hassle and the kid's have the flu
D/G              D/F#         E
But it's sure nice talkin' to you dad
G           G/F#             E
It's been sure nice talkin' to you
D                D/C#         D/B        D/A
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
D/G        D/F#         E
He'd grown up just like me
G         G/F#       E
My boy was just like me
 
[Chorus]
        E                          D
And the cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
G                        A
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
E                           D
When you comin' home son, I don't know when
G                  E
We'll get together then Dad
G                               E
You know we'll have a good time then.
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Cats In The Cradle – Harry Chapin
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29 comments
jpoprock
Out of all the chord tabs here, this is the most accurate as far as I can tell. Some of the others are hilariously off! HA!! Good job.
+8
Cracka94
yeahh i recon its the best but can u have a chord chart??
+6
llaammpp
yeah its true .... the one that most were saying was best sucked.... this one is by far the best!!!
+5