Other arrangements of Cat's In The Cradle
Pick a learning view.
My child ar rived lege just the (Ab)oth er day.
He (Bb)came to the world in the (F)u su al way, but there were planes to catch I and (Ab)bills to pay.
I He learned to walk while I (F)was a way.
And he was (Eb)talk ing ’fore I (Eb)knew it, and (Cm)as he grew (Eb)dimmed.
he says, (Cm)“I’m gon na be er.
like I (F)you, Dad.
You (Ab)know I’m gon na (Cm)be like (F)you.”
And the cat’s in the cra dle and the (Eb)sil ver spoon, (Ab)lit tle boy blue and the man in the moon.
(F)“When you com ing home, Dad?” “I (Eb)don’t know when, but (Ab)we’ll get to (Cm)geth er then.
You (Ab)know we’ll have a (Cm)good time (F)then.”
Well, My son turned ten lege just the (Ab)oth er day.
He (Bb)“Thanks for the ball, Dad.
Come (F)on, su let’s play.
but Can you teach me throw?” can said, (Ab)“Not to day.
I He lot to do.” He said, (F)“That’s o kay.” And And he, (Eb)real he walked a (Eb)way but his (Cm)smile nev er (Eb)car It said, (Cm)“I’m gon na be er.
like I (F)him, yeah.
You (Ab)know I’m gon na (Cm)be like (F)him.”
And the cat’s in the cra dle and the (Eb)sil ver spoon, (Ab)lit tle boy blue and the man in the moon.
(F)“When you com ing home, Dad?” “I (Eb)don’t know when, but (Ab)we’ll get to (Cm)geth er then.
You (Ab)know we’ll have a (Cm)good time (F)then.”
Well, he
I’ve long since re tired, my (Ab)son’s moved a way.
I called him up just the (F)oth er day.
I said, “I’d like to see you if (Ab)you don’t mind.” He said, “I’d (Bb)love to, Dad, if I can (F)find the time.
You see, my (Eb)new job’s a (Eb)has sle and the (Cm)kids have the flu, but it’s (Ab)sure nice (Cm)talk ing to (F)you, Dad.
It’s been (Ab)sure nice (Cm)talk ing to (F)you.”
And as I (Eb)hung up the (Eb)phone, it oc (Cm)cured to me, he’d (Ab)grown up (Cm)just like (F)me;
my (Ab)boy was (Cm)just like (F)me.
And the cat’s in the cra dle and the (Eb)sil ver spoon, (Ab)lit tle boy blue and the man in the moon.
(F)“When you com ing home, son?” “I (Eb)don’t know when, but (Ab)we’ll get to (Cm)geth er then, Dad.
You (Ab)know we’ll have a (Cm)good time (F)then.”
Cat's In The Cradle — Karaoke: Lyrics & Chords to Sing & Play Along
3 people have learned this song
Free karaoke for "Cat's In The Cradle" by Harry Chapin: lyrics on screen with the chords above each line and a bouncing ball that lands on every word in time. Sing along, or play along on guitar or piano from the chord chart. Change the key to fit your voice, slow the tempo down. Key of F, 160 BPM.
Tip: Start at 50% speed to get comfortable with the fingering, then work your way up to full tempo.
Try other practice modes:
About “Cat's In The Cradle”
- What key is "Cat's In The Cradle" by Harry Chapin played in?
- Cat's In The Cradle is arranged in the key of F on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "Cat's In The Cradle"?
- The arrangement plays at 160 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Cat's In The Cradle" easy to play on piano?
- Yes — this is one of our beginner-friendly arrangements with simplified chords and color-coded notes.
- Can I download sheet music for "Cat's In The Cradle"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Cat's In The Cradle"?
- "Cat's In The Cradle" was originally performed by Harry Chapin. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What other songs by Harry Chapin can I play here?
- Try "CAT'S IN THE CRADLE", "Cat's In The Cradle". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Is there a karaoke version of "Cat's In The Cradle" with lyrics?
- Yes — this is a free karaoke slide for "Cat's In The Cradle" by Harry Chapin. The lyrics appear on screen a line at a time and each word lights up exactly when it's sung, with a bouncing ball leading you word to word. A backing plays underneath so you can just sing.
- Does it show chords so I can play along on guitar or piano?
- It does — a chord symbol sits on a thin row just above the lyric it changes on, so the same screen doubles as a lyrics-and-chords chart. Guitarists can strum the changes and pianists can comp while singing; the chords are colour-coded and move with the live transpose if you change key.
- Can I change the key of "Cat's In The Cradle" to match my voice or capo?
- Yes. The original is in F, but the live transpose control shifts the whole song up or down semitones until the melody sits in your range (or maps to an easier guitar shape / capo position) — the on-screen chords and the backing move with it.
- Can I slow "Cat's In The Cradle" down to learn the words and chords?
- Yes — the tempo control lets you take it as slow as you need while the lyrics still light up in time and the ball keeps you on the beat. Speed it back up once you can sing and play it through.