Cat’s in the Cradle is a folk rock song by American singer-songwriter Harry Chapin, from his fourth studio album, Verities & Balderdash (1974).
In 1992, the rock band Ugly Kid Joe included a cover of the song, renamed Cats in the Cradle (without the apostrophe), on their debut album, America’s Least Wanted (1993). The cover was produced by Mark Dodson and issued as a single in 1993 by Mercury Records.
It experienced commercial success, becoming a top-10 hit in numerous countries. The accompanying music video was directed by American illustrator, photographer and film director Matt Mahurin.
Cats in the Cradle peaked at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100, giving Ugly Kid Joe their highest-charting single on the ranking.
The song also reached number three on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart and number 11 on the Top 40/Mainstream chart. The single sold 500,000 copies domestically, earning a gold certification from the (RIAA).
In Canada, the song peaked at number one on The Record’s singles chart and at number eleven on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart. Outside North America, the cover topped Australia’s ARIA Singles Chart for a week and reached the top five in Iceland, Ireland, Norway, New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland. In the United Kingdom, Cats in the Cradle charted at number seven on the UK Singles Chart.
Tracklist:
- Cats in the Cradle
- Panhandlin’ Prince
- Whiplash Liquor (Live)
- Neighbor (Live)
Ugly Kid Joe
Whitfield Crane: vocals
Cordell Crockett: bass, vocals, background vocals
Klaus Eichstadt: guitar, vocals, background vocals, lead vocals on “Mr. Recordman”
Dave Fortman: guitar, vocals, background vocals
Mark Davis: percussion, drums
