Anatomy of a Song: "Cat's In The Cradle" Quiz

Answer: To be just like his dad

"He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say "I'm gonna be like you dad
You know I'm gonna be like you"

Oh oh! Big mistake kiddo! Keep singing the song, and you'll find out why.

Answer: Little Boy Blue

Little boy blue gets a guernsey every time the chorus is sung:

"And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon"

Answer: Walk

"My child arrived just the other day
He 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"

"Cat's In The Cradle" was covered by Ugly Kid Joe on their 1992 album "America's Least Wanted". Hmm, perhaps not the best track to cover, the sensitivity of the whole thing sort of got lost under the inability to sing delicately, for starters!

Answer: At least two

The clue to this answer lies in the following lyrics:

"I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
He said, "I'd love to, Dad, if I can find the time
You see my new job's a hassle and the kids have the flu"

The 'kids' have the flu, inferring there are at least two, as they have been pluralised. No, not pleurisy, plural!

A lot of lyrics sites quote the song as saying "the kid's got the flu". Please listen to the song, this is clearly not the case, there is no hard 'G' sound. Please do not send correction notices about this.

Answer: He doesn't know when he is coming home

"When you comin' home dad?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then, Son
You know we'll have a good time then"

You know, when all is said and done, at least he had a father who came home (albeit, eventually). Many kids would love to have that now.

Answer: Tenth

"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 ok"

Answer: A ball

"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 ok"

Under the circumstances then, the bike may have been more fun! At least he could have ridden it to his heart's content!

Answer: Car

"Son, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head and said with a smile
"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?"

You're not takin' the car! I just shampooed the glove compartment!

Answer: Flu

"I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
He said, "I'd love to, Dad, if I can find the time
You see my new job's a hassle and kids have the flu"

Answer: He'd grown up just like his father

"And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me"

This of course was the point of the whole song, and is very sad. The father's inability (manageable or not) to spend enough time with his son eventually sees the boy grow up to be a carbon copy. Still - that's life, folks.