Story of a Life
Harry Chapin
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I can see myself it's a golden sunrise Young boy open up your eyes It's supposed to be your day Now off you go horizon bound And you won't stop until you've found Your own kind of way And the wind will whip your tousled hair The sun, the rain, the sweet despair Great tales of love and strife And somewhere on your path to glory You will write your story of a life And all the towns that you walk through And all the people that you talk to Sing you their songs And there are times you change your stride There are times you can't decide Still you go on And then the young girls dance their gypsy tunes And share the secrets of the moon So soon you find a wife And though she sees your dreams go poorly Still she joins your story of a life So you settle down and the children come And you find a place that you come from Your wandering is done And all your dreams of open spaces You find in your children's faces One by one And all the trips you know you missed And all the lips you never kissed Cut through you like a knife And now you see stretched out before thee Just another story of a life So what do you do now? When she looks at you now? You know those same old jokes all the jesters tell You tell them to her now And all the same old songs all the minstrels sang You sing 'em to her now But it don't matter anyhow 'Cause she knows by now So every chance you take don't mean a thing What variations can you bring To this shopworn melody And every year goes by like a tollin' bell It's battered merchandise you sell Not well, she can see
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Written by: HARRY F. CHAPIN
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
12 facts about this song
Song's OriginThe song 'Story of a Life' was written and performed by Harry Chapin, who was a notable American singer-songwriter famous for his folk-rock music.
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Album inclusionThe track comes from the album "Sequel," which was released in 1980. The album was Chapin's last before his death in 1981.
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Song's ThemeThe song revolves around the theme of recounting life's ups and downs. It also emphasizes the essence of love and growing old together.
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SongwritingHarry Chapin was known for his storytelling style of songwriting and 'Story of a Life' is one such example where he weaves a story using his lyrics.
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Pivotal Song'Story of a Life' is considered one of the pivotal songs in Chapin's career, showcasing his deep introspection and sensitive portrayal of human relationships and aging.
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Chart performanceAlthough the song did not make the Billboard charts, the album "Sequel" did chart at #23 on the Billboard 200.
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LegacyDespite Chapin's untimely death, his music, including 'Story of a Life', continues to be appreciated by many for its depth and honesty.
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Sarcastic LyricsThe sarcasm in the lyrics of 'Story of a Life' is typical of Chapin's songwriting style and reflects his ability to include humor and criticism in his storytelling.
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Philanthropic ImplicationLike many of his other songs, 'Story of a Life' raised awareness for social issues. Chapin was known for donating a large amount of his concert proceeds to charities.
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ConstructionThe song utilizes an ABAB rhyme scheme, implying the careful crafting that went into creating this memorable tune.
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RecognitionHarry Chapin was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his humanitarian work, and 'Story of a Life' is a testament to his powerful songwriting that touched many lives.
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Live PerformancesOften during live performances, Chapin told a story or anecdote before performing his songs, 'Story of a Life' being no different. These short stories set the tone for the song and gave the audience a deeper understanding of the lyrics.
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Citation
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