Taxi

Harry Chapin

About Taxi

"Taxi" is a song written and performed by Harry Chapin from his 1972 album Heads & Tales. Chapin debuted the song on NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1972, which was followed by many calls and telegrams sent from viewers to NBC demanding that Chapin return to the show. It was the first time in the show's history that host Johnny Carson brought a performer back the very next night for an encore performance. "Taxi" thus front-lined his defining work. The single helped establish Chapin's musical style and fame, and as a result, many Chapin items featured taxi-related imagery. WMEX DJ Jim Connors is credited with discovering Chapin and pushing "Taxi" to #24 on the Billboard charts, where it would last 16 weeks on the Hot 100, in the United States. Billboard ranked it as the #85 song for 1972. In Canada, the song reached #5. 


Year:
1976
6:53
185 
#2

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer

It was raining hard in 'Frisco
I needed one more fare to make my night
A lady up ahead waved to flag me down
She got in at the light

Oh, where you going to, my lady blue
It's a shame you ruined your gown in the rain
She just looked out the window, she said
"Sixteen Parkside Lane"

Something about her was familiar
I could swear I'd seen her face before
But she said, "I'm sure you're mistaken"
And she didn't say anything more

It took a while, but she looked in the mirror
And she glanced at the license for my name
A smile seemed to come to her slowly
It was a sad smile, just the same

And she said, "How are you Harry?"
I said, "How are you Sue?
Through the too many miles
And the too little smiles
I still remember you" 

It was somewhere in a fairy tale
I used to take her home in my car
We learned about love in the back of the Dodge
The lesson hadn't gone too far

You see, she was gonna be an actress
And I was gonna learn to fly
She took off to find the footlights
And I took off to find the sky

Whoa, I've got something inside me
To drive a princess blind
There's a wild man, wizard
He's hiding in me, illuminating my mind

Oh, I've got something inside me
Not what my life's about
'Cause I've been letting my outside tide me
Over 'till my time, runs out

Baby's so high that she's skying
Yes she's flying, afraid to fall
I'll tell you why baby's crying
'Cause she's dying, aren't we all

There was not much more for us to talk about
Whatever we had once was gone
So I turned my cab into the driveway
Past the gate and the fine trimmed lawns

And she said we must get together
But I knew it'd never be arranged
And she handed me twenty dollars
For a two fifty fare, she said
"Harry, keep the change" 

Well, another man might have been angry
And another man might have been hurt
But another man never would have let her go
I stashed the bill in my shirt

And she walked away in silence
It's strange, how you never know
But we'd both gotten what we'd asked for
Such a long, long time ago

You see, she was gonna be an actress
And I was gonna learn to fly
She took off to find the footlights
I took off for the sky

And here, she's acting happy
Inside her handsome home
And me, I'm flying in my taxi
Taking tips, and getting stoned
I go flying so high, when I'm stoned

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer


Harry Chapin

Harry Forster Chapin (December 7, 1942 – July 16, 1981) was an American singer-songwriter best known for his folk rock songs including "Taxi", "W*O*L*D", and the No. 1 hit "Cat's in the Cradle". Chapin was also a dedicated humanitarian who fought to end world hunger; he was a key player in the creation of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger in 1977. In 1987, Chapin was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his humanitarian work. more »

5 fans

Written by: HARRY F. CHAPIN

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


11 facts about this song

MUSIC COMPOSITION
"Taxi" by Harry Chapin is a 1972 song from his debut album, "Heads & Tales" which length is approximately 6 minutes and 44 seconds, making it one of the longer pop songs during its time.
LYRICS
The song's lyrics tell a narrative of a taxi driver who encounters a rich former lover who does not recognize him. This encounter leads him into pensiveness of dreams versus reality.
RECORD
The song peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and is Chapin's highest charting song.
TYPES OF INSTRUMENTS
The track incorporates the use of string instruments and includes a long instrumental introduction which is about two minutes long.
LIVE PERFORMANCE
Harry often performed the song live and it became one of his signature tunes.
SEQUEL
A sequel to "Taxi," called "Sequel," was written and performed by Chapin in 1980, making it one of the few songs to have a sequel.
AUTHOR INSPIRATION
The song was partially inspired by Chapin's ex-girlfriend, Claire, who became a successful actress.
SONG'S POPULARITY
"Taxi" continues to receive regular airplay on radio stations until today, despite its length, which is atypical for most pop songs.
AWARDS
Even though "Taxi" didn't win any significant music awards, it remains an iconic song in Chapin's career.
IMPACT ON CAREER
The popularity of "Taxi" launched Chapin's career, leading to appearances on popular television shows and making him a household name.
CHARITY EFFORTS
Chapin was known for his philanthropy and charity work, and he often used the proceeds from the song "Taxi" to fund those efforts.

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    Taxi

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1972

    Billboard #24


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