Harry Chapin discography

Harry Chapin discography
Studio albums9
Live albums2
Compilation albums14
Singles13

This page is a discography for the singer and songwriter Harry Chapin. Chapin was a popular singer-songwriter in the 1970s and 1980s, achieving international success. Chapin's career was cut short at its peak, when he was killed in a car accident in 1981. He is best remembered for the song "Cat's in the Cradle," which hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974.

Albums

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales Certifications
US
[1] 		AUS
[2] 		CAN
Heads & Tales 60 36 57 1,100,000
Sniper and Other Love Songs
  • Released: October 1972
  • Label: Elektra Records
 160 — — 350,000
Short Stories
  • Released: December 1, 1973
  • Label: Elektra Records
 61 46 39 1,100,000
Verities & Balderdash
  • Released: August 24, 1974
  • Label: Elektra Records
 4 15 4 2,700,000
  • RIAA: Gold
Portrait Gallery
  • Released: September 27, 1975
  • Label: Elektra Records
 53 88 — 350,000
On the Road to Kingdom Come
  • Released: October 23, 1976
  • Label: Elektra Records
 87 95 66 350,000
Dance Band on the Titanic
  • Released: September 10, 1977
  • Label: Elektra Records
 58 — 91 500,000
  • RIAA: Gold
Living Room Suite
  • Released: September 10, 1978
  • Label: Elektra Records
 133 — — 350,000
Sequel 58 42 72 500,000
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Live albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales Certifications
US
[1] 		AUS
[2] 		CAN
Greatest Stories Live 48 — 71 2,100,000
Legends of the Lost and Found
  • Released: November, 1979
  • Label: Elektra Records
 163 72 64 250,000
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Compilation and specialty albums

Title Album details Sales Certifications
Anthology of Harry Chapin
  • Released: 1985
  • Label: Elektra Records
 250,000
Remember When the Music
  • Released: 1987
  • Label: Dunhill Compact Classics
 250,000
The Gold Medal Collection
  • Released: September 13, 1988
  • Label: Elektra Records
 1,000,000
The Last Protest Singer
  • Released: November 30, 1988
  • Label: DCC Compact Classics
 250,000
Harry Chapin Tribute
The Bottom Line Encore Collection
  • Released: March 10, 1998
  • Label: The Bottom Line Record Company
Story of a Life
Storyteller
  • Released: 1999
  • Label: BOA Records
Onwards and Upwards
  • Released: 2000
  • Label: Harry Chapin Foundation
VH1 Behind the Music: The Harry Chapin Collection
The Essentials
Classics
  • Released: 2003
  • Label: Warner Special Products
Introducing... Harry Chapin
  • Released: August 1, 2006
  • Label: Rhino/Atlantic Records
Bottom Line Archive Series: Live 1981
  • Released: June 30, 2015
  • Label: The Bottom Line Record Company
The Singles A's & B's
  • Released: March 1, 2019
  • Label: Wounded Bird Records

Other appearances

  • Chapin Music! (1966, Rock-Land Records) – by The Chapin Brothers (Harry, Tom and Steve along with their father Jim)

Singles

Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
[1] 		US
AC
[1] 		US
Cash
 AUS
[2] 		CAN
 CAN
AC
 IRE
 NZ
 UK
[4]
"Taxi" 1972 24 — 20 30 5 — — 19 — Heads & Tales
"Could You Put Your Light On, Please" — — 81 — 76 — — — —
"Sunday Morning Sunshine" 75 30 77 — 68 — — — — Sniper and Other Love Songs
"Better Place to Be" — — — — — 51 — — —
"W.O.L.D." 1973 36 37 26 21 14 9 — 16 34 Short Stories
"What Made America Famous?" — — 87 — — — — — — Verities & Balderdash
"I Wanna Learn a Love Song" 1974 44 7 40 — 36 14 — — —
"Cat's in the Cradle" 1 6 1 6 3 1 — — 53[A]
"Dreams Go By" 1975 — 33 — 81 — 31 — — — Portrait Gallery
"A Better Place to Be" (live) 1976 86 — 76 — 80 — — — — Greatest Stories Live
"Dance Band on the Titanic" 1977 — — — 87 — — — — — Dance Band on the Titanic
"Flowers Are Red" 1978 — — — — — — 19 — — Living Room Suite
"Sequel" 1980 23 37 34 — — — — — —
  • RIAA: Platinum
 Sequel
"Remember When The Music" — 47 — — — — — — —
"Story of a Life" — — — — — — — — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Videos

TV appearances and credits

Harry Chapin was featured on several TV shows throughout his career, most notably "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson." He appeared 14 times. He made history as the first performer to be called back the next night to perform again on the show. This was due to his singing "Taxi" in 1972.

He became friends with fellow songwriter John Denver, often appearing on TV with him. Denver hosted the pilot episode of The Midnight Special in which Harry was one of the first performers on the show.

The following are all the currently known TV shows and movies Harry Chapin appeared in or had songwriting credits on:[5]

Notes

  1. ^ Chart position is from the official UK "Breakers List".

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Harry Chapin - Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 59. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  3. ^ "Gold/Platinum". Music Canada. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  4. ^ "HARRY CHAPIN - full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  5. ^ "Harry Chapin". IMDb.