Harry Chapin - Greatest Stories Live (CD)

All Music Guide

Recorded in November 1975, Greatest Stories Live showcases the legendary live performance styles of acoustic troubadour and noted activist Harry Chapin. Recorded over three nights on-stage in California, the double-LP set features all the hits as well as a few notable album cuts that put the musician's musical and personal skills out on the line for all to see. There are the obvious inclusions of touching hits, like "WOLD," "Taxi," and of course the father-son anthem "Cats in the Cradle." "Mrs. Tanner" and the heartfelt "I Wanna Learn a Love Song" also come across great in the live environment, a setting that was clearly the singer/songwriter's forte. Chapin has a fantastic rapport with the audience throughout the set, and it comes through with incredible results on his humorous banter before and during the rousing and set-highlighting "30,000 Pounds of Bananas," a great track about Scranton, PA, and a runaway fruit truck. Sure it may sound a little hokey, but Chapin is a true showman ...and the fun he has on-stage transfers directly into the joy of listening to the record. A fine musician and individual, Chapin's Greatest Stories Live comes close to living up to its name and is a fitting document of a man whose boundless joy and insight shined through in his music. - Peter J. D'Angelo, All Music Guide Read more Less