Story Of A Life by Harry Chapin

Album: Remember When the Music (1971)

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Sandy Chapin, who was married to Harry from 1968 until his death in 1981, says that this is the only song Harry wrote where he didn't first come up with a story and then put it to music. Says Sandy: "He had the music for a long time, and he would play it over and over again. The story came to him while he was on a small plane flight someplace in the southwest. It was a very turbulent flight, really quite awful, and that's where he came up with the story to go with the music."
The song describes Chapin's life as a musician who was constantly traveling and his struggles to find time for his family. He finds strength in his wife, who supports him as she supports him and helps him live out his dreams. (Read more about Harry in our interview with Sandy Chapin)

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