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Remember When the Music Lyrics

Artist: Harry Chapin
Album: Sequel

Remember when the music
Came from wooden boxes strung with silver wire
And as we sang the words, it would set our minds on fire,
For we believed in things, and so we'd sing.

Remember when the music
Brought us all together to stand inside the rain
And as we'd join our hands, we'd meet in the refrain,
For we had dreams to live, we had hopes to give.

Remember when the music
Was the best of what we dreamed of for our children's time
And as we sang we worked, for time was just a line,
It was a gift we saved, a gift the future gave.

Remember when the music
Was a rock that we could cling to so we'd not despair,
And as we sang we knew we'd hear an echo fill the air
We'd be smiling then, we would smile again.

Oh all the times I've listened, and all the times I've heard
All the melodies I'm missing, and all the magic words,
And all those potent voices, and the choices we had then,
How I'd love to find we had that kind of choice again.

Remember when the music
Was a glow on the horizon of every newborn day
And as we sang, the sun came up to chase the dark away,
And life was good, for we knew we could.

Remember when the music
Brought the night across the valley as the day went down
And as we'd hum the melody, we'd be safe inside the sound,
And so we'd sleep, we had dreams to keep.

And I feel that something's coming, and it's not just in the wind.
It's more than just tomorrow, it's more than where we've been,
It offers me a promise, it's telling me "Begin",
I know we're needing something worth believing in.

Remember when the music
Came from wooden boxes strung with silver wire
And as we sang the words, it would set our minds on fire,
For we believed in things, and so we'd sing.

Comments/Interpretations

by Sonny on 5/26/2008 5:42pm
this song reminds me of my grandma :'(

by Fitz on 6/10/2008 2:20am
Sorry Sonny, you probably just aren't old enough to appreciate when "music meant something."

by Billbaby on 9/19/2009 7:55pm
Its quit clear,That Sonny has no idea what this song is all about.
Its a shame that one man, Harry Chapin, is gone, Im sure if he was alive today, he would still be doing one for the other guy.

by scoop on 1/16/2010 10:46am
I miss Harry deeply. I actually interviewed him during a concert at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center and from there I wound up being close to him, even went to two fourth of July parties at his house. What a wonderful man, family and Band. He founded WHY (World Hunger Year) big John Wallace where are you? Cant believe he died on the LIE in a car accident....Harry keep the change!

by MamaWasADJ on 7/8/2010 3:58pm
Indeed, Bill, he'd definitely still be doing one for the other guy.

We could really use him today.

by steve on 11/1/2010 8:42am
song brings tears every time i hear it. don't mean to "pull age" but i believe you have to be of a certain age and have lived through that time (30's to 70's) to really understand what "the music" meant....it was love and hope and friendship and did bring us all toghethger. it wasn't a particular song, it was THE MUSIC!

by Patrick on 12/20/2010 1:07am
I still teach my children, (all grown now) the magic that was Harry Chapin. Now I have a grandchild learning these wonderful insightful lessons that sprang from the incredibly eloquent and versatile mind of this gentle, better man. It is odd how life always seems to rob us all of these great people long before we can all fully realize their enormous value here.

by Mark on 6/4/2011 8:18pm
Just awesome! Every single song has it's own personal meaning.

by bob on 8/3/2012 12:38pm
Harry Chapin was amazing. I attended 2 of his concerts. They were always great shows. Great music that is missed.

by Tom on 3/12/2013 1:08pm
I'm only 23 but I think Harry Chapin is an absolute inspiration. I wish music today could bring us all together.

by Megan on 4/30/2013 8:02pm
I love this song so much, but it always makes me cry ;( So much Nostalgia...

(I'm 19 btw, some young people can still appreciate music)

by Erin on 5/7/2013 12:22am
I agree with Tom & Megan, young people can still appreciate good music, I think it all depends on your upbringing, myself personally, I was raised on Harry Chapin, his music, is the one thing that time will never change, that I will carry with me & will forever be close to my heart, one day I will share it with my children, as my father did to me, it is tradition.

Fitz & Billbaby, Sonny said this song reminded him of his grandma, therefore he has a connection to it, I think you guys should stop ridiculing him based on his age & the fact that "he just doesn't understand what music was all about" & allow him to have his experience & memories from the song, just as you have yours.

Harry was a brilliant man, I wish he was still alive today, to continue sharing his wonderful gift of stories & song with us.

:)

by Me on 9/27/2013 5:31pm
To all the people that say Sonny doesn't know what "music" means in the context of the song need to do some rethinking. Music is something that has a different meaning to everyone, and its the amalgamation of all of those meanings that brings everyone together. Next time before you self promote by bringing others down and discounting them for something, remember we all have our own answers and our own meanings behind everything in life, both commonplace and intrapersonal. But what do I know? I'm only 19 and wasn't even there when the song was written.

by Joy on 11/22/2013 7:44pm
I remember when I would stretch my legs to the sky and swing high, singing loud and clear...because I was young and inhibited...beautiful Harry Chapin songs.

I miss Harry, what a loss.

by Jordan on 4/14/2015 11:55am
This guy was my uncle and was a musical genius, unbelievable.

by Hendo on 7/24/2015 3:07am
There's actually a recording of him performing this song live, and telling the story behind it. One of Harry's greatest living heroes had just been shot dead, followed very closely by John Lennon.

Jordan, I entirely agree. For years I loved Cats in the Cradle, but mistakenly believed that it had been performed by someone entirely different. When I found out who the true artist was, my then-girlfriend bought me a compilation of his work, and I've been hooked ever since.

If I had any musical talent beyond drunken karaoke, I'd put a band together as a tribute to this sorely missed and massively under-rated talent.

by SPIDER on 1/17/2017 3:43pm
Harry Chapin taught us all that it is OK to feel, laugh and cry. But most of all he taught us to remember because he was one of the last great story tellers.