1981年於車禍中喪生的民謠歌手哈利卻賓寫過不少膾炙人口的歌曲，其中最令人動容的曲子， 首推半自傳半虛構、描述父子之情的“搖籃裡的貓 ”。 哈利的兒子出生時，正是他最走紅的時候，每天有趕不完的場，做不完的秀，哪有時間在家陪 兒子？於是他錯過了兒子學走路踏出的第一步，也錯過了兒子學會說的第一句話。 可是若不這麼拼命的話，孩子怎會有好日子過呢？於是在這個看似冠冕堂皇的理由之下，哈利 又錯過了教兒子打棒球的機會，再回首，兒子已經成為大學生。 這時哈利總算清閒下來了，希望多陪陪寶貝兒子。可是兒子放假回來老是借了車子出去兜風 ， 不怎麼能體會爸爸孤單的心情。過了幾年，兒子畢了業，有了工作，有了自己的家，見面機會 就更少了，頂多是在電話裡聊聊近況。 當老爸用近乎哀求的語氣，叫兒子回來一趟聚一聚，兒子卻以工作忙、小孩生病等理由來搪塞。 這時哈利才領悟到：原來這場家庭悲劇，是自己一手導演出來的，只是，誰能讓時間倒流呢？ 這首歌著名搖滾樂團Ugly Kid Joe，曾經翻唱過，我個人偏好是這一個版本，建議沒有聽過的人 可以去唱片行找找，著實不錯。 A child arrived just the other day He came to the world in the usual way But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay He learned to walk while I was away And he was talking 'fore I knew it And as he grew, he said: I'm gonna be like you, dad, You know I'm gonna be like you And the cat's in the cradle, and the silver spoon Little boy blue and the man on the moon When you coming home, dad, I don't know when But we'll have a good time then, son You know we'll have a good time then My son turned ten just the other day, he said Thanks for the ball, dad, come on let's play Can you teach me to throw, I said not today, I got a lot to do, he said that's okay And he walked away but his smile never dimmed It said I'm gonna be like him, yeah You know I'm gonna be like him Well he came from college just the other day So much like a man I just had to say Son I'm proud of you, can we sit for a while? He shook his head, and said, with a smile What I'd really like, dad, is to borrow the car keys See you later, can I have them please? And the cat's in the cradle, and the silver spoon Little boy blue and the man on the moon When you coming home, son, I don't know when But we'll have a good time then, dad You know we'll have a good time then I've long since retired, my son's moved away I called him up just the other day I said, I'd like to see you, if you don't mind, he said I'd love to, dad, if I could find the time You see my new job's a hassle and the kids got the flu But it's been sure nice talking to you, yeah Sure nice talking to you And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me He'd grown up just like me, yeah My boy was just like me 有個孩子在某一天到來 他以尋常的方式來到這個世界 但我得趕飛機、付帳單 他在我離家時學走路 在我知道以前就學會了講話 當他漸漸長大，他說： 爸，我將來要像你一樣 我將來要像你一樣 搖籃裡的小貓，銀色的湯匙 小男孩和月球上的人 "當你回到家，爸，雖然我不知道是什麼時候" "兒子，那時我們會有一段美好的時光" 我們會有一段美好的時光 有一天我兒子滿十歲了，他說： "謝謝你送我棒球，爸，我們來玩 你能教我投球嗎？" 我說"今天不行， 我有事要辦"，他說"沒關係" 然後走開，依然笑嘻嘻的 好像說：我將來要像他一樣 我將來要像他一樣 有一天他從大學回來 我只能說他看起來就像個男人 "孩子，我為你感到驕傲。坐下來談談好嗎？" 他搖搖頭，笑著說： "爸，我想做的就是跟你借汽車鑰匙 待會兒見，可以嗎？" 搖籃裡的小貓，銀色的湯匙 小男孩和月球上的人 "當你回到家，孩子，雖然不知道是什麼時候" "那時我們會有一段美好的時光，爹地" 我們會有一段美好的時光 我已退休多年，兒子也搬出去了 有一天我打電話給他 我說：如果不打擾的話，我想見見你 他說：我很想啊！但抽不出空來 你看我的新工作一團糟，孩子又得了流行性感冒 但很高興能和你講電話 很高興能和你講電話 掛上電話，我心想： 他長大後果然像我一樣 我兒子就像我一樣 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KByLG1M-CcY&mode=related&search=
