Verities & Balderdash

Verities & Balderdash
Studio album by Harry Chapin
Released	August 24, 1974
Recorded	1973, Connecticut Recording Studios Bridgeport, Connecticut
Genre	Folk rock
Length	43:49
Label	Elektra 7E-1012
Producer	Paul Leka
Harry Chapin chronology
Short Stories (1973) Verities & Balderdash (1974) Portrait Gallery (1975)

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Verities & Balderdash is the fourth studio album by the American singer/songwriter Harry Chapin, released in 1974. (see 1974 in music). "Cat's in the Cradle" was Chapin's highest charting single, finishing at #44 for the year on the 1974 Billboard year-end Hot 100 chart. The follow-up single, "I Wanna Learn a Love Song," barely entered the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. The album was certified gold on December 17, 1974.

The album was advertised with the slogan: "As only Harry can tell it."

The album was the first and only work by Chapin to exclusively use professional studio musicians, rather than his touring band, as had been the case in previous projects.

Track listing

Side One

1. "Cat's in the Cradle" (Chapin, Chapin) – 3:44
2. "I Wanna Learn a Love Song" (Chapin) – 4:19
3. "Shooting Star" (Chapin) – 4:02
4. "30,000 Pounds of Bananas" (Chapin) – 5:45
5. "She Sings Songs Without Words" (Chapin) – 3:31

Side Two

1. "What Made America Famous?" (Chapin) – 6:53
2. "Vacancy" (Chapin) – 4:00
3. "Halfway to Heaven" – 6:10
4. "Six String Orchestra" – 5:25

Personnel

Band

• Harry Chapin - guitar, vocals
• John Tropea - acoustic guitar, sitar
• Don Payne - bass
• Allan Schwartzberg - drums
• Don Grolnick - piano, electric piano, harpischord
• Ron Bacchiocchi - synthesizer
• Irving Spice - concertmaster
• George Simms - background vocals
• Frank Simms - background vocals
• Dave Kondziela - background vocals
• Zizi Roberts - female vocals

Production

• Ron Bacchiocchi - recording engineer
• Paul Leka - mixing
• Fred Kewley - mixing
• Glen Christensen - art direction
• Bill Hofman - illustration
• Ruth Bernal - photography
• Shiah Grumet - design