It was raining hard in 'Frisco
I needed one more fare to make my night
A lady up ahead waved to flag me down
She got in at the light
Oh, where you going to, my lady blue
It’s a shame you ruined your gown in the rain
She just looked out the window, and said
«Sixteen Parkside Lane»
Something about her was familiar
I could swear I’d seen her face before
But she said, «I'm sure you’re mistaken»
And she didn’t say anything more
It took a while, but she looked in the mirror
And she glanced at the license for my name
A smile seemed to come to her slowly
It was a sad smile, just the same
And she said, «How are you Harry?»
I said, «How are you Sue?
Through the too many miles
And the too little smiles
I still remember you.»
It was somewhere in a fairy tale
I used to take her home in my car
We learned about love in the back of the Dodge
The lesson hadn’t gone too far
You see, she was gonna be an actress
And I was gonna learn to fly
She took off to find the footlights
And I took off to find the sky
Oh, I’ve got something inside me
To drive a princess blind
There’s a wild man, wizard
He’s hiding in me, illuminating my mind
Oh, I’ve got something inside me
Not what my life’s about
Cause I’ve been letting my outside tide me
Over 'till my time, runs out
Baby’s so high that she’s skying
Yes she’s flying, afraid to fall
I’ll tell you why baby’s crying
Cause she’s dying, aren’t we all
There was not much more for us to talk about
Whatever we had once was gone
So I turned my cab into the driveway
Past the gate and the fine trimmed lawns
And she said we must get together
But I knew it’d never be arranged
And she handed me twenty dollars
For a two fifty fare, she said
«Harry, keep the change.»
Well another man might have been angry
And another man might have been hurt
But another man never would have let her go…
I stashed the bill in my shirt
And she walked away in silence
It’s strange, how you never know
But we’d both gotten what we’d asked for
Such a long, long time ago
You see, she was gonna be an actress
And I was gonna learn to fly
She took off to find the footlights
And I took off for the sky
And here, she’s acting happy
Inside her handsome home
And me, I’m flying in my taxi
Taking tips, and getting stoned
I go flying so high, when I’m stoned
Beautiful. "Another man might've been angry, and another man might've been hurt. But another man never would've let her go. I stashed the bill in my shirt." Pure poetry.
I've heard this song THOUSANDS of times... never once turned to a different channel. What a MASTERPIECE. Really theres NOTHING like it. Its not my favorite song, but its spec
ial in a special way. A movie, never made, plays in my head when I hear it. It's a sad movie, just the same.
I saw Harry Chapin in Hartford, CT at the Hartford Jai-Alai Fronton in November, 1978. It was a benefit concert, we had to bring a caned food item or so. He sang on a shadowed stage, on a stool, he performed this song with perfection, he showed it with his enthusiasm, the vocalist in this song (3:46), was outstanding, I never forget this one song, the whole concert was quite good. Music of the seventies, there was much more to it, words were more meaningful, feelings were touched. I wish I could step back in time... I have, I have the memories. I sure there's a "Taxi" in all of us. Great songwriter, miss his music, miss him.
I've been a taxi driver for 18 years, and I love this song. Beware, sometimes there is no "Sequel". We burn through woulda beens and shoulda beens in our lives. That doesn't just apply to taxi drivers, by the way...
Four songs have made me stop my car and pull over to listen. All of them singer-songwriter songs, it seems. Fire & Rain by James Taylor, Taxi by Harry Chapin, God by John Lennon and then, years later, the cover of Hurt by Johnny Cash. Sure hope I get to hear one other pullover song before I die.
What a classic song by Harry Chapin. Very weird, you hardly hear this song on either the radio or satellite. Two nights ago, I was pulling into my driveway and Taxi came on, I could not get out of my car until the song was over. What chills were running up and down my spine!!!!!! GR8 Tune......R.I.P.
Jeez... 1972, Vietnam, I was 18, in the military and heard this song during a thunderstorm in my barracks. His words were lost on me back then, I was too young and dumb. But it has a universal bittersweet truth. "Harry -- Keep the change..." As the song faded out every guy there just sat silent.
Harry died two weeks before I was going to see him in concert at the Holiday Star Theatre in Merrillville, Indiana. I still have the concert ticket today. Harry was an outstanding talent.
I was walking thru Roosevelt Mall on Long Island many years ago and I heard a man singing and playing guitar - I went over and there was Harry Chapin just sitting and playing and asking people for any food or donations they could give for the poor - a good man with great talent
Harry Chapin died too young. A fantastic songwriter and artist. Taken away too early through a tragedy. Jim Croce, Otis Redding, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Holly... All lost by accident. A loss to all of us.