Customer Reviews

Living Room Suite

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first heard Harry in 1972. I became an ardent fan. I saw Harry with his son (he was very young) on stage in concert soon after this album was recorded. He performed "Dancing Boy"; it was marvelous. I think of this as a stage in his life when he was really in touch with family and friends in a very loving way. I find this to be an exceptional album; lyrics, music and his feelings come through so strongly. It is different from most of his other recordings, I think that's what makes it so special.

After all the stories of alienation, loss and heartbreak this album was an amazing change for Harry. It seemed he'd finally grown up, settled down and was truly enjoying his family. If you feel like you're doing any of that then this album is still a must have.

The pride and joy of parenthood in "Dancing Boy," the indictment of non-caring institutionalism in "Flowers are Red," these are all things that any parent can identify with. I got this album the first time when I was a young parent with small chidren.... and it was very shortly later that I heard of Harry's untimely death. It made the album feel even more special. I was so glad that Harry had finally seemed to find some peace near the end. Gone was the angry youngster who'd written "Sniper" and in his place was, as was the case of the woman in "Sequel," a man who finally liked himself. And isn't that the place at which we'd all really like to be when our own lives end?

Actually, although I do have this on disc now I can hardly play it anymore. As the song says, "There will come a day when your dancing days are done. When Daddy and his dancing boy have dwindled down to one." Time has flown by, it's happened in my life and the memories of that time are oh so bittersweet.

Having worshipped Harry since I was nine years old, it pains me to say anything negative of the master storyteller. "Living Room Suite" is the only Chapin album released during his lifetime that I would rate anything less than excellent. It has a little different feel than his other albums. It is somber and laid back with a slight country feel and little dramatics. It's hard to get emotionally involved with this album in the way that his other albums inspired. "Flowers are Red" is the only stand-out story song, but "Dancin' Boy" is a great tribute to parenthood that always brings a crack to my voice. This was the only Chapin CD my brother liked because it "was more normal". I disagree. Chapin was the master and this disc only rates less than 'excellent' when compared against other Chapin work.

I'm fifteen years old, and this disc is by far my favorite (not that I have them all.) I found an old copy in my mother's CD's, and have been listening to it since I was 11. I loved his voice from the very begining, and listened to this to fall asleep. I especially love 'why do the little girls.' I love the way he writes so poingently about the struggles women have, and sometimes still do, face in the real world. Many versions of the songs here I like better than other places. I would recommend this disc to any Harry Chapin lover, and to any aspiring Harry lover. It's amazing!

This 1978 album is an atypical effort from Harry Chapin inasmuch as it does not have one of those epic story songs for which he is so well remembered. The two jewels on this album are the pair of "children" songs: "Why Do Little Girls" deals with how women are forced by culture into subordinate roles ("Why did the little girls grow crooked, While the little boys grew tall") while "Flowers Are Red" looks at how conformity crushes creativity. There are also the expected Chapin songs about self-depreciating love ("Poor Damned Fool") and political activism ("Somebody Said"). While "I Wonder What Would Happen to this World" is another one of Chapin's imitation spirituals that I can never quite cotton to, the final chorus of "It Seems You Only Love Me When It Rains" is another nice example of how Harry could put his heart into his singing. But it is the focus on the love of his children rather than the love of a good woman that inspires the best efforts on this particular album and explains best justifies the title.

I think this album is one of Harry Chapin's greatest albums for three reasons.

1. THE MUSIC - The instrumentation on this album has a similar theme while not being repetitive. Mostly, the musical format is folk mixed with country and some horn-driven rock. Do not get me wrong, I like most of Harry's musical arrangements on all of his albums, but some albums seem to jump around a little too much (Sniper and Other Love Songs is a good example).

2. THE MATURITY - This album portrays a Harry who is wiser and happier, having just survived a marital crisis with his wife, Sandy (which was contrary to the quickie rock-star marrriages of the time). His marriage and love for his family restored, this album shows a Harry who is not blissfully ignorant of his surroundings (listen to "Why Do Little Girls?" and you'll know what I mean), but is never again to wallow in self-pity, as he sometimes did on records before this.

3. THE PRODUCER - Though you can tell in some spots that this an album definetely made in the 70s, Chuck Plotkin, the producer for this album (as well as the frequent cohort on Bruce Springsteen/E Street Band albums) gives this record a homey feel that lives up to the record's title, but he still helps Harry inject a "freshness" to make it enjoyable, even if you are not a fan a country-folkish rock.

In short, with a steady musical theme, honorable maturity, and a talented producer, Living Room Suite is a must if you are a hardcore Harry Chapin fan. If you are a casual fan, try it out. You may like it or you may still prefer Harry Chapin ala "Cat's in the Cradle", but try it anyway.

Harry Chapin's "Living Room Suite", his underrated and one of his least known albums, isn't one of my favorites for its hits, as it doesn't have any (unless you count "Flowers are Red". In theory, it is a very different departure for Chapin, as his songs mostly have a country feel to them, and like the title implies, most of them are heavily influenced or about his family. Favorite tracks include "Jenny", about his daughter, "Why Do Little Girls", a song that examines the differences in sexes, "It Seems You Only Love Me When it Rains", a song about his wife, Sandy", and "Dancing Boy" about his son Josh. One of my top five Chapin albums.

i'm a die hard chapin fan. turned onto him in the late 70's and this is the second album i bought back then. i loved it then. today i find 1 or 2 of the songs a bit less timeless than the bulk of his work. not due to lyrical content, fore that is always of high standard. all of the songs are good however, some of the instrumentation is very indicative of that period... and that period had it's brush with corniness. that being said, there is some absolute gold on this album. "dancin boy, i wonder what would happen,jenny,poor damn fool,flowers are red"... these are wonderful tunes.the banjo work on "why do little girls" is also excellent as is all the musicianship on this record. this is an album definitely worth having. it simply is not an album of cohesive overall timeless super folk as is "heads and tails". i say buy it. i had the vinyl way back when and i repurchased it on cd a month ago.no regrets. furthermore,for me,to be a true chapin fan is to possess the complete works.

This album offers a different kind of Harry. The CD was not quite my taste in what he offers.