Harry Chapin - Sniper
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- čas přidán 1. 08. 2011
- "It is an early Monday morning.
The sun is becoming bright on the land.
No one is watching as he comes a walking.
Two bulky suitcases hang from his hands.
He heads towards the tower that stands in the campus.
He goes through the door, he starts up the stairs.
The sound of his footsteps, the sound of his breathing,
The sound of the silence when no one was there.
I didn't really know him.
He was kind of strange.
Always sort of sat there.
He never seemed to change.
He reached the catwalk. He put done his burden.
The four sided clock began to chime.
Seven AM, the day is beginning.
So much to do and so little time.
He looks at the city where no one had known him.
He looks at the sky where no one looks down.
He looks at his life and what it has shown him.
He looks for his shadow it cannot be found.
He was such a moody child, very hard to touch.
Even as a baby he never smiled too much. No no.No no.
You bug me, she said.
Your ugly, she said.
Please hug me, I said.
But she just sat there
With the same flat stare
That she saves for me alone
When I'm home.
When I'm home.
Take me home.
He laid out the rifles, he loaded the shotgun,
He stacked up the cartridges along the wall.
He knew he would need them for his conversation.
If it went as it he planned, then he might use them all.
He said Listen you people I've got a question
You won't pay attention but I'll ask anyhow.
I found a way that will get me an answer.
Been waiting to ask you 'till now.
Right now !
Am I ?
I am a lover whose never been kissed.
Am I ?
I am a fighter whose not made a fist.
Am I ?
If I'm alive then there's so much I've missed.
How do I know I exist ?
Are you listening to me ?
Are you listening to me ?
Am I ?
The first words he spoke took the town by surprise.
One got Mrs. Gibbons above her right eye.
It blew her through the window wedged her against the door.
Reality poured from her face, staining the floor.
He was kind of creepy,
Sort of a dunce.
I met him at the corner bar.
I only dated the poor boy once,
That's all. Just once, that was all.
Bill Whedon was questioned as stepped from his car.
Tom Scott ran across the street but he never got that far.
The police were there in minutes, they set up baricades.
He spoke right on over them in a half-mile circle.
In a dumb struck city his pointed questions were sprayed.
He knocked over Danny Tyson as he ran towards the noise.
Just about then the answers started comming. Sweet, sweet joy.
Thudding in the clock face, whining off the walls,
Reaching up to where he sat there, answering calls.
Thirty-seven people got his message so far.
Yes, he was reaching them right were they are.
They set up an assault team. They asked for volunteers.
They had to go and get him, that much was clear.
And the word spread about him on the radios and TV's.
In appropriately sober tone they asked "Who can it be ?"
He was a very dull boy, very taciturn.
Not much of a joiner, he did not want to learn.
No no.No no.
They're coming to get me, they don't want to let me
Stay in the bright light too long.
It's getting on noon now, it's goin to be soon now.
But oh, what a wonderful sound !
Mama, won't you nurse me ?
Rain me down the sweet milk of your kindness.
Mama, it's getting worse for me.
Won't you please make me warm and mindless ?
Mama, yes you have cursed me.
I never will forgive you for your blindness.
I hate you!
The wires are all humming for me.
And I can hear them coming for me.
Soon they'll be here, but there's nothing to fear.
Not any more though they've blasted the door.
As the copter dropped the gas he shouted " Who cares ?" .
They could hear him laughing as they started up the stairs.
As they stormed out on the catwalk, blinking at the sun,
With their final fusillade his answer had come.
Am I ?
There is no way that you can hide me.
Am I ?
Though you have put your fire inside me.
Am I ?
You've given me my answer can't you see ?
I was !
I am !
and now I Will Be
I WILL BE"
/Lyrics from The Harry Chapin Archive at Harrychapin.com\ - Hudba
Harry Chapin was in my opinion THE BEST singer songwriter that ever lived! NO ONE told the story like Harry! I am 30 years old and unfortunately was not able to see him live. I would have loved to have met him. This is my absolute favorite story by Harry. When he sings this song I feel like I am there watching the events unfold. I only wish I could find this at karaoke. I think I would make him very proud. RIP Harry. You are gone but will never be forgotten!
IS it available at karaoke anywhere? I am looking for it too.
@@kennethjacobus6541 It would be CRAZY to do this at karaoke. It probably would be banned you found a way to sneak it through. Learn some guitar and perform on the street!
@@UnityFromDiversity LOL - The place where I sing karaoke allows anything. This would not be banned. Of the songs that I sing, the audience favorite to hear is Crazy Rap by Afroman. The women in particualr seem to love it, and sing along with me. I do sing Harry's other songs, like Taxi, Sequel, WOLD, etc.. We lost him too early.
I'm 30 now, how's it like being 41?
Totally agree!! 💯
Every time I hear someone say, "Not now." this song starts playing in my head. Not a bad thing.
It's Still The Only Song That Makes Me Cry....Thanks, Harry, You Are Terribly Missed....
Back in the golden age of radio, a NYC radio station, WNEW FM 102.7, played music like this. They didn't play any song or album twice in a month. Those were great times!
I agree, in my opinion this is the best song ever written or preformed. In his live version he near loses his voice all together, he put a lot of thought into the words and a lot of power in his voice when he sang it. It's not my number one favorite, but it is certainly number one above any and all song I've heard on lyrics and performance.
SongsofHarry consider "Bummer"? Equally powerful and brilliant.
SongsofHarry I totally agree with you on this.
This song is based on a real event from 1962, Charles Whitman, in Texas. I prefer the live version of "A Better Place to Be."
This song was written as an observation of Charles Whitman. Whitman perpetrated the massacre at the University of Texas on August 1, 1966.
Just bought the book about Charles Whitman because of this song.Guy had an IQ of 138 an Eagle Scout at 12. Terrible what he did.Harry did lots of true story songs
@@patboyle8734 They found he had a Brain Tumor during his Autopsy I recall. They believe that might've 'made him do it'?
Magnificent and moving song sung with conviction and passion, for me this is the 1st time of hearing Harry Chapin, can't believe i have not heard him before in all my years on this planet, a truly excellent performer. The topic of the song though has haunted me since i was a child.
Great discovery bro
Unbelievable! What a performance!!!
They did play this song many times when it came out in the 70's in the early afternoon on WBCN in Boston, when it was a real underground station. Harry has so many great songs apart from the TWO they have ever played on the radio. Sniper , Coreys Coming, A Better Place To Be,Mr. Tanner,There only was one Choice . Check them out .
Listen to The Mayor of Candor Lied, it’s weird but still good!!
After every mass murder, I think of this song. The sniper in the tower, Charles Whitman, committed his crime in 1966, and Chapin turned it into this song in 1972. For 50 years it has continued to happen over and over again, ... but no one has ever gotten to heart of it any better than Chapin did.
Harry Chapin was able to put some of our deepest emotions in to lyrics and music. He holds nothing back. They would not play this song on the radio. Another good example is his song "Burning Herself." "Abetter Place to Be," is another excellent song. Chapin was an amazing person.
They actually played it on FM station in the Boston area early 70.'s
I love this song, every copy band I was in ,( gave me the "side eye' when I suggested that we copy this song) they out voted me and it was back to Foghat. it was the mid-70s
Simply amazing.......
Had to visit this after the Sandy Hook incident... Thanks for posting.
Doubtful that we will ever be able to stop all events like Aurora... but....what Harry is telling us is that the element of someone being unloved is always present. That is something we should all think about.
Notice the danse macabre motif throughout the song the fact chapin references Dance of the Dead in the first bars and kept it is so subtle and amazing and the ending of this song being so similar to Toccata and fuges ending was a cherry on-top
Masterpiece
It is an early Monday morning.
The sun is becoming bright on the land.
No one is watching as he comes a walking.
Two bulky suitcases hang from his hands.
He heads towards the tower that stands in the campus.
He goes through the door, he starts up the stairs.
The sound of his footsteps, the sound of his breathing,
The sound of the silence when no one was there.
I didn't really know him.
He was kind of strange.
Always sort of sat there.
He never seemed to change.
He reached the catwalk. He put down his burden.
The four sided clock began to chime.
Seven AM, the day is beginning.
So much to do and so little time.
He looks at the city where no one had known him.
He looks at the sky where no one looks down.
He looks at his life and what it has shown him.
He looks for his shadow it cannot be found.
He was such a moody child, very hard to touch.
Even as a baby he never smiled too much. No no.No no.
You bug me, she said.
Your ugly, she said.
Please hug me, I said.
But she just sat there
With the same flat stare
That she saves for me alone
When I'm home.
When I'm home.
Take me home.
He laid out the rifles, he loaded the shotgun,
He stacked up the cartridges along the wall.
He knew he would need them for his conversation.
If it went as it he planned, then he might use them all.
He said Listen you people I've got a question
You won't pay attention but I'll ask anyhow.
I found a way that will get me an answer.
Been waiting to ask you 'till now.
Right now !
Am I ?
I am a lover whose never been kissed.
Am I ?
I am a fighter whose not made a fist.
Am I ?
If I'm alive then there's so much I've missed.
How do I know I exist ?
Are you listening to me ?
Are you listening to me ?
Am I ?
The first words he spoke took the town by surprise.
One got Mrs. Gibbons above her right eye.
It blew her through the window wedged her against the door.
Reality poured from her face, staining the floor.
He was kind of creepy,
Sort of a dunce.
I met him at the corner bar.
I only dated the poor boy once,
That's all. Just once, that was all.
Bill Whedon was questioned as stepped from his car.
Tom Scott ran across the street but he never got that far.
The police were there in minutes, they set up baricades.
He spoke right on over them in a half-mile circle.
In a dumb struck city his pointed questions were sprayed.
He knocked over Danny Tyson as he ran towards the noise.
Just about then the answers started comming. Sweet, sweet joy.
Thudding in the clock face, whining off the walls,
Reaching up to where he sat there, answering calls.
Thirty-seven people got his message so far.
Yes, he was reaching them right were they are.
They set up an assault team. They asked for volunteers.
They had to go and get him, that much was clear.
And the word spread about him on the radios and TV's.
In appropriately sober tone they asked "Who can it be ?"
He was a very dull boy, very taciturn.
Not much of a joiner, he did not want to learn.
No no.No no.
They're coming to get me, they don't want to let me
Stay in the bright light too long.
It's getting on noon now, it's goin to be soon now.
But oh, what a wonderful sound !
Mama, won't you nurse me ?
Rain me down the sweet milk of your kindness.
Mama, it's getting worse for me.
Won't you please make me warm and mindless ?
Mama, yes you have cursed me.
I never will forgive you for your blindness.
I hate you!
The wires are all humming for me.
And I can hear them coming for me.
Soon they'll be here, but there's nothing to fear.
Not any more though they've blasted the door.
As the copter dropped the gas he shouted " Who cares ?" .
They could hear him laughing as they started up the stairs.
As they stormed out on the catwalk, blinking at the sun,
With their final fusillade his answer had come.
Am I ?
There is no way that you can hide me.
Am I ?
Though you have put your fire inside me.
Am I ?
You've given me my answer can't you see ?
I was !
I am !
And now I Will Be
I WILL BE !!!
If I’m alive then there’s so much I’ve missed…. How do I know I exist?
One of my Harry ear worms. Unforgettable song.
Those two bulky suitcases...Scarily poignant for those of us who live in the Czech capital, Prague.
Only 10k views for what is quite possibly the best song ever? Hard to believe.
Chapin's best song. IMAO.
This is such wonderful poetry! What happened to the music industry over the years?
Was devastated when I heard the news that he had died. At least I did get to see him live once.
Swedish TV had a great program called N.S.V.I.P Great version off this song by Lee Hazelwood and Lill Lill Lindfors.
It hasn't changed, the human race is still here
Considering that we are supposed to be the highlight of God's creation. Human kind hasn't learned that it takes less effort to get along then it does to hate. God loves us but it's a shame that we're doing so bad.
@@gothicpastor1013 That's because human kind is spiritually dead, until one is regenerated.
About Charles Whitman?
That's what I've read.
Yes.
Was the clock tower chosen for more than its elevation?
Truth is stranger.
Yes.
Great singer and songwriter, but why put a murder on a pedestal? I mean, he shot a young pregnant college student through her stomach. Gruesome and macabre song.
I don't think the song is putting the man on a pedestal. He was a useless piece of shit and the song doesn't call him anything more or less.
There was alot more to this case then just an angry guy. Charles Whitman had a tumor, and he was mentally troubled. He tried to seek help several times only to be turned away by the Military,Mental health system, and his own mother. Before he did what he did he tried to commit himself and they wouldn't take him. Its more a comment on the tragedy of a broken system.
you should listen , when harry speaks , you should listen. Sandy hook are you listening ?
Sandy hook and the sandy hooks to follow.
Where do you hear it?