Some songs tell a pretty clear story. Most of the time it is a person falling in love with someone else and then going on from there. However, there is one song that leaves me perplexed, and I must admit that I might be stretching for something that isn't there.

In 1974, Harry Chapin wrote a song called "Cat's in the Cradle." The song went on to be very successful. If you have no idea what I am talking about, look it up on YouTube. Anyway, the song is about a relationship between a son and father. From the lyrics, we get that the father was rather distant when the child was growing up. Despite that, the son always looked up to his father, even saying, "I'm gonna be like him." As the song progresses, we see the roles reverse. Now the son is the one who isn't around in the father's life. In fact, the last verse goes,

"Well, I've long since retired and my son's moved away

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 kid's got the flu
But it's sure nice talking to you, dad
It's been sure nice talking to you.'"

The music begins to fade and slow as Harry sings, "And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me, he'd grown up just like me. My boy was just like me."

This is the part that confuses me. I can never tell what he is implying with this line of music. It sounds like he is ashamed of himself for not being in the son's life more. What I don't understand is why should he feel ashamed? His son loved him, had a job, and has children of his own now. Is it a bad thing if the son turned out like the father? Does he fear that his son will not be there for his children as much as he should? Does he feel unloved by his son? Does he feel like he failed as a father? Outside of the son being too busy to spend time with his father, he seemed like a respectable guy. More importantly, he modeled himself after the father. In that regard, I feel the father should be happy his son is doing great things.

I maybe looking to much into it. He may just miss his son, which is understandable. In a way, it could be the way the son felt. However I reiterate, was becoming him a bad thing?