HEADS & TAILS FEATURING TAXI

Creating a niche for himself with compelling, character-driven story-songs and accessible melodies, Harry Chapin was one of the most popular singer/songwriters in an era overflowing with singer/songwriters. HEADS & TALES (1972), Chapin's debut album, announced his arrival on the scene, with the help of the hit "Taxi," one of Chapin's most memorable and enduring tunes. A first-person narrative told from the point of view of a cab driver who gives a ride to an old flame, "Taxi" sports string arrangements and the nostalgic, melancholy cast Chapin is known for. Though the rest of the record doesn't quite match up to "Taxi," it is still full of strong material. "Greyhound," a song about riding the bus cross-country, underscores the sense of drifting and displacement that characterizes much of the album, as does "Any Old Kind of Day" and "Empty," the closest thing HEADS & TALES has to a pop song. Orchestral-influenced arrangements and Chapin's ragged, emotive voice give the record the distinctive sound that would contribute to the artist's success in the years to come.