Verities & Balderdash

Verities & Balderdash
Studio album by Harry Chapin
Released	August 1974
Recorded	1973
Studio	Connecticut Recording Studios, Bridgeport, Connecticut
Length	43:49
Label	Elektra 7E-1012
Producer	Paul Leka
Harry Chapin chronology
Short Stories (1973) Verities & Balderdash (1974) Portrait Gallery (1975)
Singles from Verities & Balderdash
"What Made America Famous?" Released: August 1974 "I Wanna Learn a Love Song" Released: August 1974 "Cat's in the Cradle" Released: October 1, 1974

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Tom Hull	D[2]

Verities & Balderdash is the fourth studio album by the American singer/songwriter Harry Chapin, released in 1974. (see 1974 in music). "Cat's in the Cradle" was Chapin's highest-charting single, finishing at number 38 for the year on the 1974 Billboard year-end Hot 100 chart. The follow-up single, "I Wanna Learn a Love Song," charted on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart at number 44, and Billboard Adult Contemporary at number 7. A promotional single, "What Made America Famous?", was released to radio stations as a 45 rpm single. The album was certified Gold on December 17, 1974.^[3]

The album was advertised with the slogan: "As only Harry can tell it."^[4]

Track listing

All tracks written by Harry Chapin, except where noted.^[5]

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Cat's in the Cradle" (Written by Sandy Chapin and Harry Chapin)	3:44
2.	"I Wanna Learn a Love Song"	4:19
3.	"Shooting Star"	4:02
4.	"30,000 Pounds of Bananas"	5:45
5.	"She Sings Songs Without Words"	3:31

Side two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"What Made America Famous?"	6:53
2.	"Vacancy"	4:00
3.	"Halfway to Heaven"	6:10
4.	"Six String Orchestra"	5:25

Personnel

Band

• Harry Chapin - guitar, lead vocals
• John Tropea - acoustic guitar, sitar
• Don Payne - bass
• Allan Schwartzberg - drums
• Don Grolnick - piano, electric piano, harpsichord
• Ron Bacchiocchi - synthesizer
• Irving Spice - concertmaster
• George Simms - background vocals
• Frank Simms - background vocals
• Dave Kondziela - background vocals
• Zizi Roberts - female vocals

Production

• Ron Bacchiocchi - recording engineer
• Grant Ames - recording engineer
• Paul Leka - mixing
• Fred Kewley - mixing
• Glen Christensen - art direction
• Bill Hofman - illustration
• Ruth Bernal - photography
• Shiah Grumet - design

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (1974) Peak position Australian Album (Kent Music Report)[6] 15 US Billboard 200[7] 4

Year-end charts Chart (1975) Position US Billboard 200[8] 48

Certifications

Region	Certification	Sales
United States	2× Platinum	2,500,000
Canada	2× Platinum	200,000

References

1. Allmusic review
2. Hull, Tom (April 1975). "The Rekord Report: Second Card". Overdose. Retrieved June 26, 2020 – via tomhull.com.
3. SuperSeventies.com Verities & Balderdash
4. http://www.anyoldkindofday.com/album_VeritiesandBalderdash.html
5. Original LP 1974 Elektra/Asylum/Nonesuch Records 7E-1012
6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 59. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
7. "Harry Chapin Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
8. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1975". Billboard. Retrieved October 28, 2021.