Available to stream/buy wherever you’d get your music. I listen to Harry Chapin on Spotify but it looks like his discography is available on the other major music streamers. (Also, youtube)
What is it, in summary?:
The song is about the narrator and his friendship with a man named John Joseph who works alone in a train yard. John Joseph tells the narrator incredible stories about places he’s visited and about a woman named Corey. The people in town say that that John Joseph has never traveled and that “no one named Corey’s ever lived in this town” but John Joseph insists that Corey’s coming.
What do you love about it?:
A quick note on Harry Chapin, he was a folk musician most active in the 70’s known for his political activism and long character driven story songs. If you’re not familiar you still may have heard his most famous song Cat’s in the Cradle. He was a staple of the long road trips of my childhood.
The reason I’m interested in this song is because Corey’s Coming is the only song of Harry’s that has, what I would describe as, a supernatural element. Who (or what) Corey is, is never explained in the song and Harry Chapin never said (though he does call John Joseph an ‘old man with a dream’ in the live version of the song). So, is Corey real or not? The townspeople don’t believe she’s real but the narrator meets her at the end of the song. But, when he meets her, she’s described as a young woman not someone the same age as John Joseph even though the song implies he knew her in his past. So, yeah, weird. I definitely think the song can have an eerie vibe despite the cheerful tone considering the narrator, after meeting Corey, decides to move out to the train yard himself and wait for her to return.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it?:
Personally, I love horror so I’ll be requesting a story that leans into a supernatural reading of the song. I think there's a lot of fun mystery to explore in this song.
Corey’s Coming by Harry Chapin (Song)
Corey’s Coming by Harry Chapin 1976
Media:
Song
Approx length:
About 5 and ½ mins
Where to find it:
Available to stream/buy wherever you’d get your music. I listen to Harry Chapin on Spotify but it looks like his discography is available on the other major music streamers. (Also, youtube)
What is it, in summary?:
The song is about the narrator and his friendship with a man named John Joseph who works alone in a train yard. John Joseph tells the narrator incredible stories about places he’s visited and about a woman named Corey. The people in town say that that John Joseph has never traveled and that “no one named Corey’s ever lived in this town” but John Joseph insists that Corey’s coming.
What do you love about it?:
A quick note on Harry Chapin, he was a folk musician most active in the 70’s known for his political activism and long character driven story songs. If you’re not familiar you still may have heard his most famous song Cat’s in the Cradle. He was a staple of the long road trips of my childhood.
The reason I’m interested in this song is because Corey’s Coming is the only song of Harry’s that has, what I would describe as, a supernatural element. Who (or what) Corey is, is never explained in the song and Harry Chapin never said (though he does call John Joseph an ‘old man with a dream’ in the live version of the song). So, is Corey real or not? The townspeople don’t believe she’s real but the narrator meets her at the end of the song. But, when he meets her, she’s described as a young woman not someone the same age as John Joseph even though the song implies he knew her in his past. So, yeah, weird. I definitely think the song can have an eerie vibe despite the cheerful tone considering the narrator, after meeting Corey, decides to move out to the train yard himself and wait for her to return.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it?:
Personally, I love horror so I’ll be requesting a story that leans into a supernatural reading of the song. I think there's a lot of fun mystery to explore in this song.