Harry Chapin serves up this morning’s CarTune with his bittersweet musical tale of two faded lovers, “Taxi.”

Harry Foster Chapin was a singer-songwriter who found fame with arresting three-minute AM radio dramas including “WOLD,”  the number one “Cat’s in the Cradle,” and this song, “Taxi.” Rising to no. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972, “Taxi” was the tune that broke out the Brooklyn-based folkie and made him a national name.

It was raining hard in ‘Frisco
I needed one more fare to make my night
A lady up ahead waved to flag me down
She got in at the light

Taxicabs are familiar devices in American song and story, transporting the narrator through space and in this case, time. Chapin was inspired to write the song when, on his way to take the New York taxi driver’s exam, he bumped into an old girlfriend. Known for his extensive charity work, Chapin died in a car accident in 1981 at age 38. This live performance was recorded by Chapin in 1976 on the PBS television program, Soundstage, and released years later as a DVD. Say hello again to Harry and Sue.