Harry's music is not for the "passer-by listener." Chapin tackled everything from politics to religion - and didn't hold anything back! It's not easy-going pop, but folk tunes that cover gammut of humanity. As a lyricist, he is extremely creative, utilizing allegories and metaphors to illustrate his points. Musically speaking, this album is fantastic. The melodies are well-designed and will stick in your head after a few times of listening. His brother, Stephen, masterfully arranged the strings and brass for each song, giving each work a unique character of it's own. The best tune on the album is "The Mayor of Candor Lied." It's not your typical rock tune, in that the music follows the lyrics. Accents, tempo changes, percussion are all added at the appropriate times. Lyrically, you have to listen to the music and the words at the same time - don't cheat by finding the lyrics on the internet. BUY THE ALBUM! Other tunes worthy of merit are "The Parade's Still Passing By," dedicated to the late singer/songwriter Phil Ochs. "Corey's Coming" and "Caroline" are two ballads with phenomenal melodies and beautifully scored orchestration. Listening to Harry Chapin is not a daily event for me. It's like listening to Bartok - I appreciate his music more for its integrity and can only digest so much at one time. With that said, I hope I haven't discouraged you from trying this album. If you're to pick one of his albums to try, either this or his live album would be a great place to start.