The Essentials more or less lives up to its name, gathering a dozen definitive
Harry Chapin songs, including "Taxi," "W*O*L*D*," "Cat's in the Cradle," and "30,000 Pounds of Bananas." Other highlights include "Dreams Go By," "Dance Band on the Titanic," and "Better Place to Be." More in keeping with
The Anthology of Harry Chapin than
The Gold Medal Collection or
The Story of a Life: The Harry Chapin Box in terms of its depth and breadth,
Essentials offers a decent primer of
Chapin's best-known work. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide