 The quote was often used as an introduction to the song during live performances, with the comma after "drummer" being pronounced as a word because of the educational theme.The lyrics Harry Chapin wrote are similar to a poem by Helen E Buckley called "The Little Boy" originally published in the School Arts Magazine in 1961.On Jerry Seinfeld's web series "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, guest Sarah Jessica Parker relates that she and her siblings were the uncredited background singers for the child part of the song's chorus.