Credits
PERFORMING ARTISTS
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Performer
"Cats" 1983 Broadway Cast
Performer
Original London Cast
Performer
Stephen Tate
Vocals
Susan Jane Tanner
Vocals
Jeff Shankley
Vocals
Roland Alexander
Vocals
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Composer
T.S. Eliot
Songwriter
Trevor Nunn
Songwriter
Richard Stilgoe
Songwriter
David Cullen
Orchestrator
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Producer
Martin Levan
Producer
David Hamilton Smith
Recording Engineer
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Growl-tiger was a Bravo Cat who travelled on a barge
In fact he was the roughest cat that ever roamed at large
From Gravesend up to Oxford he pursued his evil aims
Rejoicing in his title of The Terror of the Thames
[Verse 2]
His manner and appearance did not calculate to please
His coat was torn and seedy, it was baggy at the knees
One ear was somewhat missing, no need to tell you why
And he scowled upon a hostile world from one forbidding eye
[Verse 3]
The cottagers of Rotherhithe knew something of his fame
At Hammersmith and Putney people shuddered at his name
They would fortify the henhouse, lock up the silly goose
When the rumour ran along the shore: Growl-tiger's on the loose!
[Verse 4]
Woe to the weak canary that fluttered from its cage
Woe to the pampered Pekinese that faced Growl-tiger's rage
Woe to the bristly bandicoot that lurked on foreign ships
And woe to any cat with whom Growl-tiger came to grips!
[Verse 5]
But most to cats of foreign race his hatred had been vowed
To cats of foreign name and race no quarter was allowed
The Persian and the Siamese regarded him with fear
Because it was a Siamese had mauled his missing ear
[Verse 6]
Now on a peaceful summer night all nature seemed at play
The tender moon was shining bright, the barge at Molesey lay
All in the balmy moonlight it lay rocking on the tide
And Growl-tiger was disposed to show his sentimental side
[Verse 7]
In the forepeak of the vessel
Growl-tiger stood alone
Concentrating his attention on the lady Griddle-bone
And my raffish crew were sleeping in their barrels and their bunks
As the Siamese came creeping in their sampans and their junks
[Verse 8]
Growl-tiger had no eye or ear for aught but Griddle-bone
And the lady seemed enraptured by my manly baritone
Disposed to relaxation and awaiting no surprise
But the moonlight shone reflected from a thousand bright blue eyes
[Verse 9]
And closer still and closer the sampans circled round
And yet from all the enemy there was not heard a sound
The foe was armed with toasting forks and cruel carving knives
And the lovers sang their last duet in danger of their lives
[Verse 10]
Then Genghis gave the signal to his fierce Mongolian hordes
Abandoning their sampans, the chinks they swarmed aboard
Abandoning their sampans, their pull-a-ways, and junks
They battened down the hatches on the crew within their bunks
[Verse 11]
Then Griddle-bone she gave a screech, for she was badly scared
I am sorry to admit it but she quickly disappeared
She probably escaped with ease, I'm sure she was not drowned
But a serried ring of flashing steel Growl-tiger did surround
[Verse 12]
The ruthless foe pressed forward in stubborn rank on rank
Growl-tiger to his vast surprise was forced to walk the plank
He who a hundred victims had driven to that drop
At the end of all his crimes was forced to go k-e-r-flip k-e-r-flop
[Verse 13]
Oh there was joy in Wapping when the news flew through the land
At Maidenhead and Henley there was dancing on the Strand
Rats were roasted whole at Brentford and Victoria Dock
And a day of celebrations was commanded in Bangkok
[Verse 14]
These modern productions are all very well
But there's nothing to equal, from what I hear tell
That moment of mystery when I made history
Written by: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Richard Stilgoe, T.S. Eliot, Trevor Nunn
