The Aristocats

The Aristocats

(1970 American animated musical film,
produced by Walt Disney)

tiff. Bell Lightbox, Toronto

March 21, 2015

by Live Music Head

"Everybody wants to be a cat.

Because a cat's the only cat who knows where it's at.

Everybody's pickin' up on that feline beat,

'cause everything else is obsolete.

Now a square with a horn makes you wish you weren't born,

every time he plays.

With a square in the act,

you can set music back to the caveman days.

I've heard some corny birds who tried to sing,

but a cat's the only cat who knows how to swing.

Who wants to dig a long-haired gig or stuff like that,

when everybody wants to be a cat?

A square with a horn makes you wish you weren't born,

every time he plays.

With a square in the act,

you could set music back to the caveman days.

Everybody wants to be a cat.

Because a cat's the only cat who knows where it's at.

While playin' jazz you always has a welcome mat,

'cause everybody digs a swingin' cat.

Duchess: 'Let's swing it!

If you want to turn me on, play your horn,

don't spare the tone,

and blow a little soul into the tune.'

Thomas O'Malley:

'Let's take it to another key, modulate, and wait for me.

I'll take a few ad-libs and pretty soon...

the other cats will all commence,

congregatin' on the fence,

beneath the alley's only light.'

Duchess: 'Where every note is out of sight.'

Everybody wants to be a cat!

Everybody wants to be a cat!

Everybody wants to be a cat!"

~ Scatman Crothers, Phil Harris, Thurl Ravenscroft,
Vito Scotti, Paul Winchell

When I arrived home to tell Banjo my favourite part was
when the feral Thomas O’Malley first appeared, 

struttin’ his manly alleycat stuff around the countryside of France 
to rescue and charm the elegant, well-spoken Duchess,
a damsel in distress and mother of three cute kittens
(Toulouse, Marie, Berlioz),

he was not impressed.  

Banjo: “How come I don’t have a ticket stub? 

Some people don’t take me to the movies. 

And I’m the manliest, most charming, struttin’ cat of ‘em all!” 

Then I told him about the first appearance 
of Abigail and Amelia Gabble, 

the high-society twin geese from England
with an Uncle Waldo who drinks.
LMH: “Boy, them geese didn’t strut,
they waddlin’ into the picture to form a single line.” 

He was still not impressed. 

Then I told Banjo about Scat, 

the trumpet playin’ cat 
and his swingin' band of jazz-playin' alleycats
that stole it with their show tune, 
Everybody Wants To Be A Cat.
LMH: “I’m not sure if it was Toulose or Berlioz who said: 

‘It ain’t Beethoven mama, but it sure bounces!’ 

And it did. 

Then Duchess said: ‘Let's swing it!
If you want to turn me on, play your horn. 

Don’t spare the tone, and blow a little soul into the tune.’ 
Banjo: “I’m pissed off you didn’t get me a ticket. 

I’m gonna throw up on your bed.”

Everybody Wants To Be A Cat
performed by Scatman Crothers as Scat Cat 
with his polyethnic jazz band
in the Walt Disney motion picture classic, The Aristocats...