6.26.2007

My Top Five Pussycat Songs



Everybody Wants To Be a Cat


Chris’s Cat Mix CD (“Everybody Wants To Be a Cat”—well, d’oh) has been enjoying a lot of airplay here chez O’Kitten.

She included two versions of “Everybody Wants To Be a Cat”—one by Psapp and one by Michelle Shocked, who I absolutely adore.

Other favorite tracks include the previously featured “Señor Don Gato,” here performed by Kelly Hogan; The Weakerthans’ “Plea from a Cat Named Virtue” (you really should go listen to this song—I adore it—if you follow the link and click on the "audio & visual" buffalo herd you'll find it); a great bluegrass cover of “Cat Scratch Fever” by Hayseed Dixie; and “Mbube (The Lion Sleeps Tonight),” a most wonderful version of one of my favorite tunes by the inimitable Ladysmith Black Mambazo.


Here’s my own High Fidelity-esque top 5 list of favorite pussycat songs.

1. The Cure, "Love Cats"
2. The Presidents of the United States of America, "Kitty"
3. Adam Ant, "Puss N'Boots"


4. Lords of Acid, "Pussy" – though this is not exactly family-friendly listening, it is a very funny song.
5. Beastie Boys, "Cookie Puss" -- mostly I just like to say “Cookie
Puss.” Funnier still that Cookie Puss is also Cookie O'Puss in March, and that Cookie Puss isn’t even a cat, but a very disturbing-looking alien (or so Carvel says) from Planet Birthday.

Cookie Puss


Finally, best cat album: Cat Stevens' Teaser and the Firecat which I’ve loved since I was a small child. Partly because his name is Cat (what could be cooler?) and because Firecat is a cat whose picture is on the album cover.


If you've forgotten what's on this 1971 classic, here's the track list:
1. The Wind
2. Rubylove
3. If I Laugh
4. Changes IV
5. How Can I Tell You
6. Tuesday's Dead
7. Morning Has Broken
8. Bitterblue
9. Moonshadow
10. Peace Train

Both Peace Train and Morning Has Broken were #1 singles on the Billboard chart, Moonshadow reached #10, and the album hit #2.


Teaser and the Firecat is also a children’s book (in English, French, and Spanish, which is kind of neat) by Cat Stevens. It has beautiful illustrations. And a cat.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

MY TOP 5:
1  China Cat Sunflower - Grateful Dead  ... the music
actually sounds like a cat playing!

2. Cat Scratch Fever - Ted Nugent
3. Stray Cat Strut - Stray Cats (obvious one)
4. Love Cats - the Cure
5. Angel - Jimi Hendrix  ... Angel was my cat's name

Anonymous said...

I was going to mention Stray Cat Strut, a favourite around here. We like to sing the line, "She walks right by with her tail in the air" ..erm..often, as we have 4 cats who often walk by!
Also a Cat Stevens fan here.


I got an extremely long word verification. Are those robots getting smarter?

Chris said...

I do love Teaser and the Firecat! I also love the acoustic version of Love Cats by the Cure.

I'm glad you're enjoying the cd so much! :) I just got two cat music cds, and it's fun to see how differently people interpret the same theme. One of 'em has two different versions of "We Are Siamese If You Please"!

Anonymous said...

OK, you and I like a lot of the same music: Michelle Shocked, The Cure (saw them in concert once), Adam Ant...and I am even a closet Lords of Acid fan (I can only listen when my kids aren't around though).

Great list! That Cat Mix CD sounds really good, and I liked the Weakerthan's song.

Carrie K said...

Stray Cat Strut, yes.

Cat Stevens! Oh how I loved him.

Gattina said...

Cat songs are always nice meow ! Lisa the ol' girl showed me yesterday that she can play too, that hasn't happened since ages ! She played with a little white fur mouse. My big cats are waking up !

Meow (aka Connie) said...

Hey, what about my Tom Jones "What's New Pussycat ?" ... can't forget that one !!
Take care, Meow

BEESTLYproducts said...

CAT STEVENS! <3333