Growltiger's Last Stand

Growltiger's Last Stand is a dream sequence in the musical "Cats", in which Gus the Theatre Cat reminisces about one of his favourite roles, playing the fearsome pirate Growltiger.

In addition to Gus changing into Growltiger onstage, the number also features Jellylorum as Griddlebone, the Raffish Crew, and the Siamese.

Due to filming time constraints, the whole sequence was cut from the 1998 movie.

Song
"Growltiger's Last Stand" is a poem from T. S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, as well as a song from the musical derived from that book.



The original concept was for Growltiger and Griddlebone to perform a Puccini-style aria "In Una Tepida Notte", however when Susan Jane Tanner was cast as Jellylorum/Griddlebone, the decision was made to simplify the vocal part and make the duet a drinking song "Billy Macaw", offering as much comedic potential without the demands of a legitimate soprano part. When the show transferred to Broadway, Andrew Lloyd Webber took the opportunity to revert to the original plan and include the Aria.

Besides the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical setting in Cats the English composer Humphrey Searle composed a musical setting of "Growltiger's Last Stand" as the second of his Two Practical Cats for speaker, flute, cello and guitar.

Lyrics
Growltiger 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"

-

His manners 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

-

The cottagers of Rotherhithe knew something of his fame

At Hammersmith and Putney, people shuddered at his name

They would fortify the hen house, lock up the silly goose

When the rumor ran along the shore: Growltiger's on the loose!

-

Woe to the weak canary that fluttered from its cage

Woe to the pampered Pekinese, that faced Growltiger's rage

Woe the bristly bandicoot that lurks on foreign ships

And woe to any cat with whom Growltiger came to grips

-

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

-

Now on a peaceful summer night all nature seemed at play

The tender moon was shining bright, the barge at Molsey lay

All in the balmy moonlight it lay rocking on the tide

And Growltiger was disposed to show his sentimental side

-

In the forepeak of the vessel, Growltiger stood alone

Concentrating his attention on the lady Griddlebone

And his raffish crew were sleeping in their barrels and their bunks

As the Siamese came creeping in their sampans and their junks

-

Growltiger had no eye or ear for aught but Griddlebone

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

-

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

--

Then Genghis gave the signal to his fierce Mongolian hordes

Abandoning their sampans, the chinks they swarmed aboard

Abandoning their sampans, their pullaways, and junks

They battened down the hatches on the crew within their bunks

-

Then Griddlebone she gave a screech for she was badly skeered

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 Growltiger did surround

-

The ruthless foe pressed forward in stubborn rank on rank

Growltiger 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 kerflip, kerflop

-

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 in Brentford and Victoria Dock

And a day of celebration was commanded in Bangkok!

- 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