Growltiger's Last Stand/Revised Lyrics

The English lyrics for the revised version of "Growltiger's Last Stand" - used in London 2014, Australia NZ 2015 and UK Tour 2016. This version included a revised Duet from 2015 onwards, while in London in 2014 the duet was cut entirely.

Lyrics
 Growltiger: Growltiger - I'm a bravo cat who travels on a barge In fact I am the roughest cat that'll ever roam at large From Gravesend up to Oxford I pursue me evil aims Rejoicing in me title of "The Terror of the Thames"

Raffish Crew: Grrr-owltiger Grrr-owltiger

Growltiger: Me manners and appearance do not calculate to please Me coat is torn and seedy, and I'm baggy at the knees One ear is somewhat missing 'cause - no need to tell you why And I scowl upon the hostile world from one forbidding eye

Raffish Crew: Grrr-owltiger Grrr-owltiger

They guard their geese, their hens, like precious gems From Hammersmith to Rotherhithe, he makes them swore, he makes them writhe And as they die they always cry: "The Terror of the Thames"

Growltiger: And most to cats of foreign race my hatred had been vowed To cats of foreign name and race, no quarter is allowed Them Persians and them Siamese, well I'm who they most fear Because it was a Siamese that mauled me missing ear

Grrr-owltiger

Raffish Crew: Grrr-owltiger

Don't mess wiv him cos he ain't playing games The Pekinese, the Bandicoot, one sight of him and off they scoot When he goes by they all salute "The Terror of the Thames"

It was a peaceful summer night when nature seemed at play A lover's moon was shining bright, the barge at Molesey lay All in the balmy moonlight it lay rocking on the tide So suppose he was disposed to show his sentimental side

Growltiger: See in the forepeak of the vessel, I wasn't quite alone I was giving my attention to my lady Griddlebone And my raffish crew were sleeping in their barrels and their bunks

Siamese As the Siamese came creeping in their sampans and their junks

Griddlebone: You see he had no eye or ear for aught but Griddlebone

Growltiger: And my lady seemed enraptured by my manly baritone

Griddlebone: Disposed to relaxation and awaiting no surprise

Siamese: 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

(Start of revised Duet - only added from 2015 onwards) The foe was armed with toasting forks and cruel carving knives, And the lovers sang their last duet in danger of their lives...

Growltiger: In una tepida notte d'estate Allorché la natura era nel pieno fulgor E la fresca rugiada splendeva al chiar di luna Sopra la verzura Si poteva vedere il gallione ancorato

In una tepida notte, abbiamo trovato l'amore

Griddlebone: In una tepida notte d'estate Allorché la natura era nel pieno fulgor E la fresca rugiada splendeva al chiar di luna Sopra la verzura Si poteva vedere il gallione ancorato

In una tepida notte, abbiamo trovato l'amore

Both: In una tepida notte, abbiamo trovato l'amore (End of revised Duet - only added from 2015 onwards)

Genghis: I'm Genghis, I then signalled to my fierce Mongolian horde With a frightful burst of fireworks we Siamese swarmed aboard

Siamese: Abandoning their sampans and their pullaways and junks They battened down the hatches on the crew within their bunks

Growltiger: Then Griddlebone she gave a screech for she was badly skeered I'm sorry I must tell you that she upped and disappeared She probably escaped with ease I'm sure she was not drowned

Siamese: But a serried ring of flashing steel Growltiger did surround

Growltiger: The ruthless foe pressed forward in rank on rank on rank And I, the great Growltiger, was forced to walk the plank Me, who a hundred victims had driven to that drop It was tragic - TRAGIC! - I was forced to go kerflip, kerflop

Siamese: Oh there was joy in Wapping when the news flew through the land At 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!

Gus: These modern productions, they're all very well But there's nothing to equal from what I hear tell That moment of mystery when I made history...