Macavity the Mystery Cat (Song)

Macavity the Mystery Cat is a song about the character Macavity, usually performed by Demeter and Bombalurina with other characters providing backup dancing and singing for the later portion of the song.

Whilst many productions in the 80 included various male characters in the backing dance, most modern replica productions restrict it to the female dance characters; Rumpleteazer, Victoria, Jemima/Sillabub, Tantomile, Cassandra, and Electra and Etcetera if they are in the production. The exception amongst more recent productions is the US Tour, which included Pouncival and Tumblebrutus in the dance, to make up for the lack of Tantomile in the production.

In many older versions of the number, mainly American productions, Alonzo danced a "shadow dance" behind Demeter during her verse, shadowing her movements.

Lyrics
Macavity's a mystery cat, he's called the hidden paw For he's a master criminal who can defy the law He's the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad's despair For when they reach the scene of crime, Macavity's not there Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity He's broken every human law, he breaks the law of gravity His powers of levitation would make a fakir stare And when you reach the scene of crime, Macavity's not there You may seek him in the basement You may look up in the air But I'll tell you once and once again Macavity's not there Macavity's a ginger cat, he's very tall and thin You would know him if you saw him for his eyes are sunken in His brow is deeply lined in thought, his head is highly domed His coat is dusty from neglect, his whiskers are uncombed He sways his head from side to side with movements like a snake And when you think he's half asleep he's always wide awake Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity For he's a fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity You may meet him in a by-street You may see him in the square But when a crime's discovered then Macavity's not there He's outwardly respectable I know he cheats at cards And his footprints are not found in any files of Scotland Yard's And when the larder's looted Or the jewel case is rifled Or when the milk is missing Or another peke's been stifled Or the greenhouse glass is broken And the trellis past repair There's the wonder of the thing Macavity's not there Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity There never was a cat of such deceitfulness and suavity He always has an alibi and one or two to spare What ever time the deed took place, Macavity wasn't there And they say that all the cats whose wicked deeds are widely known I might mention Mungojerrie, I might mention Griddlebone Are nothing more than agents for the cat who all the time Just controls the operations: the Napoleon of crime! Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity For he's a fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity You may meet him in a by-street You may see him in the square But when a crime's discovered then Macavity, Macavity, Macavity, Macavity When a crime's discovered then Macavity's not there!

Video
Macavity-Macavity The Mystery Cat (CATS film 1998) CATS - Hamburg 1986 - Macavity (Sabine Hettlich & Charlotta Thorell)
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