Macavity the Mystery Cat (Song)

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

The entire scene involving Macavity is divided into two sections: the queens singing about him, and the Macavity fight sequence. This article is about the song, see here for the article about the fight.

Context
At the end of Skimbleshanks' number, the cats are all relaxed and enjoying themselves, when a crash of broken glass startles everyone. Now predictably, Demeter cries "Macavity?!" And indeed, from nowhere an evil, menacing figure with a booming laugh appears offstage. Before the cats can react, he disappears and reappears elsewhere in the theatre. Just as before, as soon as he has done so he disappears again, only to reappear onstage at last.

Putting the cats under his hypnotic spell, Macavity has his hench-cats kidnap Old Deuteronomy, before disappearing once more. The other cats either chase after them or go into hiding, in all directions, until only Demeter and Bombalurina remain on-stage.

Demeter starts recounting what she knows about Macavity. Bombalurina watches intently before joining in with a more down-to-earth perspective; while Demeter, paranoid as she is, accuses him of grave and fantastical crimes such as jewel thefts, Bombalurina relates more mundane problems like missing milk and broken glass. Eventually most of the female cats return to the stage and join them in singing about Macavity.

History
The lyrics for "Macavity" are taken entirely from the T S Eliot poem of the same name from Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats (1939). They have remained mostly unchanged over the years; the only exception is the original London line: "I might mention Mungojerrie, Rumpleteazer, Griddlebone," which was changed when the show transferred to Broadway to: "I might mention Mungojerrie, I might mention Griddlebone."

While many productions in the 1980s and early 1990s included various male characters in the backing dance, most modern replica productions since then 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 among more recent productions is the 5th US tour, which included Pouncival and Tumblebrutus in the dance to make up for the lack of Tantomile in the production.

In many 1980s and early 1990s versions of the number, mainly US and European-based productions, Alonzo danced a "shadow dance" behind Demeter during her verse, shadowing her movements.

Music
"Macavity the Mystery Cat" is a sensual bluesy number, underpinned by Macavity's musical motif. The song is set in the 4/4 time signature and has a tempo of 86 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of C minor, and the chorus generally follows a chord pattern of Cm-Cm/Eb-F7-D7/F#-(G7). Demeter and Bombalurina's vocals span from A3 to C5. Parts of the lyrics are meant to be spoken instead of sung.



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 (alt) I might mention Mungojerrie, Rumpleteazer, Griddlebone (alt) 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!

International Versions

 * Czech
 * Dutch
 * French
 * German
 * Norwegian
 * Russian
 * Spanish

Audio

 * "Macavity the Mystery Cat" from the 1981 London cast recording


 * "Macavity the Mystery Cat" from the 1983 Broadway cast recording


 * "Macavity the Mystery Cat" from the 2019 movie soundtrack