CATS- Growltiger's last stand

[CrysCrys119]

Is this sped up?

[MasterBoq1489]

@Yip1982 I think the Ballad of Billy McCaw actually fits better considering I can't see Growltiger getting romantic and singing in Italian. Also, he does seem like one to regularly visit a bar with his crew.

[MasterBoq1489]

Now I want a flute and a guitar. And a bar.

[LikeCutieeXx]

i don't understand why they had awful battle of the pekes and the pollicles in the DVD version when this song is way better:L

[SophisticatedLunatic]

I love love LOVE the ballad of Billy McCaw :') Makes me just want to go to the nearest pub

[blackclawedthing]

the things Gus and Grizabella have in common are that they used to be famous.

[diva10monkey]

Is that little opld Gus!!!

how he so small and fragile!!

[diva10monkey]

why was this not in the movie? I dont understand it still.

[lancitty4ever1]

@diva10monkey Because John Mills who played Gus was getting on a bit and his filming overran.

[66webber66]

@diva10monkey They dropped it because the actor who played Gus was 90 years old, as well as time limitations.

[AriannaSbagliata]

I bought the DVD, but this song isn't in that. Does someone know why?

[BlueHeartXXX]

T.S Eliot should get credit too

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats

[talent1821]

im in cats and im a siamese cat so i get to be really mean and take an ear and eye off of growltiger! WAH HA HA HAAA! :P

[LadyMabbly]

I just love this music!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JKrowlingrockx]

I just saw Cats live and I was super excited when I found out they were doing this song cause the only version of this I've seen was a high school production. I am pleased to say that I was very impressed with this song even though it had the Aria instead of the Ballad. Didn't understand a word they were saying but they sounded good when they did it so it's ok, I guess. I would have prefered the Ballad but hey, I saw the show live! That's enough to make me happy for now.

[LordScree]

4:02 - can I say more?

[controverscialthings]

I love The Ballad of Billy McCaw

[LordScree]

@controverscialthings sometimes, when I've had a bit too much beer of a night, I break into song. And it just so happens that The Ballad of Billy McCaw seems to spring to my lips :)

[just1otherfan]

i can't wait i'm going to go see this soon and im praying this will be in the play instead of the aweful battle of pekes and pollicles or both. i don't care as long as i get to hear the old "billy macaw" ballad. poor growltiger and griddlebone :(

[heybeli13]

thank you so much. i, too was crestfallen when the dvd release turned out to be missing this song :(

[EmilYxSax]

I know it's an amazing song... me and my little brother have fallen in love with it :D

I think the reason they cut it from the film is cause obviously John Mills was like 92 I think when he played the role; so he was to old. And Susan Tanner was also to old to play Griddlebone (even though she is the part on here). I guess it was just easier to cut it out rather than doing more casting.

An amazing song though, deficiently one of the best. :)

Emily xxx

[MUSICALANGIE]

why do i find the lines like "And the lady seemed enraptured by his manly baritone" sound like Sarah Brightman (Jamima)?

[Fi2pianist]

ooh thankyou very much! I love this too!

[brambox1]

Best part by far: Billie Billie come give us a dance on the bar!!!!!!!!!!

[MistfireOfWindclan]

Why did they not put this in the dvd!? It's one of my faves!

[jmj23435]

@MistfireOfWindclan The actor (Sir John Mills) was to old and mostly blind. He couldn't play Growltiger.

[TwiliPrincessWolf]

@MistfireOfWindclan They actually did record it, but it had to be cut since the DVD was running over the time limit. :(

[DontTrippMe]

why is it sooo fast?? its not right

[YouOverThereYaYou]

UR RIGHT THIS IS THE ONLY ZVID OF THIS SONG ON YT THIS IS MY DADS FAVE SONG CAN U MAKE THE ONE IN ITALIAN PLEASE!

[JKrowlingrockx]

hey, is the female voice in this version sung by Susan Jane Tanner? it kinda sounds like her, and I should know because I have listened to her sing Gus the Theater Cat in the video about a million times.

is Grittlebones in this version Susan Jane Tanner, or do you not know? but i swear it is her! that voice stands out to me in this song more than anything else.

[JKrowlingrockx]

well, the first look into the world of the Jellicles I saw was the video. and ever since then, all of my cats obsessed universe has been based on the video. so since this song isn't in the video, I have never heard this song.therefore, I don't know much about Growltiger and Grittlebones.but after watching a few clips of the song, I do think they make a great couple! I almost feel sorry for Growltiger, since he had to leave Grittlebones.they are a match made in Heaviside! ballad beter than aria.

[Spidey23girl]

I heard Growltiger for the first time yesterday. It's awesome, but the siamese costumes were creepy o.O

[mistoffle3496]

heyyy tis is soo kool i was just reading a fanfic that has these lyrics.. but it was demeter,rumpletezer and bombalerina (the three r sisters in the story) that sang it to there father and mother, growltighr and grittlebones ^^ its really good

[JKrowlingrockx]

@mistoffle3496 that sounds awsome! can you show me it? I would LOVE to read a fanfic where demeter, rumple, and bomba are sisters and their parents are growltiger and grittlebones. wow. just typing that was..differant for me. I'm used to Mungo and Rumple. and Demeter and Bomba. but I still don't know much about growltiger and grittlebones, so I can't say anything about them. but very unique idea. wait. Mungo isn't one of macavity's agents in this fanfic, is he? I hate that! he is not that bad!:(

[KorAnos1]

This is the London cast, correct?

[charlesajones77]

What the heck?

I have the CDs of this musical, and it even says "including The Ballad of Billy McCaw" on the case. And I've seen it live too, once. But I've never heard this before. I've only ever heard the Italian aria version. I just assumed whatever it was they were saying in Italian somehow translated into "Ballad of Billy McCaw"

I'm glad to hear it, but I have to say I prefer the aria. Although admittedly, that might be because that's what I'm used to.

[Yip1982]

@charlesajones77

The Italian aria is actually a translation of the "Peaceful summer night" verse from the first Italian edition of the Practical Cats poems.

And I think the Aria fits better into the Growltiger scene. Andrew Lloyd Webber may prefer this Ballad but it holds up the Growltiger sequence and it is rather unromantic and tends to drag.

[Boonedaba]

Yes. This should have been included.

[prinz16zuko11fan]

question: how can some people know things that don't appear in the musical, for example, that bustopher jones is the uncle of misto? or that the tugger is related to pouncival or such things??

[TenTenPiemaster]

lol, because people make up these things and it is accepted prinz :)

[Spidey23girl]

@prinz16zuko11fan That's all based on people's opinions. Some people think Misto and Victoria are siblings, and others think misto has a crush on her.

[Jamola101]

Has anyone heard the 'Growltiger's Last Stand' sequence with In Quella Tepida Notte instead of that "Billy, Billy" whatever thing (I don't know what that portion is called). It's so beautiful!

[WickedCrazyTiger]

This is honestly the first time I heard the song. I love the poem, it's my favorite... but I have to say the song's not too great... just the fact that they added so much extra stuff to it. It's mostly me though. It's too long for me to follow it. I'm only at six minutes in and I don't have a clue what's going on. It's a good song and all, but I still prefer the poem.

[QTS97]

The London cast sucks.They don't have any energy but the Broadway cast does.

[1986Sheri]

who's Growltiger?

[haynesy2008]

@1986Sheri A pirate cat who appeared in Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. He's part of a mini play acted out by the cats and is played by Gus, but wasn't in the movie because the actor playing Gus was too old.

[haynesy2008]

Billy M'Caw is great. It makes me feel sad every time I hear it.

I'd never heard Growltiger before! Thanks for uploading.

[ElgartheWise]

Thanks for the upload, Growltiger is my favourite :)

[smooth395]

I saw this two months ago, and this was the best song they did! I was sooo excited to see it since it's not on the DVD. >:-(

[TheForgottenJellicle]

which version is this? is it like...the london version??, or broadway verson? sorry if thats a stupid question :(

Great song anyway : ) sad they cut it from the vid!

[ElgartheWise]

It's the broadway version

[Yip1982]

This is the London version with Billy M'Caw before ALW and the creative team replaced it with the Italian aria. Although ALW prefers Billy M'Caw and put it into the recent UK tour I think the pastiche opera duet fits better into the scene.

[skeight1985]

Unfortunately, John Mills was too old to act this scene, so they changed the part of Gus

[SquealingBladder]

If Jon Mills was too old they could have gotten someone else to play Growltiger and used John for the elderly Gus. I wish they had done that cuz this song is awesome

[Scar2401]

@SquealingBladder  i totally agree. the growltiger is supposed to be like a flashback anyway.

[LikeCutieeXx]

@skeight1985 he was too old to act this scene yes. but there was also time limits - if there wasn't time the guy who plays asparagus would have prob played the part

[CloudxHoney]

It's the London version c:

[emoknuddelteddy]

i would say the London version because the Broadway version is longer^^ ca. 11 min

[SilverWolfMoon]

This is the original London version, from the official soundtrack LP / CD. You can tell as the line "they would fortify the henhouse..." is being sung by Paul Nicholas!

[chloejoshmac]

i kuurrvveeee this song

[SPdiamond]

I absolutely love this song.

[Leafpool46]

its good but, i prefer the orginal. I've never heard the Ballad of Billy Mc'Craw its okay but i like the other song they put in there

[Yip1982]

I too like the other version of Growltiger with the Italian aria. While I respect this very first version with Billy M'Caw as the "last duet" for Growltiger and Griddlebone, Billy M'Caw tends to drag the scene. The revised version of Growltiger with the Puccini parody, In una tepida notte, better fits itself into the scene, being itself a musical and textual variation of the "Peaceful summer night" stanza.

[pythagorasadie]

@Leafpool46

it is the original

[john95074]

i LOVE this song it roxs

[LOTRsfan4eva]

wow, i never heard this version of Growltiger... this is the best song for Cats. well next to Memory

[charley5698]

THANK YOU THANK YOU :-) I've searched high and low for this I LOVE IT!

[iluvnibbles]

I love this song!!! its such a shame they cut it out of the video :( It would have been really fun to watch i bet

[smooth395]

yes, this would have looked interesting.

[TangoKelsea]

I saw Cats last week at the Center in Vancouver Canada and it was an amazing cast. This was probably my favourite!

[smooth395]

love it! thank you!

[helloyoutobe]

thank you for posting this. you normally cant find it because in the film, it was replaced with the pekes and the pollicles

[stalti1]

i've been waiting a long time for that version of growltigers last stand ... thank you!!!!!

[dragonfriendcat]

THANK YOU SO MUCH! I had always wanted to listen to the Ballad!

[icecreamkiss4]

oh, you're so welcome! this ballad is great :)

[AriesModerator]

This is an excellent song from CATS. Pity they didn't include this in the 1997 DVD release of the show, because sir John Mills who played Gus, was too frail and almost completely blind. 'The ballad of Billy McCaw' makes me teary every time I hear it. Thanks for the upload. :-)

[icecreamkiss4]

yea it makes me teary too :,)

but i always wonder that why could't someone else play gus in the growltiger scene?

i think it is reallyreally sad that this scene is missing from the dvd :(

[JohnLuckPickard141]

@icecreamkiss4 Originally, Tony Timberlake (who played Asparagus) was supposed to show up as Growltiger, but they decided to cut the whole scene out due to time constraints. That's the same reason why Mistoffelees doesn't do the Conjuring Turn during his song.

[JKrowlingrockx]

@AriesModerator yea, but he did play the role of Gus surprisingly well. I was watching the making of cats and he actually asked the coreographer (I think I spelled it wrong.) if there were any cat like movements he could do. He must have really enjoyed it. :)

[hmghosthost]

@AriesModerator

I know, I was so PISSED that they left this part out of the video!

When I saw it at the Curran Theater in San Francisco in '89, they brought two huge pirate ships on stage and the Siamese cats wore baby blue sequins from head to toe and they turned down the lights with only a spot light on them, and the sequins sparkled all over the theater! It blew me away! I saw the revival in Ft Lauderdale last week, and they totally cheapened that scene.

[appledelight1]

thanks for this! quite a cutie song :>

[icecreamkiss4]

hiha it sure is! :)

''and billy strike up on his moley guitar!''

[postageofempire]

thanks!!

[icecreamkiss4]

you're welcome! :)