"Felix! Felix! Felix the Cat!" (Paul Whiteman, 1928)

Paul Whiteman's novelty tune celebrates that most famous of cartoon kitties--Pat Sullivan's Felix the Cat. On screen, Felix was still silent in '28.

Words by Alfred Bryan; music by Pete Wendling and Max Cortlander...sung by Skin Young.

FELIX! FELIX! FELIX THE CAT!

Felix, Felix, Felix the Cat,
Welcome, welcome, home to our flat.
You fascinate me with your funny meow;
I'll feed you catnip and sweet milk from the cow.
Felix, Felix, in our backyard,
You can hang up your hat.
Make your pillow underneath a pussywillow,
Felix, Felix the Cat!

(Not to be confused with Winston Sharples's "Felix the Wonderful Cat!" lyrics for the TV show).

Category:

Music

Tags:

• felix
• the
• cat
• paul
• whiteman
• 1928
• boop
• alfred
• bryan
• pete
• wendling
• max
• cortlander
• bix
• beiderbecke

[Yaledmot]

Max Kortlander recorded many, many piano rolls for QRS, then in Chicago. These rolls tend to be very, very good music.

Is this the recording of Felix the Cat with Bix Biederbeck on trumpet?

[RReady555]

Yes, that's Bix Beiderbecke! He joined Whiteman's band in late 1927 and is prominently featured in many of the 28-29 recording.

Best regards,

-RR

[RReady555]

Yes, that's Bix Beiderbecke! He joined Whiteman's band in 1927 and is prominently featured in many of the 28-29 sessions.

Best wishes,

-RR

[Yaledmot]

I sort of thought it was. It is a shame that Beiderbecke essentially killed himself with heavy use of booze at 27.

These years of Whiteman's orchestra is wonderful. Keep up the music!

tld

[RReady555]

Thanks! Yes, it's always a shame when such amazing artistic gifts are betrayed by such a strong drive towards self-destruction.

Kindest regards,

-RR

[genia106]

RR

I love this delightful song and the vintage poster of adorable Felix and if I remember my Latin he is a very "LUCKY" cat indeed to have such a great reintroduction by you on YT.

Thank you for this bit of whimsy and nostalgia.

[RReady555]

Thanks so much, genia--there's a very "Gershwinny" quality to this arrangement which I've always loved. I trust that no cats were harmed in the recording of this disc. ;)

Hope American music brings back the novelty song...don't think we've had any major ones since the '70's---Melody, good lyrics and a sense of humor. Not an impossible formula to revive! ;)

[EmmetEarwax]

Big Spider Beck ! Big Spider Beck !

[RetroLaydeh42]

Very nice song, it's nice to appreciate the classics (or underrated vintage finds for that matter). I love vintage cartoons.

[RetroLaydeh42]

Felix the Cat is cool.

[cosycleaner]

An absolute delight - thank you!

[AntiVenom36]

This is the original theme song for Felix the cat before the other one that was used for the TV show created by Joe Oriolo in 1959.

[TheMarioluigifans]

I love felix and paul whiteman, so this is perfect!

[DLAbaoaqu]

New series coming sometime this year

[titanus49]

I wonder if most Bix Beiderbecke fans are aware that an Italian music label called Joker,released 14 LPs or volumes of all music ever recorde by Bix ?. The volumes are wonderful,and are called BIXOLOGY. I manged to find 4 of these volumes ( vol. 7 Lonely Melody,vol.8 Mississippi Mud, vol..11, Ol'man River,and vol.12, Rhythm King).I was not able to find the other volumes,but just listening to what I have,I realise,that Bix is unsurpassed as a cornetist,he will live in my mind forever.

[fromthesidelines]

Tom Satterfield arranged this; Austin Young is indeed the (uncredited) vocalist here, 'timothy'.

[purclassic1]

I love Felix! God does he go WAY back