Lyrics

Catgut

[Catgut]

Well now, everybody left me
And I’ll soon be dead and gone
I said, everybody left me
And I’ll soon be dead and gone
Oh, your ever-lovin’ Catgut
She done sung her last song

[spoken interlude]
T.R.: What’s that I’m hearin’, then?
Rover Joe: Aw, gosh, miss lady cat, don’t talk about dyin’ like that.
Catgut: Oh, you boys are sweet. But you know, a cat kinda likes to die in private, if you know what I mean.
T.R.: Well, come on, Rover Joe. Lady’s got her rights.

[Catgut, sung] Well now, no one care about the story
The story I could tell…

You Gotta Know Your Friends

[Catgut]

I fought the fight for thirteen years
Workin’ for that Caleb Siles
I chased the rats for thirteen years
And, lover baby, that’s a while
In all that time, old Caleb Siles
Never give me nothin’
And if I left a rat around
He’d knock out all my stuffin’

I know my friends, I know my foes
I know my joys, and I know my woes
I know old Caleb’s mean as ice
And I know all you rats is kinda nice
You gotta know your friends, boys
You gotta know your friends

Let the lion lay down with the lamb
Let the tiger frolic with the ram
Let the mighty hawk befriend the dove
Let people fight, let critters love

I know my friends, I know my foes
I know my joys, and I know my woes
I know old Caleb’s mean as ice
And I know all you rats is kinda nice
You gotta know your friends, boys
You gotta know your friends

Music by Jack Elliott, lyrics by Jerry Juhl

“Catgut” / “You Gotta Know Your Friends” from The Muppet Musicians of Bremen

Catgut is my new favorite proletariat leader. For her whole life until now, she was content to live in Caleb Siles’ big house and keep the rats away from his pantry. But, In all that time, old Caleb Siles / Never give me nothin’ / And if I left a rat around / He’d knock out all my stuffin’

She’s old, exhausted, and sick of being a tool of her own oppressor. So she reaches out to those with even less power, even though she was their enemy, because she knows she has more in common with them than with Caleb. “Now why shouldn’t you be able to trust me?” she asks before the song. “I’m a critter just like you. It’s that mean old Caleb Siles you can’t trust.”

Caleb sees this new turn of affairs (perhaps the unofficial first meeting of the Critters Union?) and, of course, throws Catgut out the window. Having learned who her real friends and foes are, Catgut joins new critter friends who’ve been cast out just like her, and they become stronger together.

Let people fight, let critters love.

P.S. I’m still mad that they didn’t have Catgut playing the fiddle. #missedopportunity #pleasehiremetowritefortheMuppets