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"Cats" and all related things are the property of Andrew Lloyd Webber, The Really Useful Group, and related parties. Lyrics are taken from and based off "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" and other poems by T.S. Eliot, with additions by Trevor Nunn and Richard Stilgoe. No copyright infringement is intended.

Prologue: Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats Sung by: The Company
Original London Cast	Original Broadway Cast	Original Australian Cast	Video
Are you blind when you're born? Can you see in the dark? Can you look at a king? Would you sit on his throne? Can you say of your bite that it's worse than your bark? Are you cock of the walk? When you're walking alone? Because Jellicles are and Jellicles do Jellicles do and Jellicles would Jellicles would and Jellicles can Jellicles can and Jellicles do When you fall on your head, do you land on your feet? Are you tense when you sense there's a storm in the air? Can you find your way blind when you're lost in the street? Do you know how to go to the Heaviside Layer? Because Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicles do and Jellicles can Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicles do and Jellicles can Jellicles can and Jellicles do Can you ride on a broomstick to places far distant? Familiar with candle, with book, and with bell? Were you Whittington's friend? The Pied Piper's assistant? Have you been an alumnus of Heaven or Hell? Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats We can dive through the air, like a flying trapeze We can turn double somersaults, bounce on a tyre We can run up a wall, we can swing through the trees We can balance on bars, we can walk on a wire Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Can you sing at the same time, in more than one key Duets by Rossini and waltzes by Strauss? And can you (as cats do) begin with a 'C' That always triumphantly brings down the house? Jellicle cats are queen-of-the-nights Singing at astronomical heights Handelling pieces from the Messiah Hallelujah, angelical choir The mystical divinity of unashamed felinity Round the cathedral rang "Vivat!" Life to the everlasting cat, Feline, fearless, faithful and true To others who do what Jellicles do and Jellicles can Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicle cats sing Jellicle chants Jellicles old and Jellicles new Jellicle songs and Jellicle dance Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Practical cats, dramatical cats Pragmatical cats, fanatical cats Oratorical cats, Delphicoracle cats Sceptical cats, dispeptical cats Romantical cats, pedantical cats Critical cats, parasitical cats Allegorical cats, metaphorical cats Statistical cats and mystical cats Political cats, hypocritical cats Clerical cats, hysterical cats Cynical cats, rabbinical cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle bells that Jellicles ring Jellicle sharps and Jellicle flats Jellicle songs that Jellicles sing Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats There's a man over there with a look of surprise As much to say, well now how about that? Do I actually see with my own very eyes A man who's not heard of a Jellicle cat? What's a Jellicle cat? What's a Jellicle cat?	Are you blind when you're born? Can you see in the dark? Dare you look at a king? Would you sit on his throne? Can you say of your bite that it's worse than your bark? Are you cock of the walk? When you're walking alone? Because Jellicles are and Jellicles do Jellicles do and Jellicles would Jellicles would and Jellicles can Jellicles can and Jellicles do When you fall on your head, do you land on your feet? Are you tense when you sense there's a storm in the air? Can you find your way blind when you're lost in the street? Do you know how to go to the Heaviside Layer? Because Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicles do and Jellicles can Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicles do and Jellicles can Jellicles can and Jellicles do Can you ride on a broomstick to places far distant? Familiar with candle, with book, and with bell? Were you Whittington's friend? The Pied Piper's assistant? Have you been an alumnus of Heaven and Hell? Are you mean like a minx? Are you lean like a lynx? Are you keen to be seen when you're smelling a rat? Were you there when the pharaohs commissioned the Sphinx? If you were, and you are, you're a Jellicle cat Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats We can dive through the air, like a flying trapeze We can turn double somersaults, bounce on a tyre We can run up a wall, we can swing through the trees We can balance on bars, we can walk on a wire Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Can you sing at the same time, in more than one key Duets by Rossini and waltzes by Strauss? And can you (as cats do) begin with a 'C' That always triumphantly brings down the house? Jellicle cats are queen-of-the-nights Singing at astronomical heights Handelling pieces from the Messiah Hallelujah, angelical choir The mystical divinity of unashamed felinity Round the cathedral rang "Vivat!" Life to the everlasting cat, Feline, fearless, faithful and true To others who do what Jellicles do and Jellicles can Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicle cats sing Jellicle chants Jellicles old and Jellicles new Jellicle song and Jellicle dance Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Practical cats, dramatical cats Pragmatical cats, fanatical cats Oratorical cats, Delphicoracle cats Sceptical cats, dispeptical cats Romantical cats, pedantical cats Critical cats, parasitical cats Allegorical cats, metaphorical cats Statistical cats and mystical cats Political cats, hypocritical cats Clerical cats, hysterical cats Cynical cats, rabbinical cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats There's a man over there with a look of surprise As much to say, well now how about that? Do I actually see with my own very eyes A man who's not heard of a Jellicle cat? What's a Jellicle cat? What's a Jellicle cat?	Are you blind when you're born? Can you see in the dark? Dare you look at a king? Would you sit on his throne? Can you say of your bite that it's worse than your bark? Are you cock of the walk? When you're walking alone? Because Jellicles are and Jellicles do Jellicles do and Jellicles would Jellicles would and Jellicles can Jellicles can and Jellicles do When you fall on your head, do you land on your feet? Are you tense when you sense there's a storm in the air? Can you find your way blind when you're lost in the street? Do you know how to go to the Heaviside Layer? Because Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicles do and Jellicles can Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicles do and Jellicles can Jellicles can and Jellicles do Can you ride on a broomstick to places far distant? Familiar with candle, with book, and with bell? Were you Whittington's friend? The Pied Piper's assistant? Have you been an alumnus of Heaven and Hell? Are you mean like a minx? Are you lean like a lynx? Are you keen to be seen when you're smelling a rat? Were you there when the pharaohs commissioned the Sphinx? If you were, and you are, you're a Jellicle cat Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats We can dive through the air, like a flying trapeze We can turn double somersaults, bounce on a tyre We can run up a wall, we can swing through the trees We can balance on bars, we can walk on a wire Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Can you sing at the same time, in more than one key Duets by Rossini and waltzes by Strauss? And can you (as cats do) begin with a 'C' That always triumphantly brings down the house? Jellicle cats are queen-of-the-nights Singing at astronomical heights Handelling pieces from the Messiah Hallelujah, angelical choir The mystical divinity of unashamed felinity Round the cathedral rang "Vivat!" Life to the everlasting cat, Feline, fearless, faithful and true To others who do what Jellicles do and Jellicles can Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicle cats sing Jellicle chants Jellicles old and Jellicles new Jellicle song and Jellicle dance Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Practical cats, dramatical cats Pragmatical cats, fanatical cats Oratorical cats, Delphicoracle cats Sceptical cats, dispeptical cats Romantical cats, pedantical cats Critical cats, parasitical cats Allegorical cats, metaphorical cats Statistical cats and mystical cats Political cats, hypocritical cats Clerical cats, hysterical cats Cynical cats, rabbinical cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats There's a man over there with a look of surprise As much to say, well now how about that? Do I actually see with my own very eyes A man who's not heard of a Jellicle cat? What's a Jellicle cat?	Are you blind when you're born? Can you see in the dark? Can you look at a king? Would you sit on his throne? Can you say of your bite that it's worse than your bark? Are you cock of the walk? When you're walking alone? Because Jellicles are and Jellicles do Jellicles do and Jellicles would Jellicles would and Jellicles can Jellicles can and Jellicles do When you fall on your head, do you land on your feet? Are you tense when you sense there's a storm in the air? Can you find your way blind when you're lost in the street? Do you know how to go to the Heaviside Layer? Because Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicles do and Jellicles can Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicles do and Jellicles can Jellicles can and Jellicles do Can you ride on your broomstick to places far distant? Familiar with candle, with book, and with bell? Were you Whittington's friend? The Pied Piper's assistant? Have you been an alumnus of Heaven and Hell? Are you mean like a minx? Are you lean like a lynx? Are you keen to be seen when you're smelling a rat? Were you there when the pharaohs commissioned the Sphinx? If you were, and you are, you're a Jellicle cat Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats We can dive through the air, like a flying trapeze We can turn double somersaults, bounce on a tyre We can run up a wall, we can swing through the trees We can balance on bars, we can walk on a wire Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Can you sing at the same time, in more than one key Duets by Rossini and waltzes by Strauss? And can you (as cats do) begin with a 'C' That always triumphantly brings down the house? Jellicle cats are queens-of-the-night Singing at astronomical height Handelling pieces from the Messiah Hallelujah, angelical choir Jellicle cats are queens-of-the-night Singing at astronomical height Handelling pieces from the Messiah Hallelujah, angelical choir The mystical divinity of unashamed felinity Round the cathedral rang "Vivat!" Life to the everlasting cat, Feline, fearless, faithful and true To others who do what Jellicles do and Jellicles can Jellicles can and Jellicles do Jellicle cats sing Jellicle chants Jellicles old and Jellicles new Jellicle song and Jellicle dance Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Practical cats, dramatical cats Pragmatical cats, fanatical cats Oratorical cats, Delphicoracle cats Sceptical cats, dispeptical cats Romantical cats, pedantical cats Critical cats, parasitical cats Allegorical cats, metaphorical cats Statistical cats and mystical cats Political cats, hypocritical cats Clerical cats, hysterical cats Cynical cats, rabbinical cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats There's a man over there with a look of surprise As much to say, well now how about that? Do I actually see with my own very eyes A man who's not heard of a Jellicle cat? What's a Jellicle cat? What's a Jellicle cat? What's a Jellicle cat?
Notes The song that opens the show (not counting the overture). All versions of it are pretty much the same; the only real differences are the "Are you mean like a minx.." verse which is not present in the Original London Cast recording, and the "Jellicle bells that Jellicles ring.." verse, which is only present in the OLC recording. The lyrics of this song were not directly taken from any of T. S. Eliot's poems; instead they were inspired by an unpublished poem he wrote, entitled "Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats". The last verse of "Jellicle Songs" is taken (almost) directly from this poem. (For those interested, there is a recording of "Pollicle Dogs" on the CD box set Andrew Lloyd Webber: Now & Forever) The "Jellicle Cats are queen(s)-of-the-night(s)" verse is always repeated in live versions; as in the video version, the first time that verse is sung, it's interrupted by a boot being thrown on-stage. The Jellicles pause, then repeat the verse. This was cut from all three CD versions, likely for time. (But yeah, it wasn't just something they added for the video, or anything like that.) "Handelling" is how the librettos write it, btw (except for the Australian libretto, which writes it as "handeling"); I believe this is a reference to Handel's Messiah.