Album: CATS - the original London version

The Old Gumbie Cat

I have a Gumbie Cat in mind

Her name is Jennyanydots

Her coat is of the tabby kind with tiger stripes and leopard spots

All day she sits upon the stair or on the step or on the mat

She sits and sits and sits and sits

And that's what makes a Gumbie Cat

That's what makes a Gumbie Cat!



But . . .

When the day's hustle and bustle is done

Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun

And when all the family's in bed and asleep

She tucks up her skirts to the basement to creep

She is deeply concerned with the ways of the mice

Their behaviour's not good and their manners not nice

So when she has got them lined up on the matting

She teaches them music, crocheting and tatting



I have a Gumbie Cat in mind

Hr name is Jennyanydots

Her equal would be hard to find

Se likes the warm and sunny spots

All day she sits beside the hearth or on the bed or on my hat

She sits and sits and sits and sits

And that's what makes a Gumbie Cat

That's what makes a Gumbie Cat!



But . . . When the day's hustle and bustle is done

Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun

As she finds that the mice will not ever keep quiet

She is sure it is due to irregular diet

And believing that nothing is done without trying

She sets right to work with her baking and frying

She makes them a mouse-cake of bread and dried peas

And a beautiful fry of lean bacon and cheese



I have a Gumbie Cat in mind

Her name is Jennyanydots

The curtain cord she likes to wind and tie it into sailor knots

She sits upon the windowsill or anything that's smooth and flat

She sits and sits and sits and sits

And that's what makes a Gumbie Cat

That's what makes a Gumbie Cat!



But . . .

When the day's hustle and bustle is done

Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun

She thinks that the cockroaches need employment

To prevent them from idle and wanton destroyment

So she's formed from that lot of disorderly louts

A troop of well disciplined helpful boy scouts

With a purpose in life and a good deed to do

And she's even created a Beetles Tattoo!



So for old Gumbie Cats let us give three cheers

On whom well ordered households depend, it appears

Three cheers, three cheers, three cheers!

For she's a jolly good fellow!

Thank you my dears!