Cats Soundtrack Skimbleshanks The Railway Cat Lyrics

Skimbleshanks The Railway Cat Lyrics

RUMPLETEAZER:

 Skimbleshanks the railway cat

 

 CHORUS:

 The cat of the railway train

 

 GEORGE:

 There's a whisper down the line at eleven thirty-nine

 When the night mail's ready to depart

 

 RUMPLETEAZER:

 Saying, "Skimble, where is Skimble has he gone to hunt the thimble

 We must find him or the train can't start!"

 

 GEORGE:

 All the guards and all the porters and the station-master's daughters

 Would be searching high and low

 Saying "Skimble, where is Skimble for unless he's very nimble

 Then the night mail just can't go"

 At eleven forty-two with the signal overdue

 And the passengers all frantic to a man

 

 SKIMBLE:

 That's when I would appear and I'd saunter to the rear

 I'd been busy in the luggage van!

 

 CHORUS:

 Then he gave one flash of his glass-green eyes

 And the signal went "All clear!"

 

 SKIMBLE:

 They'd be off at last for the northern part of the northern hemisphere!

 

 CHORUS:

 Skimbleshanks, the railway cat, the cat of the railway train

 

 SKIMBLE:

 You might say that by and large it was me who was in charge

 Of the sleeping car express

 From the driver and the guards to the bagmen playing cards

 I would supervise them all more or less

 

 CHORUS:

 Down the corridor he paces and examines all the faces

 Of the travellers in the first and the third

 

 RUMPLETEAZER:

 He established control by a regular patrol

 

 CHORUS:

 And he'd know at once if anything occurred

 

 GEORGE:

 He would watch you without winking and he saw what you were thinking

 And it's certain that he didn't approve

 Of hilarity and riot so that folk were very quiet

 When Skimble was about and on the move

 

 CHORUS:

 You could play no pranks with Skimbleshanks

 He's a cat that couldn't be ignored

 

 RUMPLETEAZER:

 So nothing went wrong on the northern mail

 When Skimbleshanks was aboard

 

 SKIMBLE:

 It was very pleasant when they'd found their little den

 With their name written up on the door

 And the berth was very neat with a newly folded sheet on

 And not a speck of dust on the floor

 There was every sort of light you could make it dark or bright

 And a button you could turn to make a breeze

 And a funny little basin you're supposed to wash your face in

 And a crank to shut the window should you sneeze

 Then the guard looked in politely and would ask you very brightly

 "Do you like your morning tea 

 

 CHORUS (spoken):

 "Weak or strong?"

 

 SKIMBLE:

 But I just behind him and was ready to remind him

 For Skimble won't let anything go wrong

 

 CHORUS:

 When they crept into their cozy berth and pulled the counterpane

 They ought to reflect that it was very nice

 To know that they wouldn't be bothered by mice

 They can leave all that to the railway cat

 The cat of the railway train

 

 Skimbleshanks, the railway cat, the cat of the railway train!

 

 SKIMBLE:

 In the watches of the night I was always fresh and bright

 Every now and then I'd have a cup of tea

 With perhaps a drop of scotch while I was busy keeping on the watch

 Only stopping here and there to catch a flea

 They were fast asleep at Crewe

 And so they never knew that I was walking up and down the station

 They were sleeping all the while I was busy at Carlisle

 Where I met the station-master with elation

 

 They might see me at Dumfries if I summoned the police

 If there was anything they ought to know about

 

 CHORUS:

 When they got to Gallowgate there they did not have to wait

 For Skimbleshanks will help them to get out

 And he gives you a wave of his long brown tail

 Which says, "I'll see you again"

 You'll meet without fail on the midnight mail

 The cat of the railway train

 

 You'll meet without fail on the midnight mail

 The cat of the railway train

 

 Skimbleshanks, the railway cat, the cat of the railway train!