Lyr Add: Ask The Cat - tribute to Mudcat

Subject: Lyr Add: Ask The Cat - tribute to Mudcat
From: GUEST,diplocase
Date: 22 Apr 22 - 02:03 PM

Friends - to honor all the ways that the Mudcat Discussion Forum and the Digital Tradition enrich our musical lives, we have written a little song for you.   Joe Offer will be posting the video on Mudcat's Facebook page. We look forward to seeing some additional verses or couplets added to this thread, Mudcatters, so the song is under Creative Commons.

Read about Max Spiegel, Susan Friedman, Dennis Cook, and how the Digital Tradition became part of Mudcat: Digital Tradition blurb

The song collaborators: Casey (California), Wendy (California), David (England), Steve (England) and Gerry Myerson (Australia). Cameo appearance by Lenny the Cat (California).


ASK THE CAT
CC by W/Casey Casebeer, David Kidman & Steve Belsey; M/Wendy Silk

It started with a bluesman known as Max
Spent all his time on the licks and tracks
He went to the Net, he threw in a line
The mudcats was jumpin’, and the water was fine
My ol’ buddy Joe, he knows where it’s at
So if you want the whole story, baby,
Ask the ‘Cat

Blues was a stream; Trad was the river
Soon they all was dining on Mudcat liver
Books to the ceiling and blood on the floor
Miles of vinyl, hear the Mudcats roar
From the beat-up sandals to the silk top hat
We all line up, just to
Ask the ‘Cat

[piano quote from “Fair and Tender Maidens”]

Was that from Henry Purcell’s bag of tricks
Or was it laid down in ninety twenty-six?
If the first two bars is all you can sing
You know where you can go to find the whole damn thing!
If you know what it is, but not where it’s at
You don’t have to mumble, baby:
Ask the ‘Cat

If Cecil Sharp’s collection just leaves you Flat
Do what comes Natural, baby, ask the ‘Cat!                  ( by Steve )

When you need to know who Noah begat
Get the chapter and verse, oh baby: ask the ‘Cat!
        
If the words you’re singing don’t-actually-scan-and-you-smell-a-rat,
Then you'll find the proper lyrics when you ask the Cat.      ( by David )

From the subfusc gown to the cowboy hat
When you want the real deal, baby, ask the ‘Cat
                
When your mind’s on third and there’s no one at bat;
Bring it on home, baby, ask the ‘Cat
        
When the stars of the 'Halls' turn up on your mat
To join in the chorus, baby, ask the ‘Cat!                        ( by Steve )

Wanna take out the trash, or hit the laundromat?
There’s a shanty for the task, baby-- ask the Cat!               ( by David )

If you sing about Barleycorn bunged in a vat
Then you’ll find a hundred versions when you ask the Cat.    ( by David )

If the blurb in the liner notes is 'way too pat
Dig a little deeper, baby, ask the ‘Cat!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ask The Cat - tribute to Mudcat
From: cnd
Date: 22 Apr 22 - 05:41 PM

Fun song, diplocase! (Casey?)

I recall seeing a similar song to this, maybe written for the 10th/15th anniversary of the cat? Maybe someone else on the forum can find it.

There is also, if I recall correctly, a tribute to Max himself. Or perhaps it's the sang song as above.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ask The Cat - tribute to Mudcat
From: GUEST,DrWord
Date: 22 Apr 22 - 06:53 PM

Earworms grind away the tracks under your hat
When lyrics are eluding you, the DT’s where they’re at.

The thread you clicked is dated; there’s a reason for that
You started it in the ‘90s—you were new to the ’Cat.

• long May these threads tangle and weave, bubble up to the top •
?? the typical response is measured in minutes—sometimes moments!
and often with a marvelous spectrum of info, anecdotes, and lynx

And someone (? ¿) might cook up a verse or two about the BS threads??

Keep on pickin‘
Dennis