Lyr Req: Don't Do That to the Poor Puss Cat

Subject: Don't Do That to the Poor Puss Cat
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 26 Feb 00 - 04:43 PM

Has anyone got the words of the north-of-England music-hall song with the chorus that starts:

"Ah doan't do that to the poor puss cat, ah noa, noa, noa, noa, noa"

Subject: RE: Don't Do That to the Poor Puss Cat
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 16 May 08 - 08:51 AM

Anyone?

Subject: RE: Don't Do That to the Poor Puss Cat
From: Paul Burke
Date: 16 May 08 - 09:06 AM

My Mum used to sing it, but I can't remember much more than you can...

"You might be a pussy cat yourself some day" came into it.

... but a quick google search suggests it's available on a CD, Leslie Sarony ... for only a tenner!

Subject: RE: Don't Do That to the Poor Puss Cat
From: Mo the caller
Date: 16 May 08 - 09:19 AM

My Mum also sang it
Don't do that to the poor puss cat miao miao miao miao miao.

Subject: RE: Don't Do That to the Poor Puss Cat
From: Peace
Date: 16 May 08 - 07:38 PM

Pic of the sheet music front page.

Subject: RE: lyr req: Don't Do That to the Poor Puss Cat
From: GUEST,Nerd
Date: 17 May 08 - 01:32 PM

You can hear some bloke singing a verse of it
here

Subject: RE: lyr req: Don't Do That to the Poor Puss Cat
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 May 08 - 12:46 PM

From a sound sample:

Don't do that to the poor puss cat,
No, no, no, no, no!
Don't do that to the poor puss cat.
Please don't tease him so.
He was out last night, it's true,
But he likes a cuddle just the same as you,
So don't do that to the poor puss cat,
No, no, no, no, no!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Do That to the Poor Puss Cat
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 19 May 08 - 08:56 PM

WorldCat.org gives this data:

DON'T DO THAT TO THE POOR PUSS-CAT
by Leslie Sarony; Frank Eyton
Type: Musical Score; English
Publisher: New York : Edward B. Marks Music Co., ©1929

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Do That to the Poor Puss Cat
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 May 08 - 08:14 AM

The Indiana University Sheet Music Collection doesn't have online images of the sheet music, probably because the song is still under copyright, but it does give the first line of the verse:

"I woke one frosty morning, and I heard a dismal moan…"

Subject: Lyr Add: DON'T DO THAT TO THE POOR PUSS CAT
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 21 Mar 10 - 12:14 PM

DON'T DO THAT TO THE POOR PUSS CAT
(Words & music by Leslie Sarony & Frank Eyton, 1929.)

[A. As sung by Leslie Sarony]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuXm2Wjzjlg

[VERSE] One cold and frosty morning, when the snow was falling thick,
A tragedy I witnessed and it cut me to the quick.
A stonyhearted neighbor drove her cat into the yard.
I wiped a teardrop from my eye and said, "Don't be so hard!"

[CHORUS 1] Don't do that to the poor puss cat. No, no, no, no, no.
Don't do that to the poor puss cat. Please don't treat him so.
He was out last night, it's true,
But he likes a cuddle just the same as you,
So don't do that to the poor puss cat. No, no, no, no, no.

[CHORUS 2] Don't do that to the poor puss cat. No, no, no, no, no.
Don't do that to the poor puss cat. Please don't treat him so.
Of that ginger cat he's fond.
Sure as he's a Thomas-cat, prefer a blonde.
So don't do that to the poor puss cat. Ah, no, no, no, no, no.

[CHORUS 3] Don't do that to the poor puss cat. No, no, no, no, no.
Don't do that to the poor puss cat. Please don't treat him so.
I guess to Mrs. Brownwood's ...
Was long enough to ... the tomcat's tail
Don't do that to the poor puss cat. No, no, no, no, no.

[B. As sung by Billy Murray]
http://www.archive.org/details/AntiqueAudioShowForFebruary172008

[VERSE] I woke one wintry morning. The snow was falling thick,
A tragedy I witnessed and it cut me to the quick.
A stonyhearted neighbor drove the cat from her backyard.
I wiped a teardrop from my eye and said, "Don't be so hard!"

[CHORUS 1] Oh, don't do that to the poor puss cat. No, no, no, no, no.
Don't do that to the poor puss cat. Please don't treat it so.
Do not drive your cat away.
You might be a pussycat yourself someday,
So don't do that to the poor puss cat. No, no-n-n-n-no, no, no.

[CHORUS 2] Don't do that to the poor puss cat. Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!
Don't do that to the poor puss cat. Let the matter drop.
Don't think that you're acting wise.
He might be Lon Chaney in a new disguise.
So don't do that to the poor puss cat. Hot dogs never bite.

[CHORUS 3 - INSTRUMENTAL EXCEPT FOR LINES 3-4]
Don't chase poor Tom out of there.
He might be the answer to a kitty's prayer.

[CHORUS 4] Don't do that to the poor puss cat. Oh, oh, oh-de-oh, oh!
Don't do that to the poor puss cat. Let the poor thing go.
Though his whiskers may be wet,
Never kick a pussy in his crystal set.
Oh, don't do that to the poor puss cat. Twin beds don't hold twins.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Do That to the Poor Puss Cat
From: Genie
Date: 21 Mar 10 - 02:03 PM

"Never kick a pussy in his crystal set" -- great line!

Thanks to all who helped bring this song to the forum.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Do That to the Poor Puss Cat
From: Charley Noble
Date: 21 Mar 10 - 02:29 PM

Just amazing, and I'm sure that there's more to come.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Do That to the Poor Puss Cat
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 02:08 PM

Refresh. This song needs to be noticed.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Do That to the Poor Puss Cat
From: Jack Campin
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 02:42 PM

The singer in "Old Folks at Home" just before DDTTTPPC in the archive radio show sounds like someone getting his crystal set vandalized on air.

Billy Murray's performance reminds me of a snippet I heard long ago, recorded from a London radio station that was broadcasting before 2LO (later the BBC) took over; the announcer was putting on whatever came into his head, interspersed with thumping footsteps as he jogged to the far side of the studio and back. It was the kind of domestic British surrealism the Goons were to exploit 30 years later, but they'd worked out a formula and this stuff was spontaneously improvised.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Do That to the Poor Puss Cat
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Apr 11 - 03:47 PM

There's another recording by Leslie Sarony, which you can hear it at YouTube. Verse 1 and Chorus 1 are as given above. This is followed by some spoken patter, and then this:

VERSE 2: My old friend Mrs. Johnson made a cake all on her own.
It came out from the oven like a slab of Portland stone.
She hit it with a hammer but it would not split apart.
She gave it to the cat to eat. Well, I said, "Have a heart.

CHORUS 2: "Don't do that to the poor puss cat. No, no, no, no, no!
Don't do that to the poor puss cat. Please don't treat him so."
I said to Mrs. Brown of York,
Who was tickling his whiskers with a toasting-fork,
"Ah, don't do that to the poor puss cat. Ah, no, no, no, no, no!

CHORUS 3: "Don't do that to the poor puss cat. No, no, no, no, no!
Don't do that to the poor puss cat. Please don't treat him so.
Though his whiskers may be wet,
Never kick a pussy in his crystal set.
Ah, don't do that to the poor puss cat. Ah, no, no, no, no, no!"