Señor Don Gato (song)

For "Don Gato y su pandilla", the Spanish-language version of "Top Cat", see Top Cat#Mexico and Latin America.

"Señor Don Gato" is a children's song about a domestic cat who is sitting on a roof when he discovers that his true love has agreed to marry him. In his excitement, he falls off and injures himself. The doctors are unable to save him and he dies. However, as his funeral procession passes through the market, the scent of fish from the market is so strong that he returns to life.

This English version is familiar to generations of school-age children in North America due to its inclusion in several common elementary school songbooks in the second half of the 20th century. The lyrics are loosely translated from the traditional Spanish song "Estaba el señor Don Gato"^[1], but the melody is from a different song, "Ahora Que Vamos Despacio"^[2][3]. There is also a French version of "Estaba el señor Don Gato" called "Monsieur le Chat"^[4].

Lyrics

Señor Don Gato was a cat,
Meow
On a high red roof Don Gato sat.
Meow
He went there to read a letter,
Meow, meow, meow
Where the reading light was better,
Meow, meow, meow
T'was a love note for Don Gato.

How he adored the lady cat, (alternate line: "I adore you," wrote the lady cat.)
Meow
Who was fluffy, white, and nice and fat.
Meow
There was not a sweeter kitty
Meow, meow, meow
In the country or the city
Meow, meow, meow
And she said she'd wed Don Gato.

Oh, Don Gato jumped so merrily,
Meow
He fell off the roof and broke his knee.
Ow!
Broke his ribs and all his whiskers,
Meow, meow, meow
And his little solar plexus,
Meow, meow, meow
Aye caray!!! cried poor Don Gato. (alternate line: "Ay carramba!" cried Don Gato.)

Well the doctors all came on the run,
Meow
Just to see if something could be done.
Meow
And they held a consultation,
Meow, meow, meow
About how to save their patient,
Meow, meow, meow
How to save Señor Don Gato.

But in spite of everything they tried,
Meow
Poor Señor Don Gato up and died.
Meow
Oh it wasn't very merry,
Meow, meow, meow
Going to the cemetery,
Meow, meow, meow
For the end of poor Don Gato. (alternate line: For the ending of Don Gato.)

As the funeral passed the market square,
Meow
Such a smell of fish was in the air.
Meow
Though the funeral was slated,
Meow, meow, meow
He became re-animated,
Meow, meow, meow
He came back to life Don Gato.

(optional refrain: For he had nine lives, Don Gato.)

References

1. ^ "Spanish lyrics for "Estaba el señor Don Gato" with literal English translation". http://www.mamalisa.com/blog/?p=294. 
2. ^ "Recording by Boikot of "Ahora que vamos espacio"". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm6Rj-1VLtE. , with the group's own lyrics
3. ^ "Spanish traditional lyrics for "Ahora Que Vamos Despacio" with literal English translation". http://www.mamalisa.com/blog/?p=524#comment-69146. 
4. ^ "Side-by-side comparison of Spanish lyrics for "Estaba el señor Don Gato" and French lyrics for "Monsieur le Chat"". http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=fs&p=548&c=71.