SONG: Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat ARTIST: Andrew Lloyd Webber From the musical, Cats Intro: E C#m/E F#m7/E B/E E C#m/E F#m7/E B/E E C#m/E F#m7/E B/E Skimbleshanks the E C#m/E F#m7/E B/E Railway Cat, E B7/E F#m/E the Cat of the Railway E C#m/E F#m7/E B/E Train E B/D# C#m E/B There's a whisper down the line at eleven thirty nine A D/A A E When the Night Mail's ready to depart F#m/E B7/E Saying, "Skimble, where is Skimble? E+2 E/B Has he gone to hunt the thimble? Abm A A/B E We must find him or the train can't start" E B/D# All the guards and all the porters C#m E/B And the station master's daughters A D/A A A/E E Would be searching high and low F#m B7/E E+2/B E/B Saying "Skimble where is Skimble for unless he's very nimble Abm A A/B E Then the night mail just can't go." E G/E F#m/E At eleven forty two with the signal overdue E G/E F#m/E E And the passengers all frantic to a man A E/G# F#m11 E/G# That's when I would appear and I'd saunter to the rear A E/G# F#m11 I'd been busy in the luggage van! B7 E B/D# C#m E/B Then he gave one flash of his glass green eyes A D/A A A/E E And the signal went "All Clear!" F#m/E B7/E E+2/B E/B Abm A A/B They'd be off at last for the northern part of the Northern Hemi E C#m/E F#m7/E {sphere {Skimbleshanks B/E E C#m/E the Railway F#m7/E B/E Cat E B/E A/E E C#m/E F#m7/E The Cat of the Railway Train B/E E B/D# C#m E/B You could say that by and large it was me who was in charge A D/A Of the Sleeping Car A E F#m/E B7/E E+2/B E/B Express, from the driver and the guards to the bagmen playing cards Abm A A/B E I would supervise them all more or less E B/D# C#m E/B Down the corridor he paces and examines all the faces A D/A A A/E E Of the travellers in the first and the third F#m/E B7/E E+2/B E/B He establishes control by a regular patrol Abm A A/B E And he'd know at once if anything occurred E G/E A7/E F#m/E He would watch you without winking and he saw what you were thinking R A7/E G/E F#m/E A7/E E And it's certain that he didn't approve A E/G# F#m E/G# Of hilarity and riot so the folk were very quiet A E/G# F#m11 When Skimble was about and on the move B7 E B/D# C#m E/B You could play no pranks with Skimbleshanks! A D/A A A/E E He's a cat that cannot be ignored F#m/E B7/E E+2/B E/B So nothing went wrong on the Northern Mail Abm A A/B E6 When Skimbleshanks was aboard E6 E Bm7 E Bm7 It was very pleasant when they'd found their little den E Bm7 With their name written up on the door. Woo! Woo! E Bm7 And the berth was very neat with a newly folded sheet And not a speck of dust upon the floor E Bm7 There was every sort of light You could make it dark or bright And a button you could turn to make a breeze Woo! Woo! E Bm7 And a funny little basin you're supposed to wash your face in And a crank to shut the window should you sneeze A D G E Then the guard looked in politely and would ask you very brightly, A E "Do you like your morning tea weak or strong?" A E/G# F#m7 E/G# But I was just behind him and was ready to remind him A E/G# F#m7 (2 bars) For Skimble won't let anything go wrong E B/D# C#m E/B A D/A A A/E E When they crept into their cosy berths and pulled up the counterpane A/B B7 Esus2/B E/B They all could reflect that it was very nice A/B B7 Esus2/B E/B To know that they wouldn't be bothered by mice A/B B7 Esus2/B E They could leave all that to the Railway Cat Abm A A/B E The Cat of the Railway Train F Dm/F Gm7/F Skimbleshanks C/F F Dm/F the Railway Gm7/F C/F Cat F C7/F Gm/F The Cat of the Railway F Dm/F Gm7/F C/F Train F C/E Dm F In the watches of the night I was always fresh and bright Bb Eb/Bb Bb F Every now and then I'd have a cup of tea Gm/F C7/F F+2 F With perhaps a drop of scotch while I was keeping on the watch Am Bb Bb/C F Only stopping here and there to catch a flea F C/E Dm F They were fast asleep at Crewe and so they never knew Bb Eb/Bb Bb F That I was walking up and down the station Gm/F C7/F Fsus2 F They were sleeping all the while I was busy at Carlisle Am Bb Bb/C F Where I met the station master with elation F Ab/F Gm7/F They might see me at Dumfries if I summoned the police F Ab/F Gm/F F If there was anything they ought to know about Bb F/A Gm7 F/A When they got to Gallowgate there they did not have to wait Bb F/A Gm7/11 For Skimbleshanks would help them to get out! C7 C13 C7 And he F C/E Dm F gives you a wave of his long brown tail Bb F Which says "I'll see you again! Gm/F C7/F Fsus2 F You'll meet without fail on the Midnight Mail Am7 Bb Bb/C F The Cat of the Railway Train!" F C/E Dm F Bb F Gm/F C7/F F Am7 Bb Bb/C F (2 bars) The Cat of the Railway Train
