Skimbleshanks The Railway Cat

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? G#m 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 G#m 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 G#m 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 G#m 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 G#m 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 G#m 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 G#m 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/C in the watches of the night i was always fresh and bright A# D#/A# A# 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 A# A#/C F only stopping here and there to catch a flea F C/E Dm F/C they were fast asleep at crewe and so they never knew A# D#/A# A# 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 A# A#/C F where i met the station master with elation F G#/F Gm7/F they might see me at dumfries if i summoned the police F G#/F Gm/F F if there was anything they ought to know about A# F/A Gm7 F/A when they got to gallowgate there they did not have to wait A# F/A Gm7/11 for skimbleshanks would help them to get out! C7 C13 C7 and he F C/E Dm F/C gives you a wave of his long brown tail A# F which says "i’ll see you again! Gm/F C7/F Fsus2 F you’ll meet without fail on the midnight mail Am7 A# A#/C F the cat of the railway train!" F C/E Dm F/C A# F Gm/F C7/F F Am7 A# A#/C F ( 2 bars ) the cat of the railway train