[MALE CATS]
Growltiger was a Bravo cat who travelled on a barge
In fact he was the roughest cat that ever roamed at large

[MALE CAT]
From Gravesend up to Oxford he pursued his evil aims
Rejoicing in the title of

[GROWLTIGER]
The "Terror of the Thames"
Ah ha ha ha ha!

[MALE CAT]
His manner and appearance did not calculate to please
His coat was torn and seedy, he was baggy at the knees

[MALE CAT]
Once ear was somewhat missing, no need to tell you why
And he scowled upon a hostile world from one forbidding eye

[MALE CATS]
The cottagers at Rotherhithe knew something of his fame
At Hammersmith and Putney people shuddered at his name

[MALE CAT]
They would fortify the henhouse, lock up the silly goose
[MALE CATS]
When the rumour ran along the shore:

[GROWLTIGER]
"Growltiger's on the loose!"
Ah ha ha ha ha ha!

[MALE CAT]
Woe to the weak canary that fluttered from its cage

[MALE CAT]
Woe to the pampered Pekinese that faced Growltiger's rage

[MALE CAT]
Woe to the bristly bandicoot that lurks on foreign ships

[MALE CAT]
And woe to any cat with whom Growltiger came to grips

[MALE CATS]
But most to cats of foreign race his hatred had been vowed
To cats of foreign name and race no quarter was allowed
The Persians and the Siamese regarded him with fear
Because it was a Siamese that mauled his missing ear
Ah ha ha ha ha!
Now on a peaceful summer night all nature seemed at play
The tender moon was shining bright, the barge at Molesey lay
All in the balmy moonlight it lay rocking on the tide
And Growltiger was disposed to show his sentimental side

[GRIDDLEBONE]
Chi e la?

[GROWLTIGER]
Mi amore!

[GRIDDLEBONE]
Sono qui

[MALE CAT]
In the forepeak of the vessel Growltiger stood alone

[GROWLTIGER]
Concentrating my attention on the Lady Griddlebone
And my raffish crew were sleeping in their barrels and their bunks

[COMPANY]
As the Siamese came creeping in their sampans and their junks

[GRIDDLEBONE]
Growltiger had no eye or ear for aught but Griddlebone
[GROWLTIGER]
And the lady seemed enraptured by my manly baritone

[GRIDDLEBONE and GROWLTIGER]
Disposed to relaxation and awaiting no surprise

[COMPANY]
But the moonlight shone reflected from a thousand bright blue eyes
And closer still and closer the sampans circled 'round
And yet from all the enemy there was not heard a sound
The foe was armed with toasting forks and cruel carving knives
And the lovers sang their last duet in danger of their lives

[GROWLTIGER]
In una tepida notte d'estate
Allorche la natura era nel pieno fulgore
E la resca rugiada splendeve al chiar de luna
Sopra la verzura si poteva vedere
Il galeone ancorato

Oscillare in silenzio nel vento profumato
Dalla marea del naviglio serenemente cullato
In quella tepida notte che c'e dunque di male
Se intanta poesia il pirata divento sentimentale?

[GRIDDLEBONE & GROWLTIGER]
Oscillare in silenzio nel vento profumato
Dalla marea del naviglio serenamente cullato
In quella tepida notte
In quella tepida notte
In quella tepida notte

[GENGHIS]
Then Genghis gave the signal to his fierce Mongolian horde
Abandoning their sampans, the chinks they swarmed aboard
Abandoning their sampans, their pullaways, and junks
They battened down the hatches on the crew within their bunks
Then Griddlebone she gave a screech for she was badly skeered
I'm sorry to admit it, but she quickly disappeared

[GROWLTIGER]
She probably escaped with ease, I'm sure she was not drowned

[COMPANY]
But a serried ring of flashing steel Growltiger did surround

[GENGHIS]
Ai-yee!

(The SIAMESE cats advance on and surround GROWLTIGER, who fights back but is overwhelmed)

[COMPANY]
The ruthless foe pressed forward in stubborn rank on rank
Growltiger to his vast surprise was forced to walk the plank
He who a hundred victims had driven to that drop
At the end of all his crimes was forced to go kerflip-kerflop

Oh there was joy in Wapping when the news flew through the land
At Maidenhead and Henley there was dancing on the Strand
Rats were roasted whole in Brentford and Victoria Dock
And a day of celebration was commanded in Bangkok!

[GUS]
These modern productions are all very well
But there's nothing to equal from what I hear tell
That moment of mystery when I made history...