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Song Parodies -> "Cat's What You Think Of"

Original Song Title:

"Cat's In the Cradle"

 (MP3)
Original Performer:

Harry Chapin

Parody Song Title:

"Cat's What You Think Of"

Parody Written by:

Michael Pacholek

The Lyrics

The Cleveland area has been home to many misfortunes, including the fact that its one native President served 129 days as Chief Executive and 79 days as First Patient. Who knows whether he would have been a good President, but he deserves better than to share his name with a fat, self-indulgent comic-strip cat. In fact, this song might be longer than the Garfield Presidency. By the way, my earlier "Tax On the Table" mentioned the elder George Bush, but it's about Dubya, so it doesn't count toward my Presidential Project.
A child was born on Lake Erie's shore.
He came into a world that had lots in store.
And there were books to read and games to play.
Civil War came and he went away.
And he's a General 'fore he knew it, and don't you see
he said, "I'm making history, yeah.
You know I'll make history."

But the cat's what you think of when you hear the name.
Orange ball of fur, and that's a real damn shame.
When you comin' home, Jim? "I don't know when
but we'll get together then.
We're gonna have a good time then."

Well, he marched on home just the other day.
Ohio had a new role for Jim to play.
"Can you launch a campaign?" He said, "That's okay
and they'll remember me well on some future day."
And he went to Congress and his smile never dimmed.
He said, "Washington, I'll be like him, yeah.
You know I'm gonna be like him."

But the cat's what you think of when you hear the name.
Tubby ball of fur, and that's a real damn shame.
When you comin' home, Jim? "I don't know when
but we'll get together then.
We're gonna have a good time then."

He won he a close race on Election Day.
And the new President, he just had to say,
"I'm proud of myself, the dream is now revealed:
I'm President James Abram Garfield.
What I'd really like, folks, is to read the histories
and see my name in them, if you please."

But the cat's what you think of when you hear the name.
Lazy ball of fur, and that's a real damn shame.
When you comin' home, Jim? "I don't know when
but we'll get together then, yeah.
We're gonna have a good time then."

Well, a crazy man blew Garfield away.
Too hot in D.C., they took him away.
Thought the Jersey shore would give him a better clime.
He said, "I wish it could, but I am out of time.
You see, the X-ray's not invented, docs don't have a clue.
And I guess my adventure is through, boys.
Yeah, I guess my adventure is through."

And as I closed up the book it occurred to me:
The comic strip is what we
think of instead of he.

And the cat's what you think of when you hear the name.
That's the wrong Garfield, that's a real damn shame.
In a marble tomb out in east Cleveland
they laid Jim to rest back then, yeah.
And rarely thought of him again.

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Original Song: 
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Voting Results

 
Pacing: 4.5
How Funny: 4.1
Overall Rating: 4.5

Total Votes: 8

Voting Breakdown

The following represent how many people voted for each category.

    Pacing How Funny Overall Rating
 1   1
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 2   0
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 0
 
 3   0
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 4   0
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 5   7
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User Comments

Comments are subject to review, and can be removed by the administration of the site at any time and for any reason.

2Eagle - September 09, 2004 - Report this comment
People are short sighted. Remember in the Sixties when Tiny Tim was mentioned they didn't think of the TT in A Christmas Carol.
alvin rhodes - September 09, 2004 - Report this comment
thanks for settin' me straight..i thought it was the cat who was president...5s
Ravyn Rant - September 10, 2004 - Report this comment
Damn, you're good!
Nancy - October 03, 2004 - Report this comment
Leaving name until well into the song - an act of genius. Thanks!
ghostwriter - November 23, 2008 - Report this comment
Very true and kinda sad - a good song commentary - well written.

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