Recording on a primitive four-track, over the next two years the Cat's Miaow issued a series of cassettes on the small Aussie label Toytown, including Little Baby Sour Puss, Pet Sounds, the excellent From My Window and How Did Everything Get So Fucked Up?; finally, in 1996 the U.S. label Bus Stop issued A Kiss and a Cuddle, a compilation of the cassettes' best tracks. Songs for Girls to Sing -- another collection of EPs, live tracks and unissued material including "Shoot the Moon," taken from a split single with Stereolab -- followed in 1997.
After a handful of ambient-influenced recordings issued under the name Hydroplane, in 1999 the Cat's Miaow returned with The Long Goodbye, their entry in Darla Records' continuing "Bliss Out" series.
You Left A Note On The Table
The Cat's Miaow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You would screw up your face, laugh at me and run and hide
You left a note on the table
You said we laughed at the same things
You'll meet me once as a favour
But don't leave me waiting too long because I hate being alone
It said we laughed at the same things
You'll meet me once as a favour
But don't leave me waiting too long because I hate being alone
The Cat's Miaow's song You Left A Note On The Table speaks of the confusion of a vague relationship. The first line of the song speaks about the unpredictability of the person being sung to. The uncertainty is amplified when the person screws up their face, laughs at the singer, and runs away, leaving them searching for clarity. In the chorus section, we learn that the person left a note on the table for the singer. Through the note, we learn that the two of them shared a similar sense of humor, and that the singer should expect to hear back from the person, as they agreed to meet up only once as a favor. The bridge section reiterates the singer's fear of being alone and how they do not want to wait too long.
The lyrics encapsulate the one-sided confusion of a relationship. The tone of the song speaks to the personal struggle of understanding someone else's mind, highlighting that the only thing the singer knows for certain is the person's willingness to meet once as a favor. The lyrics illustrate how an unanswered note can leave a person with a sense of longing and solitude. The Cat's Miaow captures the emotional tension of personal relationships and human interaction.
Line by Line Meaning
I can never tell with you what was going on in your mind
Your thoughts and feelings are often hidden from me, making it difficult for me to understand you.
You would screw up your face, laugh at me and run and hide
Your behavior towards me was unpredictable, and sometimes felt hurtful and confusing.
You left a note on the table
You communicated with me in writing, perhaps because it felt easier or safer for you.
You said we laughed at the same things
You acknowledged a connection between us and the fact that we shared a sense of humor.
You'll meet me once as a favour
You agreed to see me one final time, likely out of obligation or pity for me.
But don't leave me waiting too long because I hate being alone
You expressed a fear of being left alone, and a hope that I would not abandon you in this way.
Contributed by William N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.