The Cat Empire began as a trio with McGill, Riebl, and Monro in late 1999, and started playing a wide variety of gigs in Melbourne. The band soon expanded in 2001, adding Angus, Hull-Brown, and Khadiwala.
THE Cat Empire's message, on stage and in the studio, has always been about breaking down borders: musical, geographic, lingual. But they have never done it so powerfully as they do on their new album, Cinema. The album serves up a set which captures the inexorable force - and sheer joy - of their live performances, delivered in a format perfect for lounge-rooms, backyards, BBQ’s, cafes, road trips and parties all over the world.
Cinema, the band's fourth studio album, is a dazzling statement of a band at a peak of its powers, music designed to move the body and the mind. Right from the opening track, Waiting, this is music that leaps from the speakers.
All the elements that people love about The Cat Empire are there but the result is brighter, bolder. And yes, more cinematic. What grabs the ear immediately is that this is not a band playing with genres. In the past, The Cat Empire dived in to any musical style which took their fancy, from reggae to salsa, Latin to hip-hop. Cinema reveals a band that has developed an emphatic voice that is all their own.
``That's a sound that has emerged out of nearly 10 years of playing on stage together,'' says singer and percussionist Felix Riebl. ”The result is an album that's much more integrated than anything we've done before, with a Cat Empire sound that runs consistently through it. The lyrics are perhaps darker, but they are accompanied by music that is uplifting which gives it a strange but powerful feeling.''
Riebl adds: “At times the album is thoughtful, at times it makes you just forget and dance. But it is an album that has more sonic depth than we've ever had before, experimental in parts but with really direct choruses. It's going to be a great album to play live, especially on big stages and at festivals.''
Of course, the stage is never far from the thoughts of this band. In an age when so much of selling music seems to be about celebrity and fashion, The Cat Empire have risen to be one of Australia and indeed the worlds favourite live acts through sheer musicality and the power of their interaction on stage. The band - Riebl, Vocalist and trumpeter Harry Angus, keys player Ollie McGill, bassist Ryan Monro, drummer Will Hull-Brown and Jamshid Khadiwala (aka ‘Jumps’) on decks - played their 700th show in Amsterdam last year, and will hit the 800 mark in 2010. While it is not well known in Australia, The Cat Empire are one of the country's most successful musical exports, doubling their audience numbers at every return stop.
They have headlined some of the world's biggest music festivals, including Summersonic (Japan), Rock am Ring (Germany) and V Fest (UK), playing Bonnaroo (US) as well as to an audience of 300,000 at the Montreal Jazz Festival. They have also played on some of world's highest rating entertainment shows, including Dave Letterman and Jay Leno. This year their worldwide tour in support of the international release of Cinema will see them return to Canada, US, Europe, Japan and the UK, where they will play to a full house at London's Brixton Academy.
The knowledge that they would be playing songs from the new album on so many big stages focused the song writing sessions for Cinema. The album was recorded close to home at Sing Sing studios in Melbourne with producer Steve Schram, and he encouraged them to make an album that was their most collaborative song writing effort yet.
``That was a deliberate decision from all of us,'' says the lion of the live show - Vocalist and Trumpeter Harry Angus. ``With six people in the band sometimes there will be a song on an album that not everyone wants to play live. This album certainly gets around that problem. And I think that after so many years playing together the guys are much more confident about contributing to the writing. Steve encouraged us to do that. That's been great for us.''
Of working with The Cat Empire, Schram says “it was the perfect studio scenario; amazing players open to trying anything and willing to take a back seat when required. Egos were left at the door.” He adds “In terms of musicianship, it's no secret that they don't come much better than The Cat Empire. Yet Cinema shows that simplicity and one well placed note packs more of a punch and serves the song far more than musical chops alone. We set out to explore in depth the mood and character of each song while maintaining a focus on performance rather than studio trickery. “
After taking their longest break from studio recording after the release of 2007's So Many Nights, the band reconvened feeling refreshed. ``In 2008 we took a break from touring for 8 months. Then in 2009 we released our (live album) Live on Earth” Riebl says. ``When we came back to the band, and then into the studio we all rediscovered what we loved about The Cat Empire in the first place; that it is a band that can do the unexpected, that we have great energy and make music that is always a lot of fun to play on stage. The feeling right now is just like when we were starting out. We're all very excited about that.''
Cinema will be released ...
JUNE 25, AUSTRALIA
JUNE 29, CANADA
JULY 6, USA
AUGUST 2010, EUROPE & JAPAN
See www.thecatempire.com for tours and information
Miserere
The Cat Empire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Turn your ear to the ground
Show your face to the sky
On a night when the skies echo sounds
From inside of your mind
On the stage that you shone
Where the sun did become you
And move with your thoughts
Of the worlds you have seen
And the sights that have been
Your reflection in shadows and dreams
Your reflection in shadows and dreams?
Did you ever see a man
Who did walk down the street
White robe with no shoes on his feet
And on top of his head place a box with two slits?
And the sign from his neck said
"I do not exist"
Or a woman who could not remember her name
Did stutter and stutter
Again and again
And saw you and called you her son?
Her eyes said
"My being is gone"
"But still I'm not dead"
Oh, miserere, miserere
Miserere, miserere
Miserere me
Have you ever seen a sound?
Have you listened to an image?
Have you ever touched a thought?
Have you ever tasted nothing?
Have you ever told a lie
That was true more than truth
Because truth it had lied
All its life when it spoke to you?
And what did it say?
It is that, it is this
This goes here, here is there
It is not, yes it is
It was dulling your senses
Your eyes they were bound
Have you ever, my friends
Been looking around?
And the other replies
With a wave of a hand
I am already here
In this promised land
But not by a God and not by a king
And not by a spirit
Deep from within
I am here
Because a miracle's a whim
It's a flash of glory
It's an empty tin
And maybe might lets you in
Not to save you
But to keep on looking
Oh, miserere, miserere
Miserere, miserere
Miserere me
Oh, miserere, miserere
Oh, miserere, miserere
Have you ever
Been so happy that you're sad?
That the lights turn to stars
And the stars become eyes
And hellos are goodbyes
And the laughs are the sighs
And the show disappears with the note
"Until next time"
Long live living
If living can be this
Long live living
If living can be this
Long live living
If living can be this
Long live living
If living can be this
Do you ever look around
And find what is yet to be found?
The lyrics of The Cat Empire's song Miserere are beautifully cryptic, leaving much to the interpretation of the listener. The verses are a series of questions that explore the nature of reality and how we perceive it. The first paragraph paints the image of looking up at the sky, with the sounds in the background reflecting the thoughts in the mind. The singer is contemplating how we can make sense of our own reflection and the complex dreams we have.
The second paragraph takes us on a journey of interactions with strangers, where one person has a sign that says "I do not exist," and another woman calls the singer her son even though she does not remember her own name. These moments call into question the fluidity and malleability of identity and how people perceive themselves and those around them. The chorus repeats the cry for mercy, which could be interpreted as a plea for understanding or a call for help in navigating the complexities of life.
The last section of the song encourages the listener to embrace the present and appreciate the beauty and happiness that can be found in life, even though it may be fleeting. The lyrics end on an optimistic note, with a final question that invites the listener to continue exploring the many mysteries of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you ever look around
Have you ever taken a moment to observe the world?
Turn your ear to the ground
Listen carefully to the sounds of nature
Show your face to the sky
Take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the sky
On a night when the skies echo sounds
During a moment when you can hear the world around you
From inside of your mind
From within your own thoughts and perceptions
On the stage that you shone
During a moment when you shined and felt alive
Where the sun did become you
Where you felt like you were one with the world
And move with your thoughts
To experience the world through your own thoughts and perceptions
Through the sighs and the scenes
Through the ups and downs of life
Of the worlds you have seen
Of the experiences you've had
And the sights that have been
And the things that you've seen
Your reflection in shadows and dreams
Your perception of yourself and your own thoughts
Did you ever see a man
Have you ever witnessed someone doing something unusual?
Who did walk down the street
Who was simply walking around
White robe with no shoes on his feet
Wearing simple clothing and being barefoot
And on top of his head place a box with two slits?
Wearing an unusual object on their head
And the sign from his neck said
The message written on a sign around their neck read
"I do not exist"
The message read that they do not believe they truly exist
Or a woman who could not remember her name
Or have you seen someone who is lost and confused?
Did stutter and stutter
Having trouble communicating their thoughts
Again and again
Continuously repeating their thoughts
And saw you and called you her son?
Mistaking your identity
Her eyes said
Through her expression
"My being is gone"
The person indicated that they do not feel present
"But still I'm not dead"
But despite that, they are still alive
Have you ever seen a sound?
Have you ever experienced synesthesia?
Have you listened to an image?
Have you ever associated an image with sound?
Have you ever touched a thought?
Have you ever had such an intense thought that it seemed tangible?
Have you ever tasted nothing?
Have you ever experienced absolute nothingness?
Have you ever told a lie
Have you ever been deceptive?
That was true more than truth
The lie was truer than the truth
Because truth it had lied
Because the truth it originally spoke was not quite accurate
All its life when it spoke to you?
It seemed that the truth had been misleading in your experiences
And what did it say?
What was said in this instance?
It is that, it is this
This is what was said
This goes here, here is there
Clarification of placement or direction
It is not, yes it is
Contradiction
It was dulling your senses
It was making you feel numb or unresponsive
Your eyes they were bound
Your vision was limited or obscured
Have you ever, my friends
Have you all ever experienced this?
Been looking around?
Have you taken a moment to observe your surroundings?
And the other replies
The other person in this conversation responds
With a wave of a hand
They make a dismissive gesture
I am already here
They are already present and aware
In this promised land
In this place where they feel fulfilled and at peace
But not by a God and not by a king
They did not come to this place due to a deity or ruler
And not by a spirit
Nor because of a ghost or supernatural entity
Deep from within
They found this fulfillment within themselves
I am here
I found what I was looking for
Because a miracle's a whim
Because a miracle is something that happens randomly and unpredictably
It's a flash of glory
It's a sudden, glorious moment
It's an empty tin
It's only an illusion or a temporary fix
And maybe might lets you in
It's possible that luck allowed them to reach this point
Not to save you
Not for the sake of saving anyone
But to keep on looking
But to continue searching for their own fulfillment
Have you ever
Have you ever felt this way as well?
Been so happy that you're sad?
Have you ever been overcome with emotion to the point where it was bittersweet?
That the lights turn to stars
That the environment seems to transform into something incredibly beautiful
And the stars become eyes
And it feels like the world is looking back at you
And hellos are goodbyes
When welcoming someone feels like saying goodbye as well
And the laughs are the sighs
Laughter feels heavy and meaningful, as if it's punctuating something sad
And the show disappears with the note
And the experience ends
"Until next time"
Until the next time this experience can be enjoyed
Long live living
Let us live life to the fullest
If living can be this
If life can be this fulfilling and meaningful
And find what is yet to be found?
Once we've found fulfillment, have we ever considered what else we will look for?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Felix Riebl
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@factsonhumans1028
Let me tell you a story. I discovered this song after my uncle had passed away, it was a short illness, he had a young daughter and he loved life.
For years I couldnt listen to this song because the lyrics “ long live living if living can be this “ broke my fucking heart knowing the life he had built was gone.. this was in 2010
I am now in a great place, with someone I love, and randomly tonight thought, I’d listen to this song again to see if it still made me cry... yes I welled up a bit but the meaning had changed. I’ve now found my own “ long live living if living can be this” so thank you Cat Empire
Ollie x
@salvie5
Long live living
@natashanagy1117
Beautiful
@sadmanshakib7646
:')
@sadmanshakib7646
This is literally one of the best songs I've ever heard. So underrated :(.
@henrys4338
I litterally spent 50 minutes searching through Cat Empire songs to find this. Seriously worth every second.
Long live living if living can be this!
@skinnysnorlax1876
Especially since it was fifty minutes of cat empire
@henrys4338
@@skinnysnorlax1876 most defiantly mate
@johnpalma5507
A beautiful song showing an appreciation for all things.
@briannahriordan9948
I don't know how this song hasn't had millions of views, It's been my favourite song for 12 years and I don't think anything could replace this pure masterpiece.