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
Voodoo Cowboy
The Cat Empire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
His father was a scarecrow
Born in the desert with his hat on his head
Never missed a shot
Sharp as a Pharah
Tequilla in the sunrise
The desert was his bed
Now he could dance the barn dance
But no woman would take him
Cos his eyes were rather strange
In them you could see the emptiness of the desert
Yellow like a scarecrow
Black like a snake
He was a voodoo cowboy
And he had never found a girl to call his own
On and on and on
That lonely cowboy
But a cowboy's never really
Cowboy's never really alone
He had a horse
Whose name was plenty
And they saw things no man or beast has ever seen
Out in the redness
Out in the empty
Where ghost and spirits walk around like you and me
He met a girl
Called Annabelle
And she was just the prettiest thing he'd ever seen
Under a lake at the edge of the world
He met a girl
Walking through the edges of his dreams
He was a voodoo cowboy
And he was following a psychadelic stream
on and on and on
That lonely cowboy
But a cowboy's never really
Cowboy's never really alone
So he rode down
Under the water
And the sunset made a fire above his head
In search of warmth in search of love
In search of heaven above
But all he felt was cold
And all he touched was wet
But he could see her down a little bit deeper
And all he wanted was to hold her to his chest
So he reached out and she reached out
And he touched her
And she drew him in
And kissed him as he breathed his final breath
Because you see
He was a voodoo cowboy
And he had finally found a girl he could call his own
on and on and on
Lucky lucky cowboy
Because cowboy's almost always
Cowboy's almost always die alone
The song "Voodoo Cowboy" by The Cat Empire tells the story of a peculiar cowboy born in the desert with his hat on his head, whose mother was a snake and father a scarecrow. Despite his sharp aiming skills and his ability to dance the barn dance like nobody before him, he never found a woman to call his own. His strange eyes reflected both the emptiness of the desert and the color of a scarecrow and a snake, making all women reluctant to be with him. However, he had a faithful horse named Plenty, who accompanied him on his adventures where they encountered ghosts and spirits.
One day, the voodoo cowboy meets a girl named Annabelle, the prettiest thing he'd ever seen, and falls in love with her. He follows a psychedelic stream with his horse in search of her and finally finds her under a lake at the edge of the world, where he meets her through the edges of his dreams. However, their love story does not last long. While trying to reach her underwater, he touches her, and she hands him the kiss of life as he breathes his final breath.
The lyrics of this song artfully create an atmospheric tale combining the concept of the Wild West, voodoo, and surrealism. They take the listener on a journey filled with imaginative characters and creatures, mysticism, and romantic heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
His mother was a snake
He came from a family of dubious origins
His father was a scarecrow
His father's identity was questionable or nonexistent
Born in the desert with his hat on his head
He was born tough and sun-baked, ready for any challenge
Never missed a shot
He was an excellent marksman
Sharp as a Pharah
He was quick-witted and alert like a skilled sniper
Tequila in the sunrise
He embraced life's simple pleasures and appreciated beauty in the world
The desert was his bed
He was a nomadic wanderer, at home in the wild and free
Now he could dance the barn dance
He was multitalented and could dance with the best of them
Like nobody before him
He was unique and original in his style and approach
But no woman would take him
Despite his positive qualities, he was rejected for his unusual appearance
Cos his eyes were rather strange
His appearance was unconventional and intimidating
In them you could see the emptiness of the desert
His eyes betrayed the loneliness and emptiness he felt inside
Yellow like a scarecrow
His eyes were pale and unsettling, reminiscent of a scarecrow's
Black like a snake
His eyes were dark and intense, like a snake's stare
He was a voodoo cowboy
He was a mystical and enigmatic figure, shrouded in mystery and power
And he had never found a girl to call his own
Despite his unique allure, he had never found true love
That lonely cowboy
He was isolated and lonely, even though he was constantly surrounded by wilderness
But a cowboy's never really
Despite appearances, a cowboy is never truly alone
Cowboy's never really alone
There is always a connection to the land and the creatures that inhabit it
He had a horse
He had a loyal companion and confidante
Whose name was plenty
His horse was abundant in spirit and energy, never giving up or losing hope
And they saw things no man or beast has ever seen
Together, they shared a unique and otherworldly vision of the world
Out in the redness
They explored the inhospitable terrain of the desert, which was often harsh and unforgiving
Out in the empty
They braved the wilderness, often with no end in sight
Where ghost and spirits walk around like you and me
They encountered supernatural forces and entities, always prepared for the unexpected
He met a girl
He encountered a kindred spirit, a fellow wanderer in the desert
Called Annabelle
Her name represented beauty, femininity, and innocence
And she was just the prettiest thing he'd ever seen
She captivated his heart and imagination, stirring feelings of love and admiration
Under a lake at the edge of the world
They met in an extraordinary and isolated location, on the cusp of possibility and adventure
Walking through the edges of his dreams
She seemed like a figment of his imagination, a mirage made real
And he was following a psychadelic stream
He felt as if he was chasing a surreal and transcendent journey that had no end
So he rode down
He plunged into uncharted depths, with no fear and no hesitation
Under the water
He ventured beyond the limits of land and sea, willing to explore the unknown
And the sunset made a fire above his head
He witnessed an awe-inspiring display of beauty and power, reminding him of his own vulnerability
In search of warmth in search of love
He longed for the embrace of a kindred spirit, for the warmth of human connection
In search of heaven above
He yearned for a transcendent experience that would take him beyond the limits of the physical world
But all he felt was cold
Despite his lofty aspirations, he was confronted with the harsh reality of loss and disappointment
And all he touched was wet
He grasped for something to hold on to, but was swallowed by the unknown depths
But he could see her down a little bit deeper
Despite the darkness and the cold, he caught a glimpse of his true love, shining like a beacon in the deep
And all he wanted was to hold her to his chest
All he desired was to be reunited with his soulmate, to embrace her fiercely and never let go
So he reached out and she reached out
They bridged the gap between life and death, love and loss, fear and hope
And he touched her
He made a final connection with his beloved, proof that love transcends all boundaries
And she drew him in
She welcomed him with open arms, eager to embrace him in the afterlife
And kissed him as he breathed his final breath
Their love was eternal, sealed forever, a tribute to courage and hope in the face of death
Lucky lucky cowboy
Despite his hardships, he found love and fulfillment, the ultimate reward for a life of adventure and passion
Because cowboy's almost always
Even when life seems bleak and hopeless, there is always a chance for redemption and joy
Cowboy's almost always die alone
But true love can overcome any obstacle, even the loneliness of death
Contributed by Juliana E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Renata Motoki
just love this song! One of my favorites
Stephen DaParma
Was introduced to this band / song years back by a beautiful man who was a professional musician and I asked him what he listened to !!!
Michaël Pimbert
Not orignal style of the cat empire, but this is perfect! 😉 good song..
Nosh Van72
His mother was a snake
His father was a scarecrow
Born in the desert with his hat on his head
Never missed a shot
Sharp as a Pharaoh
Tequila in the sunrise
The desert was his bed
Now he could dance the barn dance
Like nobody before him
But no woman would take him
Cos his eyes were rather strange
In them you could see the emptiness of the desert
Yellow like a scarecrow
Black like a snake
He was a voodoo cowboy
And he had never found a girl to call his own
On and on and on
That lonely cowboy
But a cowboy's never really
Cowboy's never really alone
He had a horse
Whose name was plenty
And they saw things no man or beast has ever seen
Out in the redness
Out in the empty
Where ghost and spirits walk around like you and me
He met a girl
Called Annabelle
And she was just the prettiest thing he'd ever seen
Under a lake at the edge of the world
He met a girl
Walking through the edges of his dreams
He was a voodoo cowboy
And he was following a psychedelic stream
On and on and on
That lonely cowboy
But a cowboy's never really
Cowboy's never really alone
So he rode down
Under the water
And the sunset made a fire above his head
In search of warmth in search of love
In search of heaven above
But all he felt was cold
And all he touched was wet
But he could see her down a little bit deeper
And all he wanted was to hold her to his chest
So he reached out and she reached out
And he touched her
And she drew him in
And kissed him as he breathed his final breath
Because you see
He was a voodoo cowboy
And he had finally found a girl he could call his own
On and on and on
Lucky lucky cowboy
Because cowboy's almost always
Cowboys almost always die alone
Katyscosmos
Ome comment...49 people like thi! Mental!I'm baffled... This is an insaaaaane tune! So dreamy and beautiful! 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘✌✌✌