Stephen Lee Bruner, stage name Thundercat (b. October 19 1984, Los Angeles,… Read Full Bio ↴Stephen Lee Bruner, stage name Thundercat (b. October 19 1984, Los Angeles, CA, USA) is a virtuoso bassist, composer, producer and singer. Born into a family of musicians, he and his brother were part of legendary thrash punks Suicidal Tendencies (since 16 years of age) - Bruner has collaborated with many, including jams with Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Mac Miller and Stanley Clarke.

“I do believe that hip-hop can be the new jazz, and I’m helping create that”, Bruner said in an interview to Bass Player, in 2008.

He is part of the new generation of jazz literate, hip-hop loving instrumentalists who can play beyond traditional limits - a mutant jazz cat - and that’s how 'Thundercat' (a monicker he chose), suits him well (even if it’s purely the result of an unhealthy cartoon addiction dating back to childhood).

A Fan's Mail
Thundercat Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Meow, meow
Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow
Meow, meow
Meow

I wish I had nine lives
I bet it feels real nice
Sitting in the sun

Letting the rains wash over me
No one watching over me
I do what I want
Everybody wants to be a cat
It's cool to be a cat
Everything the light touches
It's where I will roam
My roar would be so powerful
I would scare off everything

Cool to be a cat (meow, meow, meow, meow)
Cool to be a cat (meow, meow, meow, meow)
Cool to be a cat (meow, meow, meow, meow)
Cool to be a cat

Meow, meow
Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow

Meow, meow
Meow, meow, meow

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Thundercat's "A Fan's Mail" can be interpreted as a fantastical daydream about what it would be like to live life as a cat. The repeated meows in the beginning of the song further reinforce this idea. The singer is envious of the carefree life of a cat, being free to do as they please and not be held accountable to anyone. The line "Everybody wants to be a cat" is a playful nod to the famous Disney song "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat" from The Aristocats. The singer imagines themselves as a majestic and powerful feline, capable of scaring off anything with their roar.

Overall, the song seems to be about the human desire for freedom and escape from responsibility, as well as the allure of the feline lifestyle portrayed in pop culture. Thundercat's use of humor, catchy melodies, and imaginative lyrics create a whimsical and entertaining song.

Line by Line Meaning

Meow, meow
The sound of a cat

Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow
Repetitive meowing of a cat

Meow, meow
The sound of a cat

Meow
The sound of a cat

I wish I had nine lives
I wish I had multiple opportunities to live life

I bet it feels real nice
I imagine it would be great

Sitting in the sun
Enjoying the warmth of the sun

Letting the rains wash over me
Allowing the rain to cleanse and rejuvenate me

No one watching over me
No one to tell me what to do

I do what I want
I have freedom to make my own choices

Everybody wants to be a cat
Everyone desires the freedom and independence that cats possess

It's cool to be a cat
Being a cat is desirable and enjoyable

Everything the light touches
I am free to roam wherever I please

It's where I will roam
I will explore and adventure as I please

My roar would be so powerful
My voice or my influence would be strong and influential

I would scare off everything
My power and influence would impress and deter others from coming near me

Cool to be a cat (meow, meow, meow, meow)
Being a cat is desirable and enjoyable

Cool to be a cat
Being a cat is desirable and enjoyable

Meow, meow
The sound of a cat

Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow
Repetitive meowing of a cat

Meow, meow
The sound of a cat

Meow, meow, meow
Repetitive meowing of a cat

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Stephen Bruner, Mark Spears

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@TiagoPatula84

7y↑502

[Intro]
Meow, meow
Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow
Meow, meow
Meow

[Verse]
I wish I had nine lives
I bet it feels real nice
Sitting in the sun
Letting the rays wash over me
No one watching over me
I do what I want
Everybody wants to be a cat
It's cool to be a cat
Everything the light touches
It's where I will roar
My roar would be so powerful
I would scare off everything

[Hook]
Cool to be a cat (meow, meow, meow, meow)
Cool to be a cat (meow, meow, meow, meow)
Cool to be a cat (meow, meow, meow, meow)
Cool to be a cat
[Outro]
Meow, meow
Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow
Meow, meow
Meow, meow
Meow

All comments from YouTube:

@shrimpy420

6y↑1.2K

This is the most beautiful song about wanting to be a cat I've ever heard

@logumbogum950

4y↑14

Can you name any others?

@emperorza5777

4y↑25

@@logumbogum950 Lmao that’s the point

@gilesseddon3142

4y↑3

The live one is better imho

@user-dj6ho8nj6e

4y↑21

@@logumbogum950 everybody wants to be a cat 🐈 aristocats 🤣

@mshill2406

3y↑26

My cat passed away and Im listening to this in her memory

8 More Replies...

@paoloflorian44

3y↑385

Thundercat the only artist who can make me dance to, "meow meow, meow meow meow."

@theorderofthebees7308

1y↑4

😂😂😂

@omori-wc

50w↑6

thundercat is the only artisit is banger songs I swear

@AnimatedOyster

Yesssss

@bonethugsfiend

4y↑1.1K

Ancient Egyptians wish they could hear this song.

@leosaffron222

3y↑65

Plot twist the lyrics are translated from ancient hieroglyphics

@panuru9175

3y↑12

@@leosaffron222 oh shit gor real

@ogonbio8145

2y↑4

Bruh that’s so true

@MachiavellisThePrince

2y↑1

If you're playing it on a Samsung, they can...

@haramlamont5035

2y↑1

😂😂😂😂😂👍👍👍

8 More Replies...

@Mdyer9592

7y↑857

This album is a night drive dream

@1301407gl

7y↑27

Kenny Banger definitely made morning traffic tolerable

@ozontm

7y↑14

Recently put this album on play during my drive through Hamburg at night.
Comfiest ride I've ever had.

@samcherry4741

6y↑2

Some real Park Avenue type shit

@zhou_sei

5y↑2

truth

@_.Dylan._

4y↑3

Hit different riding my bike alone at night

1 More Replies...

@mastakhan

7y↑551

This beat is so good it makes me want some catnip

@lisaj4698

6y↑9

I can get you some, Hybrid or Indica?

@ks1922

5y↑4

S or R? Or a racemic blend?

@Vesper8088

3y↑2

...not sure why a box sounds nice to have right now..

@ejstar8917

7y↑366

I cannot stop listening to this song. The whole album is amazing.

@DavidRoss-mf2qp

Indubitably.

@luvwillfindawayy

7y↑501

I hear the chords from "Something About Us" by Daft Punk (which sample "The Ballad of Dorothy Parker" by my favorite, Prince) and the background vocals from "The People" by Common (which I think are probably originally from some funk song from the 70s) being sampled. This is one of my favorite songs on this album. 🙌🏽💜
Thundercat's lyrics though... He references Lion King, "Everything the light touches..." and Aristocats “Everybody wants to be a cat...” Not to mention I love cats. 🐱 lmao

@deejayplaturn4771

7y↑9

Mountain - Long Red

@sirjustusthelegend

7y↑20

Morgan Schaeffer this dude is actually playing this on a bass

@Bayo106

7y↑2

theres an obviously sample in the middle or near the end of this song

@EQchimera

6y↑12

Hey Morgan, you’d like anything Anderson Paak with Knxledge.

@pebbleskillasheep

5y↑2

Yay! And I love those two songs and totally fell in love with that one! Ooh my!

10 More Replies...

@cullencochran3393

3y↑259

this song is so pure. :/ it's like the feeling of being completely stripped of everything, reduced to your core, tryna shamefully cover yourself in the sunlight, and the sunlight responding "you don't have to do that. you were taught to. but you don't have to do that here." thanks for reading this batshit insane comment ;) hope you're groovy

@jaimefrias6129

2y↑4

Bro your gay

@blow8667

2y↑27

Bro’s probably high af

@ProfessionalismTrash

51w

fucks wrong wit you cuh

@swankyhabi

31w↑2

i'm 6 years late but this shit still sounds so nice and rich and full and groovy lmao

@janineabdul582

2y↑46

My family cat was put down two months ago. We got her when I was a kid and had her for 17 years. She was with us through everything. I love this song because it reminds me that even though we saw her suffering toward the end and we miss her so much, wherever she is now she’s probably having a better time than we are.

@kevinvieira4458

50w↑2

My condolences, late. I also have an elderly cat, I try not to think about the day she will leave me. It's a family member already.

@nathanoises

7y↑206

this song is purrrrfect

@mrlin1687

6y↑2

Nathan A. I'll give you the like!

@timothydryden2517

4y↑2

Creative, and quite frankly I hate it

@nathanoises

@Breanna Page lmao

@jifij89

1y↑25

i can’t even describe how much i adore this, truly speaking for all cat lovers

@ohmahrie

7y↑1K

reminder that this is mandatory for the next Garfield movie soundtrack

@WolfNandos97

6y↑43

That's only if the next Garfield is good enough to deserve it !

@thapelomoje7264

6y↑5

true

@ActionJotaPe

6y↑11

Please no that would ruin the song

@MrCrunchy94

4y↑4

I love u

@jazzcaptain3355

4y↑8

Garfield: gets a divorce and loses the kids all while falling deeper into the void (this song comes on)

2 More Replies...

@gakiNEMO

7y↑367

Everybody wants to be a cat

@lil_keybo

7y↑14

Everything the light touches.

@connordevane5008

7y↑34

because a cat's the only cat, who knows where it's at

@kiadoll8417

7y↑7

because a cat's the only cat who knows where its at

@orateusdijin6557

7y↑5

^Them Punctuation's

@davidp5722

4y↑5

HALELUYAH

@TiagoPatula84

7y↑502

@zae4521

7y↑11

Tiago Patula the verse sounds deadass like a quote

@Raphie009

7y↑1

Hiss

@Jamie.Really

6y↑5

Tiago Patula meow meow meow

@EasyAno

4y↑2

@@zae4521 poem*

@r.i.petika829

4y↑2

@@zae4521 poem*

5 More Replies...

@digibath84

7y↑204

meow meow meow? MeOW! meoW MeOw!

@Raphie009

hiss

@coreyblackmon2015

No. It's meow meow. Meow meow meow meow okay? Two meows for the first and four for the sencond. NOW DO IT AGAIN!

@gmcummings

7y↑178

This dude is smooth. So creative. His music is reminiscent of Stevie Wonder's "Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants". Almost other worldly...

@officiallipsey

7y↑10

That's probably Stevie's best work. Didn't think I'd find people across YouTube who actually know that album. It's incredible.

@jeangerasimov5472

4y↑48

I don`t know why, but I can fall asleep only when this song is in my night playlist and when it`s playing out of my phone under the pillow... It`s beat and melody are just so warm and chilly, lyrics are so dreamy and light... All of this makes me feel that my problems and all people`s routine are just so meaningless and it`s sometimes better to live like a cat, doing nothing, enjoying life with no reason, sitting in the sun...

It`s cool to be cat...

@darwinvillalta1163

holy shit i thought i was the only one that did this

@lootfrog

47w↑6

I love the sample of the guy screaming YEAHHH it’s so funny to me

@1pink2pink3pink

4y↑38

My ex sent me this saying “I think this song will help you understand me on a deeper level”

@mxxxw4529

4y↑14

Maya Rouillard try to get him back at all costs

@jlokahi9104

4y↑3

They are for sure hot

@neostesia1982

3y↑1

@@jlokahi9104 frfr 😳

@mdogpartyhog

7y↑108

Ideally, play this song while petting your cat. Happy shit.

@sirjustusthelegend

7y↑122

most talented bassist ever imo

@churchofsandal

davie504 is pretty solid too. he doesn’t play a six string so your point still stands

@tomchannelle8386

4y↑19

@@churchofsandal man there's a huge gap between thundercat and davie504 haha, only people up there with thundercat are people like jaco, stan Clarke, tetsuo sakurai etc, davies a good bassist but nothing amazing

@churchofsandal

4y↑7

Tom Channelle this was a year ago when i liked davie504 i fucking hate him now (his content i mean, he’s a fine bassist i guess but nowhere near thundercats level)

@tomchannelle8386

4y↑13

@@churchofsandal ahhh Yeahhh I get ya man haha, his content nowadays is just kids videos featuring bass basically lmao

@TheMusicCrack

3y↑1

@@churchofsandal my fav Bassist is Henrik Linder (Dirty Loops) :)

4 More Replies...

@ProdbyDevonOct

2y↑7

This is One Of My Favorite Album of All Time. I Appreciate You Thundercat. Reporting Live From 2022.

@kyletitus5657

7y↑51

best song on the album for me, and i have no idea why

@LuisenGames

3y↑4

cats are the best man...

@lucariotheawesome

2y↑2

meow meow meow meow meow meow

@MinkyBoodle44

7y↑45

This is the best thing I have ever heard

@axixngolola4845

4y↑42

I've Never Heard Of Thundercat Until I Listened To 'To Pimp A Butterfly' By Kendrick Lamar. Now Thundercat Is For Sure One Of My Favorites💙

@_.Dylan._

4y↑5

Strange I went the other way around and while listening to some songs on TPAB I was like holy shit that bass sounds like Thundercat!

@Thesqueakydude

same

@mentalspeakwithlt

3y↑8

Played this song for my cats, like “yo you got a theme song and everything!” No effs given.

@benjaminsmith2100

2y↑8

The fact that thunder cats fingers sweep octaves as he sings an angelic voice is some superhero shit

@12Saintsrow

7y↑31

THE MEOWS

@3badthebad

4y↑9

This is my go-to song to play when I’m chilling with my cats

@ilikefoodx20

7y↑24

anyone else think about The Aristocats after listening to this? Everybody wants to be a cat!

@captaindad7204

5y↑11

Every time i click on another one of thundercats songs im like" no fuckin way this ones this good too?"

@mfro4422

5y↑13

its nice to hear some actual art once in a while

@badwolfdubOfficial

7y↑132

the chord progression sounds a lot like daft punk's "Something About Us" except with the last two chords changed. not downing it, just caught that and thought it was interesting. fuckin love the beat behind it.

@TheDynamicJAB

7y↑3

Hi Melon

@Afroctopus

7y↑32

feeling a strong daft to a light punk on this one

@musiqman509

7y↑1

EJ パンダ That's the first thing I said when I heard the break down at the end

@luancervantes6124

6y↑6

it's actually sampled in the song, man
at around 2:00 you can clearly hear the sample, it's a bit modified though there's some gating going on but you can pick it up.

@KrayKenshin

6y↑3

Sir DankHustle all music is from something before them even Daft Punk. So whats the point of this comment except to degrade the originality. Passive aggressive doesn't make your statement anymore than trash

1 More Replies...

@PlinniBundaCake

I'll always love that subtle hiss at the end. 😂💜

@ax569

4y↑5

stephen bruner(six string bass), jimmy james (first guitar), peter sagar (guitar, synths and samplers) and thomas pridgen(drums and percussion.)

@TheGoody92

1y↑3

I have so many memories and emotions tied to this song, every time I hear it I feel something.

@johnwidelockavengerchuckec2045

1y↑4

This song makes me think of my stupid black and white cat and cry. He’s not dead or anything i just love him very much

@herro530

7y↑79

I started whistling I wish I was a cat, and outta nowhere a cat came from behind me and started rubbing it's head on me and I started petting and massaging his head, he started to massage my arm by doing a alternating paw press technique.

@zacmodirapula9771

6y↑2

that is so sprcial

@hartbeat48

5y↑7

Just so you will know, that is called "making bread", cat loves on you dude.

@JordinE1996

Wittle babies was makin muffins

@leekyoverhere

4y↑8

Every Thundercat album feels so much better at 3am for some reason

@taffyistrashy

4y↑8

Man he really hit home with this one wipes tear

@kobbygyan9982

47w↑3

I remember playing this song on my way to a job interview 3 years ago...

@cbartthompson1

7y↑7

Easily the best song on the album by a wide margin

@cbartthompson1

incredible song

@ZimMan26

7y↑117

That cover makes him look like miles davis in the 70s with that hairline

@johndoe-vw6ot

5y↑10

If Miles Davis played the bass guitar like an entity.

@evanbrill6139

4y↑1

That is Miles Davis buddy

@Hanadsrequiem

@@johndoe-vw6ot Forsure played trumpet like an entity

@mateuszjasek

2y↑5

I'm listening to this track at least once a day. Is it even legal to create such good songs?

@Pronounced_Love

2y↑2

I do what i want!!!!!!

@miguelazevedo692

5y↑4

What is this bassline???? My soul is raving like there's no tomorrow!! What an amazing piece of art.

@deltronzero9

2y↑3

there needs to be a 24 hour mix of this

@Keychain-

7y↑27

i feel like im hearing the "LOUDER!" sample that I always hear in either Dilla tracks or Madlib tracks

@evanbrill6139

4y↑1

It's Madlib, and yeah same one

@underscoregalore8532

7y↑22

trippy how the drums are panned right and the vocals left

@Thyronix

6y↑3

my cat actually likes this song because they say meow and he knows that word

@FlyingZoroark

4y↑4

I wish I had 9 lives so I could devote my life to Thundercat more than once.

@AquaBlueTea

3y↑1

Favorite song off the album by far. God I love this man

@Big_chunh

3y↑4

Meow mix wish they had this song

@Creamboat5

4y↑18

This song came on our speakers just as I was coming up on my first LSD trip, on a canoe ride in the middle of Rural Ghana. On my first Birthday post cancer diagnosis. The best.

@martingarricks6209

13w

start a meth business and go bald

@NESDUB

7y↑2

The drums!!

@quanm9396

6y↑2

I’m addicted to this sound this shit is hella meow with the wavy

@ErnestoOchoaII

3y↑12

It reminds of when I was in 6th grade because when this song came out my dad would play it every day when he would take me to school. I wish I could go back to a much simpler time in my life

@Hopefoust

❤️

@TallThingy

5y↑93

this sounds like “something about us” by daft punk

@forincognito22

4y↑1

Tall Thingy I looked this song up just to see if anyone said the same thing. Said this to my friend and he saw zero resemblance.

@armfish6030

4y↑5

@@forincognito22 Lowkey just listened to this for the first time rn and rushed here to see if anyone said thought so too

I think the chords played on the synth keys are identical right down to the inversion

Btw best song off of Discovery

@adi_ridhwan

different feel but love both gems

@eazye9157

4y↑2

it samples it

@philihp

Yea same chords, I think he may even use the daft punk song as a sample as the basis of this song.

3 More Replies...

@wotabottle

5y↑1

Love it.

@danielagerard2889

5y↑3

en bucle pa no olvidarte

@LLAAPPSSEE

4y↑1

Beautifully comedic.

@austin910

6y↑3

i listen to this song when i nap with my cat and try to imagine what it’s like being him

@qpninobrown8244

1y↑1

This song is playing on a UFO radio right now 🔥🔥🔥😂

@AlexTheBeastOfficial

3y↑1

Insanely underrated

@xMXWLx

7y↑1

That 70s stule bass gives me a Cali vibe in the park dmokin with that one girl you really like ❤️

@amaddinthenow

2y↑1

I just wanted to mention, that We're quietly waiting for part III.

@albertocasaresrobaina4217

7y↑1

This song makes me happy when im sad THX

@thomassodomizer764

4y↑2

I love this freaking beat. Meow, Meow, Meow!

@verdaderomanolo

3y↑1

Temazo

@timurmusabay4822

3y↑1

RIP to my cat Cleo..... thanks for this

@BraguetteOpen

God how I love those last 40 seconds

@redreets

7y↑2

I adore this song 🙌😸😺

@deepstoner449

Purrrr 😌

@solcendant264

4y↑2

That is the most beautiful 1 second intro

@camm785

4y↑1

And those crispy drums come in

@soursixteen3112

7y↑6

LEO 🦁☉❤ August 16th MEOW 🦁

@recklessralphfromqueens8383

With the right transpose and mixing, goes lovely with Alex Cuba’s “Si Peri No”. 👌🏿

@LydiaNaomi

that was just tooo good!

@tweakinclipz-_-367

Best bass player ive ever heard/seen

@An8thOfShrooms

23w↑2

I miss 2017

@softteu

7y↑1

Bateria streetzinha, chiado de LP e tome-lhe groove!!!

@jacobsibert6209

4y↑9

This song helps me cope with my ex girlfriends death I love it so much keep on giving thundercat

@wavealip8059

Lmao.. I'm over here high AF over here meowing and jamming to this.

@FuzzyOne2007

Dope.

@RogerioNunesManjja

1y↑3

C A F T P U N K

@mikeroots

This whole album is amazing it reminds me of when I was kickin it with Ellis D. A lot and we had great times

@DLZMKSBTS

50w

I sing this to my cats all the time

@marlybobeats

love it...

@TeeTaan

6y↑3

Same chord progression as Daft Punk's Something About Us? Awesome!

@123cptmack

Lights. Blunt And Just Breeze

@taniapimentel1599

7y↑2

Come to Brazil, one more time!! Hahaha. Your music is a great thing!! Boomboclat!
Alessandro, Fortaleza CE.

@Luizxc1

7y↑1

caramba ele já veio pro brasil? nem pra eu ter ido kk

@taniapimentel1599

Luiz Gustavo Veio não, brother! Foi pq comentei em outro vídeo pra ele vir, o "one more time" foi do comentário que fiz, não de uma segunda volta dele. Foi mal, rsrs. Mas tamo na reza pra ele vir! Jah!!!

@vitaobassbr

Acho q ele venho pra ca só na epoca do suicidal tendencies . É nois!

@thecreepyllama

7y↑1

Do you guys realize that "come to Brazil" is a meme? Genuine question, why do so many Brazilian Internet users seem to ask this so much

@vitaobassbr

7y↑1

Yeah... we create a lot of memes =D

1 More Replies...

@neosoontoretro

If there is ever a live action Thundercats movie this should be the theme song.

@slickfidget7377

25w

Me and my cats liked this song

@HumansFreshlyBorn

I put this album on to go to sleep and woke up to this song it was surreal

@jackthestripper.

My Cornish rex female, Vex, died around Christmas a few years ago
Its cool to be a cat.

@nyoho5355

3y↑2

what if the meaning of the song is freedom?, and wanting to be a stray cat is just a metaphor for being free and doing whatever you want without laws, society or anything that holds you back