I Still Like Cats
It’s hard to read cats’ emotions
Because they are cats
It’s hard to read cats’ emotions
But I still like cats
I believe those were the original lyrics (in full) of Doug Rae’s “4/20 Cat Song.” It is no longer 4/20, so he has since revamped the lyrics and written an entire song about these always interesting creatures. He then recorded the song at Jon Devoto’s studio, Dirt Room.
My first ever experience in a recording studio was singing crew vocals on that chorus and making cat sounds at a microphone.
It’s kinda funny how there’s still a difference between Jon my friend and Jon Devoto, Matches guitarist, who I’ve idolized for the past decade. Upstairs scarfing down pizza and veggies in his kitchen, we’re friends and this is normal. Downstairs watching him mix this song and directing people where to go and what to do in the studio, I’m nerding out. I don’t understand how Pro-Tools or Logic (or whatever it was he used) works, but it was really awesome to see.
I think most of the song on Doug’s end was recorded before we got there, but he sang a little of it for us and the lyrics are GOLD. Something about cats watching you have sex was definitely in there somewhere.
Blues guitarist Jules Leyhe came dressed in full country garb armed with a banjo/guitar hybrid for the bridge.
We sang the chorus as a large group, and then a smaller group sang it again to mix the two together. Then for the end of the song, we all just made cat noises. Jon’s girlfriend Amy made a joke about how he hates “meows” instead of lyrics, so naturally I did the “meows” from “Scratched Out” into the microphone. Quietly.
Jules wore the lyrics proudly just in case we forgot them while recording. Weirdly enough, it did help.
Here’s a creepy clown painting hanging in the Dirt Room. Because of course it is.
The “Cat Song” is absolutely beautiful and I can’t wait to hear the finished product. Here’s a group shot of the backup vocalists.
And now we’re cats.
UPDATE: It is now March and I still haven’t heard anything about the song being finished. Doug is currently on a year-long adventure abroad with his girlfriend Keely, and it’s been in Jon’s hands for the past few months I believe. He’s always busy, recording music, playing weddings, running an entertainment company, etc., but maybe it’ll be done and have surfaced by 4/20?
