Cat in the Window (The Bird in the Sky)

Petula Clark

About Cat in the Window (The Bird in the Sky)

"The Cat in the Window (The Bird in the Sky)" is a song with words and music by Gary Bonner and Alan Gordon which was a 1967 single for Petula Clark. In the spring of 1967, Clark had had her biggest hit ever with "This is My Song" her first single since "Downtown" in 1964, not written and produced by Tony Hatch, whose 1966 collaborations with Clark had failed to maintain her US Top Ten presence and had missed the UK Top 50 completely. Clark had then cut the These Are My Songs album with producer Sonny Burke, reuniting with Hatch only for one track "Don't Sleep in the Subway"; although that track had been the album's second single and a strong follow-up to "This Is My Song", Clark had proceeded to record her next album with no planned involvement from Hatch. Clark continued to work with Burke but as his productions tended to be intensely easy listening, she signed with Koppelman-Rubin Associates, a Los Angeles-based music publishing and independent production company, to provide her with material with more Top 40 appeal. The submissions to Charles Koppelman and Dan Rubin for consideration for Clark to record included two songs: "Who Got the Credit" and "Bus Driver is a Fruit Cake" which if deemed suitable for Clark - which they weren't - would have been the first songs placed by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. Eventually Koppelman-Rubin had Clark record a song by their staff writers Gary Bonner and Alan Gordon: "The Cat in the Window (The Bird in the Sky)". Bonner and Gordon had been signed as Koppelman-Rubin house writers on the strength of penning the Turtles' #1 hit "Happy Together" and had recently placed songs with Gary Lewis and the Playboys, the Mojo Men, Gene Pitney and the Righteous Brothers. "The Cat in the Window..." was reportedly written with Clark in mind; the song was also cut by the Turtles whose version had no contemporaneous release.1Recorded by Clark at Wally Heider Studios, "The Cat in the Window..." is a brief (at 1:55) track richly orchestrated with strings and flutes - Jack Nitzsche arranged the session - difficult to categorize by specific musical genre. The lyrics have the singer empathize with a cat ("with a tear in his eye") seemingly eager to "fly out the window, go where the wind goes" like the birds flying by. Resolving to "glide to a rainbow off where the clouds go dancing by," she ends with the plaintive comment, "You won't find me . . . don't even try to." Another Bonner/Gordon composition: "Fancy Dancin' Man", was recorded to serve as the track's B-side. 


Year:
1998
2:02
98 
#2

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Fly away, fly away
There's a cat in the window
And he's watching all the birds go passing by
He'd love to fly out the window
Go where the wind goes
And so would I
Like that cat in the window
Who keeps wishing for some wings to take a ride
I'd love to glide to a rainbow
Off where the clouds go dancing by
And if I could fly
You wouldn't find me hangin' around
Watching the birds go by
Yes the cat in the window
Has a tear in his eye
I should leave today, fly away
Why, oh why should I stay like the cat in the window
Who keeps watching the birds
Go by from the window
If I could fly though
You won't find me
Don't even try to

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Petula Clark

Petula Sally Olwen Clark, CBE (born 15 November 1932) is an English singer, actress, and composer whose career has spanned seven decades. more »

3 fans

Written by: ALAN LEE GORDON, GARRY OWEN BONNER

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CARLIN AMERICA INC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


13 facts about this song

Genre
"Cat in the Window (The Bird in the Sky)" is a pop song.
Artist
British singer Petula Clark is the artist behind this song. Clark was a major star in the UK before she managed to break into the American music market.
Release Date
The song was released in the year 1967.
Album Appearance
The song can be found on her album titled “The Other Man’s Grass is Always Greener," among others.
Chart Performance
"Cat in the Window (The Bird in the Sky)" reached number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.
Songwriters
The song was written by Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent who frequently collaborated with Clark.
Theme
The song's lyrics are suggestive of philosophical elements, encapsulating deep thoughts about freedom and aspiration. The cat represents anyone trapped or held back, while the bird represents those who dare to dream and break through barriers.
Musical Style
It's characterized by a folk-pop style - a blend of pop melodies with elements of folk music.
Producer
The song was produced by Tony Hatch, who had also produced many of Clark’s hits such as "Downtown" and "I Know a Place".
Popularity Abroad
Despite its moderate success in the US, the song did not chart in Clark's native UK.
Representation
"Cat in the Window" is often cited as a significant example of Clark’s late '60s output that veered away from mainstream pop, signaling a more mature and experimental phase in her career.
Live Performances
Clark frequently included this song in her concert setlists, thus demonstrating its popularity with her fans.
Lyrical Analysis
As is typical with many Petula Clark songs, "Cat in the Window" has a combination of catchy, upbeat music juxtaposed with somewhat melancholic, introspective lyrics.

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