“Apparently, we have nine lives. You, only one.
Be good to it. Treat it kindly.”
The Outsider was commissioned by Skipton Camerata for Lockdown Diaries. The text is derived from true Covid-19 stories, and is narrated from the viewpoint of a pet cat. The musical characterisation features a nine-beat dance rhythm, a touch of dubstep and a nod in the direction of a certain West End musical.
THE OUTSIDER
Apparently, we have nine lives.
You, only one.
Be good to it.
Treat it kindly.
Weird isn’t it?
Like you’ve already forgotten how weird it all got.
Now you’re trying to carry on as normal.
Go to shops, to pub, to restaurants, to shops, to gym, to pub…
Imagine a planet without people.
No pollution. No wars. No governments.
I wonder if that’s what heaven is like.
Rainbows. Scented air. Pink lillies.
Apparently, we have nine lives.
You, only one
Be good to it.
Treat it kindly.
I enjoyed lockdown. I’d saunter around.
Look through windows: people eating dinner,
home schooling, kitchen karaoke.
No pubs. No restaurants.
I came home one night.
Saw my David in his chair.
His eyes closed.
Pink lillies beside him.
I stroked him, and purred.
But he had gone.
I stroked him, and purred.
But he had gone.
Died alone in the house.
Who’s going to feed me now?
Who will I curl up to?
Who’s going to stroke me to sleep?
Everyone together, shoulder to shoulder.
Everyone’s heartbeat, purring.
Everyone together, shoulder to shoulder.
Everyone’s heartbeat, purring.
The Outsider
Description
“Apparently, we have nine lives. You, only one.
Be good to it. Treat it kindly.”
The Outsider was commissioned by Skipton Camerata for Lockdown Diaries. The text is derived from true Covid-19 stories, and is narrated from the viewpoint of a pet cat. The musical characterisation features a nine-beat dance rhythm, a touch of dubstep and a nod in the direction of a certain West End musical.
THE OUTSIDER
Apparently, we have nine lives.
You, only one.
Be good to it.
Treat it kindly.
Weird isn’t it?
Like you’ve already forgotten how weird it all got.
Now you’re trying to carry on as normal.
Go to shops, to pub, to restaurants, to shops, to gym, to pub…
Imagine a planet without people.
No pollution. No wars. No governments.
I wonder if that’s what heaven is like.
Rainbows. Scented air. Pink lillies.
Apparently, we have nine lives.
You, only one
Be good to it.
Treat it kindly.
I enjoyed lockdown. I’d saunter around.
Look through windows: people eating dinner,
home schooling, kitchen karaoke.
No pubs. No restaurants.
I came home one night.
Saw my David in his chair.
His eyes closed.
Pink lillies beside him.
I stroked him, and purred.
But he had gone.
I stroked him, and purred.
But he had gone.
Died alone in the house.
Who’s going to feed me now?
Who will I curl up to?
Who’s going to stroke me to sleep?
Everyone together, shoulder to shoulder.
Everyone’s heartbeat, purring.
Everyone together, shoulder to shoulder.
Everyone’s heartbeat, purring.
Duration
6′
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