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CASP is pleased to make available lyrics and full audio clips from two Arrogant Worms songs, "William Shakespeare's In My Cat" (from the 1994 CD Russell's Shorts) and "Proud To Be A Canadian" (from the 1997 CD Live Bait). The songs combine self-deprecating, witty, literary-type humour, obviously aimed at an educated audience that will appreciate the references.
I own the cat who wrote MacBeth
But if something's rotten in this state
It's just his fishy breath
'Cause he wrote Romeo and Juliet
But his greatest story yet
Is coming back as someone's pet
And gettin' neutered by the vet
…
Sam Beckett's plays are witty,
Same thing for Bernard Shaw,
Oscar Wilde is pretty,
But none of them have paws
But at the same time the Worms send up the high culture references via their juxtaposition with the subversive banality of Shakespeare's reincarnation in a cat. How far this sort of bringing together of high culture with an attitude of self-deprecating humour is used as a marker to differentiate Canadian culture from American is clearly at stake for the Worms, whose lyrics frequently attend to issues of Canadian national identity via how "we're" different from "them."
We're awfully nice to strangers, our manners be our curse
It's cool in many ways to be Canadian
We won't say that we're better, it's just that we're less worse.
How Shakespeare figures in this equation of not being better, just less worse, poses an interesting problem with regard to how national identity formations are constructed via the mixing of humour with so-called high culture. The Arrogant Worms are part of an extended tradition of figuring national identity issues through filters in which Shakespeare and humour are juxtaposed.
Audio Clip: "Shakespeare's in my Cat"
Audio Clip: "Proud To Be A Canadian"
Who Are They
"The Arrogant Worms turn out a seamless blend of words, music
and message. They originate from the hub of Canadian grass roots music,
Kingston, Ontario. Their fantastic stage presence, brilliant lyrics,
rapier wit, and tight harmonies have entertained audiences across North
America.
CBC Radio One has been an important part of the history of The Arrogant
Worms. Since 1991, the CBC has invited The Worms into the homes of millions
of Canadians, British and Americans... whether they wanted them there
or not! The Arrogant Worms are Proud to be Canadian and even prouder
to have appeared on nearly every CBC radio program ever produced.
Not to be out done, CHUM FM (Toronto's number one pop station) has made
The Arrogant Worms a healthy part of their radio programing diet The
popular internationally syndicated Dr. Demento Show gave The Worms their
first number one hit in 1995 with Carrot Juice is Murder. Other stations
play them too.
The Arrogant Worms' show is a tight. professional, satirical romp through
life's little inanities. They have clearly established themselves as
Canada's Clowned Princes of Humour, Purveyors of the Absurd and Ambassadors
of Fun." (from The
Arrogant Worms)
A Brief History
"The Arrogant Worms started writing for University radio in the
fall of 1990. They made their first appearance on the much acclaimed
CBC Radio One's program "Basic Black" in the fall of 1991
while still attending Queens University.
The overwhelming audience response encouraged the band to release their
first indie recording self titled The Arrogant Worms in 1992. Since
then, they have released four other albums - Russell's Shorts, C'est
Cheese, Live Bait, Christmas Turkey, Dirt! and Idiot Road. Festival
Distribution has been distributing these albums for The Arrogant Worms
since 1993. The Worms are consistently at the top of our sales charts.
The Arrogant Worms tour internationally. The Worms were a hit at The
Lincoln Center's Out of Doors Festival in New York City in the summer
of 1997. They watched as 15,000 rose to their feet to honour them with
a standing ovation at the Winnipeg Folk festival. No small feat for
the first act of the evening. They were just as thrilled when over 100,000
people stood for them at the Canada Day Celebrations on Parliament Hill
in Ottawa.
The Arrogant Worms' versatility is second to none. Their delightfully
polished show, devilish good looks and wide palate of styles finds them
quite at home in every entertainment setting. They have found themselves
performing their musical sets in soft-seat theatres, outdoor concerts,
and workshop stages. They have run workshops, hosted music festivals,
and in a few cases promoted festivals by singing the National Anthem
at CFL Football games. Their willingness to assist in promotion, experience
in radio and television and their rapport with journalists has made
them a boon to the publicity of any entertainment organization and a
favourite of many." (from The
Arrogant Worms)
Lyrics from "William Shakespeare's In My Cat" (from the 1994 CD Russell's Shorts)
I never much believed in reincarnation
Thought it was only people's imagination
But now I'm forced into some reconsideration
'Cause something's happened to my cat
That deserves some explanation
William Shakespeare's in my cat
My kitty is the bard
He used to be a playwright
Now he's digging up the yard
He's still a cat in most respects
He likes to meow and purr
But now I introduce him as the cat
That wrote Richard the third
I took him to see Phantom
He said it was quite nice
But he can't go see Miss Saigon
Until he kills some mice
(Until he kills some mice)
William Shakespeare's in my cat
It sometimes seems so deep
The guy who wrote Twelfth Night
Chews on my socks while I'm asleep
I'm really quite impressed
I own the cat who wrote MacBeth
But if something's rotten in this state
It's just his fishy breath
'Cause he wrote Romeo and Juliet
But his greatest story yet
Is coming back as someone's pet
And gettin' neutered by the vet
He got his paws caught in a net
Then he said to be or not to meeeow!
William Shakespeare's in my cat
He rarely ever talks
He makes his loudest statements
Standing in the litter box
He sleeps on all my shelves
And throws my books about the house
It doesn't sound like prose
When he bats a squeaky mouse
Sam Beckett's plays are witty,
Same thing for Bernard Shaw,
Oscar Wilde is pretty,
But none of them have paws
(None of them have paws)
William Shakespeare's in my cat
He chases bits of fluff
John Milton's in my goldfish
But I never liked his stuff
I'm thinking that Franz Kafka
Really came back as a bug
And I hope Andrew Lloyd Webber
Will stay underneath my rug
'Cause he wrote Romeo and Juliet
But his greatest story yet
Is coming back as someone's pet
And gettin' neutered by the vet
He got his paws caught in a net
Then he said to be or not to meeeow!
Take it, Trevor!
He wrote Romeo and Juliet
But his greatest story yet
Is coming back as someone's pet
And gettin' neutered by the vet
He got his paws caught in a net
Then he said to be or not to meeeow!
Lyrics from "Proud To Be A Canadian" (from the 1997 CD Live Bait)
Our fair country Canada is north of the USA
Our Maritimes are lovely and our prairies give us hay
You might think you Yankees are better than us Canucks
But we don't need no microchips inside our hockey pucks
We know that you have Disney world and you keep it very
clean
But we don't have Bob Dole and we can drink when we're
nineteen
We might watch your TV shows for hours and hours and hours
We'll give you Alan Thicke, but Shania Twain is ours
CHORUS
We're proud to be Canadian
We're awfully nice to strangers, our manners be our curse
It's cool in many ways to be Canadian
We won't say that we're better, it's just that we're less worse
Your beer is not to tasty but your weather can't be beat
We all fly south in the wintertime to escape the snow and sleet
We're pleased to say we've enjoyed all your southern
charms
But we get sunburnt we exercise the right to bear our
arms
CHORUS
Alanis Morissette she
is our latest pride and
joy
She used to ding
about high school
dances and chasin'
after boys
Now she's fed up
and about as angry
as can be
She's got one hand in
her pocket and the
other's in guard for
thee.
