The Story Behind the Song
How Bob Got His Bob-Tail
I adopted the semi-feral cat family consisting of Bob, brother Oliver and mother Ali when the kittens were so small that both could fit in one hand. It was love at first sight.
Bob had a normal tail at the time. He grew into an energetic, playful cat with a personality bigger than his two acres of rainforest on Hawaii's Big Island. Although the rainforest looks lush and beautiful, it grows on top of lava rock with very little soil.
Bob was playing on a pile of loose lava rock one day when a piece fell and cut his tail. The wound became infected, and the vet had to amputate most of his tail. That is when Bob became Bob, the Bob-Tailed Cat, and this song essentially wrote itself.
Bob bounced back with the same spirited personality that made him special. He was still the same ferocious hunter in his little mind.
The music in this song was inspired by the song Pa'ina Piha Kealoha by the Hawaiian band Bruddah Kuz, with whom I was playing at the time. You can find the Bruddah Kuz CD "Talkin' Da Kine" in all the usual places.
Lyrics
Words and Music by Steve Marcotte
Chorus
Bob, The Bob-Tailed Cat
He doesn't know where it's at
The last time he looked, his tail was there,
But now he can't find it anywhere
Now he's Bob, The Bob-Tailed Cat
Verse 1
When Bob was real little, He'd jump and squiggle
He'd shake his tail and little behind
He looked so cute, his face resolute
A ferocious hunter in his little mind (Meow)
Bob, The Bob-Tailed Cat
Chorus
Bob, The Bob-Tailed Cat
He doesn't know where it's at
The last time he looked, his tail was there,
But now he can't find it anywhere
Now he's Bob, The Bob-Tailed Cat
Instrumental Interlude
🎵
Verse 2
Living on the aina, couldn't be finah
Lots of fun things to chase around
But the tail-chasing game, was never the same
Because poor Bob's tail was never found
Bob, The Bob-Tailed Cat
Bob, The Bob-Tailed Cat
Bob, The Bob-Tailed Cat
Poor Bob
Credits
Production
The Artist
About Steve Marcotte
Steve Marcotte · Honolulu, Hawaii
Steve Marcotte has always loved playing original music. Through the decades he played as a supporting musician for singer/songwriters, content to serve the song. Now, finally, he's releasing his own.
The music spans genres: rock, country, Hawaiian slack key, world, folk, and Americana, which is why you won't find a traditional album here. Instead, Steve is releasing his songs as singles and EPs. If you don't love the style of the first one, you just might love the next!
Though the music is released under his name, Steve is quick to share the credit. Behind these recordings is a remarkable group of musicians with multiple Grammy awards, and Steve's bandmates from the storied Palo Alto music scene of the 1960s and '70s.
Acknowledgments
None of it would have been possible without Donny Marrow's remarkable gifts as a producer and his extraordinary generosity as a friend. In the many thousands of records Donny has produced, he has brought together extraordinary groups of musicians to record in Hawaii, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle (including the symphony), Nashville and Europe.
Steve and Donny played in their first band together when Steve was 16 and Donny was 15. Today, at 76 and 75, they're still making music together.
Steve has called Hawaii home since 1996, first on the Big Island and now in Honolulu.
Credits
Music I've Been Part Of
Talkin' Da Kine
Bruddah Kuz
Twin Peaks
Mickey Acorn
Fall With You
Mikaela Kahn
It's Time
Marsha Bartenetti
Old
JB White