Music and lyrics by Jon Hall, who also made all the guitar sounds, sang with his voice, shook percussive items, and came up with the ideas. Paul hit things to keep the rhythm going, sang behind Jon occasionally as a choir, played a slight piano, and mixed it all up in a pan to make it sound pretty one day. Freakin'-a.

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Saturday's Over

We were both too young to know the joys of Gene Autry on the teevee, but we eventually caught up and started understanding what we missed.  So for our 2021 annual Holiday song, The Big Cats devised this plucky little Holiday carol with as much Autry magic as we could muster.  Joined with us are special guests Marie Hall (Jon's daughter), Stephanie Lineweaver-Siegner (friend of the band since high school and an amazing brass player and vocalist from outside Toronto, Ontario), and Chris Devlin (of the Irish music and pirate song drinking band Madman's Window from Canada's East Coast https://www.madmanswindowband.com). As our gift to you, please feel free to download the track!

Children, Children...

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Moody, ethereal, and soaked with the isolation of a global contagion.

Numbed Up

This is a trendy one.  For this song, we started the basic tracks in December 2021.  We worked on it off and on (mostly off) throughout the year and finally got it out the door.  Paul wrote the lyrics and Jon filled in all the musical bits. Since the song is about nostalgia and pining for earlier times, we figured, "why not use instruments and recordings from our youth?" In this anthem, you'll hear familiar-sounding synths and drum machines from the 80s.  We also utilized an old cassette recording of our friend and former Dorians Grae/The Stands bandmate Scott O'Hara (where the hell are you Scott??!) that Paul unearthed while listening through old tapes.  You'll recognize the warbled intonations of a poor cassette recording that's been sitting in a hot car during a Texas summer.  Cherish the memories.

On the Reminiscing by an Old Man...Youth in Their Old Age (Tomorrow Tuesday)

This one took us a while.  We wanted an early 70's singer-songwriter-ish/Gordon Lightfoot-ish/Pure Prairie League-like/Neil Diamond-ish sound to it.  There are two things we'd like to point out on this ditty.  

The first is the inclusion of another brass section (this is our fourth song with real brass, which we really enjoy) by Jack Hebert...a teenager with serious horn chops.  Thanks a ton, Jack!

Secondly, the kick/bass drum on this song is something we actually stole from a Buddy Holly song.  Rather than being an actual kick drum, it's the sound of a vinyl-covered seat from an antique chair in Paul's living room.  This is something Crickets' drummer Jerry Allison did on "Not Fade Away" (take a listen!).

Please enjoy this one, won't you? We do.

Turning Around

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The Big Cats have annually (with one year's exception) recorded and released a song for the holidays since 2009. It's usually a big production.  For this release, we thought we'd keep it simple since, as the song illustrates, the holidays are too damn busy in the first place. It's written and played entirely by Jon and features his daughter Marie on background harmony. The Big Cats wish you relaxing and meaningful end of year festivities without more stress than absolutely necessary.

Maybe Next Year

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This track features a bunch of callbacks and if you pay attention and know what to listen for (and give a flying you-know-what), you'll pick up on them.  

Firstly, the song was built on drums recorded in 1989 when we were in a rockin' little band called Wayne's Moon Wax. Using the miracle of digital technology (like what The Beatles used for their latest song to extract John Lennon's vocals) we pulled out Paul's drums from a song called "Test No. 2" and built the groove from there. Modern livin'. 

Within the song, we also use a refrain of one of the very first The Big Cats songs (circa 1990): "We don't breathe up here." If that wasn't enough nostalgia for you, we used some of the same microphones used back in the 1989 recording, as well as a rhythm provided by the old analog Casio keyboard for which Jon and Paul pooled their meager earnings at the time to buy in 1986 or so...the damn thing still works! 

The technology may be vintage, but the subject matter is completely 2024.  We think you'll enjoy it, won't you?

See the astonishing video at https://youtu.be/tMwUcbUAOxg

Burned Ground

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This is a bit of a departure in style for The Big Cats.  Most of the time, we shy away from a lot of effects and try to stay true to the sound of our instruments. But our bestest buddy, Tim Richardson, is a master (and a university professor on electronic music) with modular synths and electronic sounds.  We took what he created and wrapped our own sound around it with some enhancements. Modern livin'. 

You can hear Tim's work on his Bandcamp (@object-a) at https://object-a.bandcamp.com. We'd also like to bring your attention some different time signatures (for us, anyway) on this canticle: 6/4 and 4/4. Huzzah!

To the Tower

This song started off with a simple bass part while noodling around. As we worked on it, we decided the inspiration for the sound of it was Bread's "The Guitar Man" (the 1973 version).  We tried emulating it as best we could with the slide guitar, wah-wah guitar, and a string arrangement. Although we don't have the talents of Gates/Royer/Griffin/Botts, we think we captured the essence of their sound. We have the audacity to think this song is as good as--if not better than--Oliver's "Good Morning Starshine."

(Paul): I wrote this one as a love song to some of the most important people in my life who've stuck by me, tolerated me, and helped me through the best and worst I've experienced.  This one's dedicated to my dear, cherished friends--the ones mentioned herein and those who weren't.  You know who you are. I see you. You saved me.

Deep Salt Water

This song is based (and bassed) on a 10-year-old acoustic bass recording and 30-year-old lyrics.  The bass was recorded in Paul's shower and the lyrics were not.  We hope it grinds yer bones.

Ain't It Fun?

Muley The One-Eared Mule

This track includes bits and pieces from practically every band and musical project Jon and Paul have been involved with going back to 1986. Utilizing elements from Dorain's Grae, The Stands, Wayne's Moon Wax, The Pantsless Detective and to now as The Big Cats, this track contains all 10 years of our holiday covers.  It even goes back to the first Christmas recording we did in 1986, which could only be heard by calling Paul's number and waiting until the (cassette-based) answering machine picked up.

We got the idea from  the "Stars on 45" series of songs in the 1980s and The Beatles "Love" show soundtrack. And voila. 

In order of appearance in this festive danceable canticle (135 bpm):
• I’d Like to Hitch A Ride With Santa Claus (2011)
• Hey Christmas (2016)
• 'Wokka Chokka guitar'- Pantsless Detective (2016)
• Christmas With Lights (1986)
• It’s A Marshmallow World (2013)
• I’d Like to Hitch A Ride With Santa Claus (2011)
• Suzy Snowflake (2009)
• Mistletoe & Holly (2012)
• Hey Christmas (2016)
• What’s He Building In There [War on Christmas version] (2011)
• Muley The One-Eared Mule (2018)
• My Birthday Comes on Christmas (2015)
• The Little White Mouse Called Steve (2017)
• Poppa Santa Claus (2014)
• Mrs. Santa Claus (2010)
• The Stands, Dorian’s Grae, Wayne’s Moon Wax breakdowns (1987-1990)

We'd like to thank the original songwriters and artists, of course, and all the folks throughout the years who have made cameo appearances in these projects: Chris (Ceej) Allen, Kylee Kittrell, JM Roe, CJ Nixon, Steve Nixon, Stephanie Lineweaver-Siegner, Tim Richardson, Richard “Mr. Smarty Pants” Steinberg, Candace Andrews, Sean Landry, Amy Allen, Marie Hall, and Will Hall.

The Holiday Megamix

Paul and Jon are a recording duo from Austin, Texas. We grew up in a town we don't mention often. We are friends.

The Big Cats

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