Quarantaquattro Gatti – Forty-Four Cats

The Story Behind Italy’s Most Famous Children’s Song About Stray Cats

This song, with lyrics and music by Giuseppe Casarini, won the 10th edition of the Zecchino d’Oro in 1968. It was performed by Barbara Ferigo, a 4-and-a-half-year-old from Gorizia. The author, at the time a 44-year-old music teacher in the middle school of Nonantola, took only two weeks to write the lyrics and just fifteen minutes to compose the music.

The song tells the story of a group of stray kittens who neatly lined up and organized a meeting in the basement of a large building. They asked the children for one meal a day and the chance to sleep on armchairs, offering in exchange the permission to play with them freely and even pull their tails. That same year, the singer Mina and the puppet Provolino performed the song on the TV show Vengo anch’io by Castellano and Pipolo, hosted by Raffaele Pisu.

In 1993, the song was used as the theme for a TV program of the same name broadcast on Canale 5 and hosted by Rita dalla Chiesa. In 1994, from his home in Modena, Luciano Pavarotti sang the famous song together with Piccolo Coro dell’Antoniano, accompanied on piano by the composer himself. In 2000, an animated short film based on the song was produced as part of the first edition of I cartoni dello Zecchino d’Oro.

In December 2007, during the Gran galà dello Zecchino d’Oro, the song was performed live by Cino Tortorella. Originally, it was supposed to be sung by Pippo Baudo, who eventually did not take part in the show.

The song was reinterpreted in a cover version at Zecchino d’Oro 2016 by Elodie and Giovanni Caccamo. That same year, on December 9, the original version of the song was broadcast within the program Voci del mattino on Rai Radio 1 with Paolo Salerno. In 2012, Stefano Bollani performed his own jazz interpretation of Forty-Four Cats on Rai Radio 1.In 2017, the airing of a 3D animated series inspired by the song was announced, produced by the animation studio Rainbow. That same year, during the program 60° Zecchini, the song was performed by Beppe Fiorello.

Lyrics

Nella cantina di un palazzone
Tutti i gattini senza padrone
Organizzarono una riunione
Per precisare la situazione

Quarantaquattro gatti
In fila per sei col resto di due
Si unirono compatti
In fila per sei col resto di due
Coi baffi allineati
In fila per sei col resto di due
Le code attorcigliate
In fila per sei col resto di due
Sei per sette quarantadue
Più due quarantaquattro

Loro chiedevano a tutti i bambini
Che sono amici di tutti i gattini
Un pasto al giorno e all’occasione
Poter dormire sulle poltrone

Quarantaquattro gatti
In fila per sei col resto di due
Si unirono compatti
In fila per sei col resto di due
Coi baffi allineati
In fila per sei col resto di due
Le code attorcigliate
In fila per sei col resto di due
Sei per sette quarantadue
Più due quarantaquattro

Naturalmente tutti i bambini
Tutte le code potevan tirare
Ogni momento e a loro piacere
Con tutti quanti giocherellare

Quarantaquattro gatti
In fila per sei col resto di due
Si unirono compatti
In fila per sei col resto di due
Coi baffi allineati
In fila per sei col resto di due
Le code attorcigliate
In fila per sei col resto di due
Sei per sette quarantadue
Più due quarantaquattro

Quando alla fine della riunione
Fu definita la situazione
Andò in giardino tutto il plotone
Di quei gattini senza padrone

Quarantaquattro gatti
In fila per sei col resto di due
Marciarono compatti
In fila per sei col resto di due
Coi baffi allineati
In fila per sei col resto di due
Le code dritte dritte
In fila per sei col resto di due

Quarantaquattro gatti
In fila per sei col resto di due
Marciarono compatti
In fila per sei col resto di due
Coi baffi allineati
In fila per sei col resto di due
Le code dritte dritte
In fila per sei col resto di due
Col resto di due

Lyrics

Down in the cellar of an old mansion
Cats without parents and their companions
Met to improve their sad situation
And find the good cause for celebration

All forty four cats in rows of six, two at the rear
Together they lined up in rows of six, two at the rear
Their whiskers all aligned
In rows of six, two at the rear
Their tails were all entwined
In rows of six, two at the rear
6 times 7 is 42, plus two makes 44

All were in favor of one suggestion
Asking all children with good intentions
One meal a day. And on occasion
To sleep in real bеds what a sensation

All forty four cats in rows of six, two at the rear
Togеther they lined up in rows of six, two at the rear
Their whiskers all aligned
In rows of six, two at the rear
Their tails were all entwined
In rows of six, two at the rear
6 times 7 is 42, plus two makes 44

Then as a thank you to all the children
Offering beds and their soft cushions
The grateful cats made a kind offer
To allow day and night fun by them

All forty four cats in rows of six, two at the rear
Together they lined up in rows of six, two at the rear
Their whiskers all aligned
In rows of six, two at the rear
Their tails were all entwined
In rows of six, two at the rear

When they had finished holding their meeting
And all were sure the outcome was pleasing
Off to the garden, they went united
Parentless cats “meow” were delighted

All forty four cats in rows of six, two at the rear
Together they lined up in rows of six, two at the rear
Their whiskers all aligned
In rows of six, two at the rear
Their tails were all entwined
In rows of six, two at the rear

All forty four cats in rows of six, two at the rear
Together they lined up in rows of six, two at the rear
Their whiskers all aligned in rows of six, two at the rear
Their tails were all entwined in rows of six, two at the rear
Two at the rear

Source: Wikipedia

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