Why don't you ever want to play?
I'm tired of this piece of string
You sleep as much as I do now
And you don't eat much of anything
I don't know who you're talking to
I made a search through every room
But all I found was dust that moved
In shadows of the afternoon

And listen, about those bitter songs you sing?
They're not helping anything
They won't make you strong

So, we should open up the house
Invite the tabby two doors down
You could ask your sister
If she doesn't bring her basset hound
Ask the things you shouldn't miss:
Tape-hiss and the Modern Man
The Cold War and card catalogues
To come and join us if they can

For girly drinks and parlor games
We'll pass around the easy lie
Of absolutely no regrets
And later maybe you could try
To let your losses dangle off
The sharp edge of a century
And talk about the weather, or
How the weather used to be

And I'll cater with all the birds that I can kill
Let their tiny feathers fill disappointment
Lie down; lick the sorrow from your skin
Scratch the terror and begin
To believe you're strong

All you ever want to do is drink and watch TV
And frankly that thing doesn't really interest me
I swear I'm going to bite you hard
And taste your tinny blood
If you don't stop the self-defeating lies
You've been repeating since the day you brought me home
I know you're strong



Lyrics submitted by lakeoffire23

Track duration: 03:49


Plea from a Cat Named Virtute song meanings
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42 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:What a brilliant observation - our pets are usually more aware of our emotional state of mind than almost anyone else. They suffer and benefit directly from our happiness or unhappiness while we remain mostly oblivious to how our moods must be affecting them - or even what kind of long term mood we might be in.

    I've listened to this song about a hundred times now and always come away wondering what my pets could be telling me, and how I could be less self-absorbed in my misery, be the strong person they know and love me to be and just start seizing life and enjoying it a lot more often because, you know, it's not very long.
    Flagged coldsillyon October 26, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think this song is about a cat who's owner is in a deep funk, and he's trying to get him out of it.
    He wants his owner to throw a party to shed the past (this things he shouldn't miss) and move forward to the future: "Tape-hiss and the Modern Man, Cold war and card catalogs"
    After doing this, the owner will start to believe that they can live their lives, be strong, and stop wasting their life away.
    - a wonderful song!

    Flag mantisoryon August 20, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:sometimes i feel like this cat.
    hahaa.
    Flag imthashityadiggon May 01, 2010   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation:This song has a double meaning for every line, almost. The song represents what Samson imagines what his cat would say to him, and simultaneously it's really him telling himself what he already knows: He's become weak-hearted, possibly depressed, and complacent with things he really doesn't enjoy (such as t.v., drinking, staying by himself and alone) instead of living his life as he know he should or wants to. Hence the cat being named "Virtue", or what he knows is right, yet not paying enough attention to his own sense of virtue, as echoed in the very first line, "Why don't you ever want to play?". I won't go line by line, but suffice to say the meaning is there if you look well enough. Truly an inspiring song. By the way, the song doesn't have to apply to any "emo" character, but just anyone who has lost reason to believe in themselves and knows they need to change.
    Flag CasstheMagicianon January 16, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Although Virtute's plea can apply to any stereotypical "emo" character or someone going through a bad break-up, the owner of the cat is more likely depressed over someone's death or impending death. The entire album has an overtone of loss and hospital adventures and death, so it would make sense for the cat to be singing to someone dealing with the depression and feelings of loss that accompany death. At any rate, the song is brilliant - who doesn't love a band that writes a song from the POV of a cat?! Genius.
    Flag bluexmaslightson December 26, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Its a cat named VIRTUE think of everything he's saying in terms of someone's inner virtue telling them to piss off with the bs they're pulling. there doesn't need to be a concrete story. just that at one time someone realised they're going nowhere, doing nothing, feeling low, but isn't doing anything about it, and virtue is saying to get the hell up or im gonna bite you!
    Flag batmanmgon April 18, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Here are live videos I took from these songs. It's so nice to hear so many people singing along. I have to say more people sing in the North.

    Plea (Cleveland OH Oct 07): youtube.com/…
    Departure (Athens, GA April 8 08): youtube.com/…
    Flag andygishon April 13, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Oops, didn't get all the way through pntlssjake's comment. Sorry bout that. Sort of copied without meaning to. I feel like an ass now.
    Flag PlatonicNothingon April 05, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Yeah, I agree it's about death.

    "...if you don't stop the self-defeating lies you've been repeating since the day you brought me home"

    That line makes me think the owner bought the cat as a sort of replacement for the person who died. They may also blame themself for this death what with the self-defeating lies and all. I love this song and spent a lot of time listening to it. Just my take.
    Flag PlatonicNothingon April 05, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is all about death. The album is about death, so this song is about it too. I think the owner is someone who just lost a loved one and bought the cat to keep him company, but just can't stay happy because he/she lost the one important to them. The song is the cat's reaction to a change in his attitude
    Flag pntlssjakeon September 13, 2007   Link

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