Tuesday, August 19, 2014

My Meeting with Fidel



"A true story (a love story, actually, in disguise): a regular old song for all the old-time Cats fans."

I walked arm in arm with Fidel in Havana town.
He was a man of experience, and I of minor note.
He was troubled by the state of his Cuba,
I knew how time can turn things around. I said,

"Remember that time back in '62
when we buried our heads 'neath our desks?
Well now I know that you were not the enemy."

Just let go, Fidel,
give Havana back to the night.
Just let go, Fidel,
your home will be all right.

I was raised in a dream with my head buried deep in the sand.
I was a child of suburbia and all the world was white.
But when Fidel arrived he stayed up in Harlem.
He knew that he could turn things around.

And Dizzie and Angela and Alice and Malcolm,
they all had respect for Fidel.
It was a time when he was not the enemy.

Just let go, Fidel,
give Havana back to the night.
Just let go, Fidel,
your home will be all right.

I talked heart to heart with Fidel in Havana town,
"My deepest apologies for all my country's deeds.
But there's a darkness in the hearts of your Cubans,
they see how time has turned things around." I said,

"You've given your life to a great revolution
and done what you set out to do.
But now I feel that you've become the enemy."

Just let go, Fidel,
give Havana back to the night.
Just let go, Fidel,
your home will be all right.

Just let go, Fidel,
give Havana back to the night.
Just let go, Fidel,
your heart will be all right.


Diesel "Mel" Cats - vocals
Franco "Cat-Man" Duwe - acoustic guitars
Felonious Cat - piano
Fathead Cats - alto sax
Stu "Cats" Mulligatawny - baritone sax
Rolf Johnson - flugelhorn
David Matchett - trombone
Manx Ah-Moongus - bass
Chano Gato - percussion


My Meeting with Fidel © 1991 Dennis Criteser