Señor Don Gato

John Manders 
Now listen. Find a copy of this book. Read it. Love it. Remember it. And if you get ahold of it- don't give it away because I think it's out of print.  It's such a treasure in my classroom that I do not let anyone borrow it- EVER- it's just that special. It's like the ultimate Valentine's Day story. A week ago my after school ensemble, "Encore" performed this piece for a school wide arts program and let me just say it was a proud moment in my career. For years I have read the John Manders version of the story, whose gorgeous illustrations truly capture the tale. So when my current crop of second and third graders sang and acted out the story, I had handfuls of middle school and highschool students coming up to me after the program or during our rehearsals to tell me about how they still remember the story and loved it. In the beginning of the song, you can't see him, but Don Gato is on the roof waving to the crowd and feeling preeety proud of himself about the Lady Cat's acceptance of his proposal.  
In Spanish class, students do a study on the "Day of the Dead" and you will see that the makeshift gurney is adorned with skeletons made by second graders from Spanish class. And the facade of Don Gato's house was completely made by second graders during Art class. They drew it, mixed colors and painted the whole thing by themselves. They also created their own "feesh" for the "market square" which causes Don Gato to become re-animated. For the song arrangement, we worked off of the two-part treble arrangement by Ray Doughty.
 
"Encore" group performing Don Gato 
 
Text:

Oh Señor Don Gato was a cat,
On a high red roof Don Gato sat.
He went there to read a letter, (meow, meow, meow)
Where the reading light was better (meow, meow, meow).
T'was a love note for Don Gato.

"I adore you," wrote the lady cat.
Who was fluffy, white, and nice and fat.
There was not a sweeter kitty, (meow, meow, meow)
In the country or the city (meow, meow, meow).
And she said she'd wed Don Gato.

Oh, Don Gato jumped so happily,
He fell off the roof and broke his knee.
Broke his ribs and all his whiskers, (meow, meow, meow)
And his little solar plexus (meow, meow, meow).
"Ay carramba!" cried Don Gato.

Then the doctors all came on the run,
Just to see if something could be done.
And they held a consultation, (meow, meow, meow)
About how to save their patient (meow, meow, meow).
How to save Señor Don Gato.

But in spite of everything they tried,
Poor Señor Don Gato up and died.
Oh it wasn't very merry, (meow, meow, meow)
Going to the cemetery (meow, meow, meow).
For the ending of Don Gato.

As the funeral passed the market square,
Such a smell of fish was in the air.
Though the burial was slated, (meow, meow, meow)
He became re-animated (meow, meow, meow).
He came back to life Don Gato.