The Cats soundtrack includes all the original songs from the Broadway and West End theatre productions, but adds some modern flair for a new generation. Directed by Tom Hooper, the big screen adaptation features extravagant set pieces and lively interpretive performances of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s most beloved musical numbers. Cats 2019 also includes one brand new song from a true pop culture icon.
Set in London, Cats follows a group of felines known as the Jellicles who look after a stray named Victoria (portrayed by real-life ballerina Francesca Hayward). Together, the group dreams of being picked for the Heaviside Layer, a magical place where they'll be incarnated and able to enjoy happier lives. But first, they’ll have to impress the Jellicles leader, Old Deuteronomy (Judi Dench), who picks one member per year. Cats’ supporting cast features well-known singers like Jennifer Hudson, Taylor Swift, and Jason Derulo, among others.
Related: Cats Story Explained: What The Musical Is Actually About
Overall, the Cats soundtrack follows the original musical template, but sprinkles in pop and hip-hop influences for some extra demographic appeal. For example, the aforementioned Swift recorded a brand new track for the Cats soundtrack called “Beautiful Ghosts.” In the film, Hayward performs the song, while Swift performs "Macavity: The Mystery Cat” in character as Bombalurina. The Golden Globe-nominated “Beautiful Ghosts" was written by Swift and Webber. Here's every song on the Cats 2019 soundtrack.
"Overture" - Andrew Lloyd Webber
"Prologue: Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats" - Cast of the Motion Picture Cats
"The Old Gumbie Cat" - Rebel Wilson and Robbie Fairchild
"The Rum Tum Tugger" - Jason Derulo
"Bustopher Jones: The Cat About Town" - James Corden, Jason Derulo, Cory English, and Idris Elba
"Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" - Andrew Lloyd Webber
"Old Deuteronomy" - Robbie Fairchild and Judi Dench
"Beautiful Ghosts (Victoria's Song)" - Francesca Hayward
"Magical Gus" - Andrew Lloyd Webber
"Gus: The Theatre Cat" - Francesca Hayward
"Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat" - Steven McRae and Robbie Fairchild
"Macavity" - Taylor Swift
"Mr. Mistoffelees" - Laurie Davidson, Robbie Fairchild, Judi Dench, and Francesca Hayward
"Memory" - Jennifer Hudson and Francesca Hayward
"The Addressing of Cats" - Judi Dench
"Beautiful Ghosts" - Taylor Swift
After the introductory numbers in Cats, Rebel Wilson provides comic relief with a performance of "The Old Gumbie Cat," in which she uses her character’s tail as a mic. Soon after, Derulo infuses some funk into Cats via "The Rum Tum Tugger” - a highly stylized and exaggerated performance to match the character’s persona. Corden similarly takes full advantage of his screen time when performing "Bustopher Jones: The Cat About Town,” a song about a rather plump but endearing member of the Jellicles.
To contrast and complement the light-heart numbers in Cats, Hayward and Dench delivers poignant performances from different perspectives. When "Beautiful Ghosts (Victoria's Song)" is first heard, Victoria has fully embraced her new friends, while "Old Deuteronomy” and "Mr. Mistoffelees" showcase the Jellicles’ eldest member and leader.
“Memory” is the stand-out track from the original theatre productions, and Hudson delivers two moving performances of the song in Cats. The first one directly precedes Hayward's performance of Swift's new Cats song, and the last sets up a climactic moment when Old Deuteronomy makes her selection. Cats ends with a fourth-wall performance of "The Addressing of Cats," as Dench and company stand up for cat nation and sing their hearts out. The Cats credit sequence features Swift’s official recording of “Beautiful Ghosts.”