Fun Fact, one of the people that made this made the game "Hollow Knight".

It's astounding to me that this video has existed for over ten years and only has one million views. This is the short film that made me want to become an animator. It is CRIMINALLY underrated.

The more I think about Lackadaisy the more I am reminded of this awesome animated short.

Of all the videos I have ever seen on KZfaq, this still stands out as one of the most beautiful and timeless. I could watch this again and again.

"Smoking hookahs and smoking hookers" I just love that line from a literary perspective XD

I clicked this expecting an adorable cat playing the piano.. that is not what I found..

The world needs more soul-driven, heartforged animation like this

This deserves much, much more recognition than it has, remarkable and truely wonderful animation.

Nick Cave Jazz Cats Noir Amazing writing. Who could ask for anything more?

this was fantastic! made my day

Man, this would've been a better cats movie

I remember seeing this in Highschool, now i find out that Ari Gibson is the lead art director of Hollow Knight, one of my favorite games.

Since the closed caption seems to be a bit inaccurate and one is absent from the description I decided to write out the transcript for anyone wants. - Long ago my city’s luminous heart, beat with the song of 4000 cats. Crooners who shone in the moonlight mimicry of the spotlight Jazz singers. Hip cats that went "Scat!". Buskers with open-mouthed hats hungry for a feed. Parlours paraded purring glamorous songstresses. Smoky hookahs and smoking hookers. Strays strummed string and sung a cocktail of cat's tales. A decadent party of meowing sound, A bohemian behemoth, post-midnight soiree. Amongst the corral of tuneful ones was one fair queen who drew me from all the way. Her fur an amorous white and a voice that made all the angels of eternity sound... tone deaf. Blind with love at first sight, touched by the taste of her sound, I longed to be the microphone she cradled near her breast. 'Twas our Shangri-La of sound, a paradise found where nothing could stop us. Or so it seemed. Singers began to vanish like sailors lost at sea. Snatched from stage alleyway. Shanghaied from behind scarlet curtain. Into thin air they disappeared without a single cry. Police study the clues. Foot-prints from the human shoes... So you've heard of every instrument but, Torn from your history books is this pianola, this harpsichord of harm, The cruelest instrument to spawn from man's gray cerebral soup? The Cat Piano. Confined were the cats in a row of cages, with each note struck upon its ivory tusk a sharpened nail would pierce each cat's tail, forcing a note form each pitch on the scale. I ran my cursed writer's run to tell her "Beware!". She wasn't there. My soul capsized. Like a fish paralyzed on a chopping board, it's spinal cord ripped forth from its body, Her vocals the last the last the thief had needed, A rare celestial pitch that would complete his collection. The city in unrest. Fights broke out in its sleep I couldn't dream anymore. There was a hole in my heart and everything fell out of it All music forbidden. Keep your lullabies hidden. And your A & E minors off the street after dark. My town grew cold and bitter In icy hibernation was the once thumping heart. Now seizing up. Freezing up. Katzenklavier The torturous worm of sound burrowed deep into my ears. Le Piano Du Chat. I thought of Van Gogh. Kyattopiano. I put an end to this incessant inescapable drone. Māo gāngqín SNAP! I enlisted an army of the brave and I their general declared war. Poised with tooth and fire in paw, we would finally settle this this musical score. Eyes with fierce intent that glowed through tempestuous waters we rode. Storming the shores, a swarming in scores, scaling its walls with well-sharpened claws, We invaded the tower through all of its doors. Up the winding stairs, to meet him with blinding stares. There he sat. The Organ Grinder. He turned. We pounced. We scratched and bit. He stumbled, fell through the window, screaming into the indigo waters below. We freed the chain gang from their jail. Cremated the piano. And for home we set sail. The city had reclaimed its vestal muse. It would live again. Beat again. Cats would sing in the street again. And I in anonymity as I had been long before this soliloquy, Could sit and listen from afar. The Cat Piano, now a healed over wound. And this ode, its fading scar.

This was shown in our English class and I loved it, the moment I even heard the first few seconds of beautiful poetry. The narration was just marvelous, it gave me the chills. I almost cried because it was so beautiful! It's just sad though that my classmates aren't capable of appreciating such beauty......

No one has ever thanked me for showing them a youtube video out of the blue. They've enjoyed them, they've sparked discussions, they've said "That was cool!", but no one has ever simply said "Thank you." Then I showed somebody this.

This has stayed one of my most appreciated videos over the years - it's haunting and captivating and so damn good.

Everything about this was amazing. The script, the narrator, the animation, the music, the story, and just everything combining to make a masterpiece. Words cannot describe this brilliance. I love it

Beautiful animation, although this is certainly not for kids. The part that makes me sick is, this was an actual thing! Not really intended for "music", it was supposed to be some sadistic doctor's method of curing attention issues in his patients (TV Tropes brought me here, and yes, you can just Google this fact...but I'm not gonna give myself more nightmares tonight... )

I just came here cause he's one of the hollow Knight animators

My mind is still on the part where NAILS are driven through CAT'S TAILS.

nick cave's voice is like a cat purring in my ear

This is one of the most brilliant shorts I've seen so far in my 17 years. The music, the poem, the reader of it and the animation. So artistic I could die on the spot by satisfactory. It's the third time I've seen it and it's still smashing!

The blue colors and the voice, it just reminds me of The Great Gatsby. I love the short story too! Even though it is a bit dark.

I saw this the first time about five years ago, and every time I come back to it, I think, "why do Just Bieber songs have millions of views while something as gorgeous as this film hasn't even broken a million?" Always, always recommend!

I love a good soliloquy with stylish designs to it. This is an amazing piece of art I could easily watch again and again.

Breathtakingly beautiful and poetic. I love it.

How have I lived without seeing this before? Watching in 2024

"A bohemian behemoth post-midnight soirée". I like!

I mad I just found this 12 years later this is incredible

Almost 10 years old as of the time that I am commenting on this video but the video itself only has 1 million views. THAT IS SO CRIMINALLY UNDERRATED!!!! Imo

I still dont know how i found this 10 years ago, buts its stil in my favourites and i appreciate the fact youtube did not downgrade the graphics

One of my favorite of all times. I come back from time to time. I watched this, before youtube even existed

This is what I call a masterpiece.

excellent. Loved the writing, loved the story. Animation, fantastic

I honestly thought this was gonna be something lighthearted

2024 and im still watching this. its that much of a masterpiece

Wow. The chilling brilliance of the lyrics combined with the sharp, dramatic bite of the animation really comes together to make something worthy of making the audience's hackles stand on end. What a purr-fect ensemble! (ok, I don't have as much of a way with words as Eddie White, all right?) Bravo.

Soooo this is what Ari Gibson was doing befor hollow knight,interesting

The choice of Narrator has to be the best voice casting decision ever made!! As soon as Nick Cave uttered his first syllable chills ran down my spine!!

For catatonic patients. The sense of irony and lunacy is sublime.

Animation style 9/10 Story 10/10 Animation quality 9/10 Voice Actor 11/10 Or, with more simple words - Cool.

This is Hannibal Lecter meets Edgar Allen Po shit. Well done, you sir are the future of master poetry.

Damn, I remember watching this years ago, and I only remembered it again today. I’m so happy I did

How did I find out about this just now? After 14 years? This is timeless!❤❤❤🎉🎉😊

Thank you Adam Neely :D

when I saw that cat piano it gave me the chills

Keep coming back to this since I was 13(18 in a few weeks). The animation is so beautiful

A decade later and it’s still one of my go to animations.

Ya know, the keyboardist could've just did what he did by playing meow sound files through some sampler synthesizer.... or using Mario Paint's meow instrument.... But nope, he had to piss off PETA.

'Found out about this through the video for "Sometimes the Stars" by the Audreys. These animators are awesome. Also it's pretty much official that Nick Cave should narrate *everything ever.*

I first heard and watched this about 3:00 a.m. On SBS over a decade ago. I've never forgotten it. True work of art! Oof it hits hard

Randomly remembered this animation, came to rewatch it, and it's just as good as I remember.

This needs to become an full animated feature! Or at least a series! That was so well done!

EVERYONE SHOULD SEE THIS BEAUTIFUL ANIMATION

Aw, Nick Cave. His voice is so lovely. Actually reminds me of Neil Gaiman and just makes me melt either way

God, that was grim and engaging all at once. Thank you for sharing this.

LOVE this animation. Its very fluid, the style and color choices are superb and the story is captivating. I watch a LOT of animation, this is one of the most enjoyable films Ive see in a while. Thank you and Ill be looking for more to come from such talent!

Man, this was a really well done short. So much work put into the animation and artwork. I absolutely love the style put into the characters, it's not cutesy or anything, and it fits the story completely. I also love the way you did the music as well. The dark and twisted sound that's mixed in with the classic feel. Nick Cave did great with the narration. He had this calm and cool tone and also did great with the scared tone in his voice. Nice work, man.

Just astonished, coming back to this masterpiece a decade later, that it only has 1m views. It’s sensational.

the narrators voice was so enchanting .

This was absolutely beautiful. Gorgeous animation, good story and the narration was spot on.

You can tell the internet has ruined me because I expected this to be a gigantic, fantastic, Behind The Gif.

A truly astounding animation, one which combines the dark film noir nature with an intriguing, yet simple plot. This is what film making is about; the creation of an entertaining yet thought evoking production.

I could listen to this guy talking about anything and would still be captivated.

I spilled my doritos and montain dew, the fedora fell off my head and my loomynarty glasses broke. You, sir, deserve a fedora tip. If I only could find mine.

This was amazing.

A marriage of narrative and visuals.... executed with such a sublime skill it's nearly inhuman.

Nearly 10 years later and it's still amazing!

Best poem EVER and gruesome

poor cats😭😭😭

This was amazing. The animation was beautiful, the voice acting top notch, the colors were gorgeous and everything so fluid. I felt genuine emotion and had to wipe away tears. I can find no fault, no flaw. Simply perfection.

This is still my favorite video on KZfaq. Never get tired of seeing it.

Amazing animation, I love the story-line, music, and the overall looks of the animation. So all together, it was amazing!

The animation is gorgeous, and I love the dark story.

Probably one of the first videos that i remember from all those years ago- certainly one of the few that stuck with me for all this time. Also one of those subtle inspirations for my own writing.

The voice actor is probably the best I've ever heard

And years later, Ari Gibson would go on to create Hollow Knight (of which this has a lot of artstyle similarities to! The credits font is even the same and Makoto Koji- hornet’s voice actress- also worked on this! Wow!

i was just thinking about the key board cat meme the whole tem :3

Probably the best short I've seen all year.

I wondered why it looked so familiar! Ari Gibson did the art and animation for my favorite game, Hollow Knight!

We are not used to see videos with content anymore, that is why the dumbest ones get more views. This is what I call "art". Keep on doing this, we need more people like you, that remember us what good quality is.

THIS SHIT FUCKED ME UP WHEN I WAS A KID

whilst talking to a stranger on Omegle, they suggested I watched this. I dont know who they are, but I thank them, it was wonderful.

I'm totally speechless. This is an incredible video with animation that rivals big movie studios, voiced over by a slick and emotive narrator. This is what real talent looks like. Take notes, Hollywood.

i like the voice quite much

PURRRRFECT

The animation of this is amazing, but the prose is just impeccable , I love the way it flows like a poem, so good

Wow, just wow. This is Johnny Hollow weirdness. Love it

some bits kinda remind me of moulin rouge

anyone reminded of Katz from Courage the Cowardly Dog? :D this was god damn amazing.

my god, this is incredible: the art, the animation, the simple colour scheme, this has to be one of the best things i've seen this year.

I come back from time to time to this video is just such an excelent short

Who else is here coming from mossbag’s channel?

amazing art! I Feel like It has a certain algerian style for some reasons, the occasional french language, the andalousian pieces of melody and the marine side... it's just my opinion.

My God , this is delicious! The style, sounds, colors, NICK CAVE'S VOICE. No wonder this one won an award... I

This is amazing. I love the use of red and blues.

The writer has a really flat face, but he's so hot! He can rhyme, lead an army, and I bet he's great at cuddles.

Was the cat piano real?

OH ma god, that was perfect. Cats, Nick Cave, abstract narratives and beautiful animation. Perfect.

This narrator is so mystic and deep in so many ways... Best narrator I've ever heard