You know the scene. Two sleek, angular cats slink out of a basket, wreaking havoc on a Victorian living room while a high-pitched, rhythmic chant plays in the background. If you grew up watching Lady and the Tramp, those "We Are Siamese" lyrics are probably burned into your brain. But honestly, if you try to find them on Disney+ today, you're going to hit a massive Content Advisory warning first. Or, if you’re watching the 2019 remake, the song is gone entirely, replaced by a jazzier, less offensive number.
It’s weird how nostalgia works. We remember the catchy melody, but we often miss the baggage attached to it.
The song, officially titled "The Siamese Cat Song," was written by Peggy Lee and Sonny Burke. Lee didn't just write it; she voiced both cats, Si and Am, using a thin, nasal cadence that was meant to sound "exotic" back in 1955. Today? It’s widely cited as one of the most blatant examples of post-war anti-Asian caricature in Western media. Understanding the we are siamese lyrics requires looking at more than just a catchy tune about cats knocking over fishbowls. It’s a snapshot of how Hollywood viewed "the other" during the mid-20th century.
What the We Are Siamese Lyrics Actually Say
The lyrics themselves are deceptively simple. They follow a rhythmic, almost hypnotic beat—heavy on the chimes and gongs to signal to the audience that these characters are "foreign."
We are Siamese if you please
We are Siamese if you don't please
The cats are depicted as calculating and destructive. They aren't just pets; they are intruders. The lyrics continue with a focus on their physical traits, specifically their "blue eyes," and their intent to dominate the household. When you look at the lines about "dwelling in Thailand," it's clear the songwriters were leaning into a very specific, stereotypical "Orientalist" trope.
The cats move in perfect synchronicity. This wasn't accidental. Animation historians like Eric Smoodin have noted that Disney’s depiction of non-Western characters often relied on this idea of a "monolithic" hive mind. The cats don't have individual personalities. They are just a singular, creeping threat. They see a bird; they want to eat it. They see a fish; they want to kill it. It’s a predator narrative disguised as a nursery rhyme.
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The Problem With the Accent
It wasn't just the words. It was the delivery.
Peggy Lee was an incredible jazz singer—think "Fever"—but her performance here used a "mock-Asian" accent that was common in vaudeville. It involves replacing "L" sounds with "R" sounds and using a staccato delivery. By 2026 standards, this isn't just dated; it’s uncomfortable. This is exactly why the we are siamese lyrics have become a case study in media literacy. It shows how "cute" animation can slip in some pretty heavy social biases without the audience even realizing it.
Why Disney Finally Shelved the Song
For decades, Lady and the Tramp was a staple of the Disney Vault. Every few years, they’d re-release it on VHS or Blu-ray, and the song remained. But as the conversation around representation shifted, the company had to make a choice.
When Disney+ launched, they didn't cut the scene from the original 1955 film. They kept it. However, they added a non-skippable disclaimer. It basically says that these stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. It’s a middle-ground approach. They want to preserve the "historical" record of the film without pretending the racism didn't exist.
Then came the 2019 live-action remake.
The producers knew they couldn't just "fix" the original song. The melody and the lyrics were too tied to the caricature. Instead, they brought in Janelle Monáe to perform a completely different track called "What a Shame." The cats were even changed from Siamese to different breeds to distance the film from the ethnic coding of the original. It was a total scrub.
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The Cultural Impact and Modern Criticism
If you talk to film scholars or experts in Asian American studies, like those who contributed to the "See Us Coming Together" initiatives, the consensus is pretty clear. The we are siamese lyrics are viewed as a "Yellow Peril" trope.
Think about the timing. 1955. The U.S. had recently come out of World War II and was embroiled in the Cold War. Geopolitical tensions in Asia were high. Media often reflected a fear of Asian "infiltration" into the American home. In Lady and the Tramp, the home is a symbol of Western domesticity. The Siamese cats are the outsiders who come in and tear it apart, blaming the innocent (American) dog for their mess.
- The Fishbowl Incident: The cats try to eat the goldfish.
- The Birdcage: They terrorize the canary.
- The Baby: They represent a direct threat to the newest member of the family.
It's not just "mean cats." It’s a very specific type of villainy that echoed the political anxieties of the era.
Is It Okay to Still Like the Song?
This is where things get nuanced. Many people have fond memories of the movie. You can appreciate the technical skill of the 1950s animators—the way the cats move is undeniably smooth and well-executed—while still acknowledging that the lyrics are problematic.
Complexity is okay.
You can acknowledge that Peggy Lee was a talent of her time while also recognizing that her portrayal of these characters contributed to harmful stereotypes. It’s not about "canceling" a 70-year-old movie. It’s about being an informed consumer. When you hear the we are siamese lyrics now, you're hearing a piece of history, for better and mostly for worse.
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Navigating the Lyrics Today: Actionable Insights
If you’re a parent or a teacher showing these classic films, don't just hit play and walk away. Use it as a teaching moment. It’s a chance to explain how media reflects the era it was made in.
1. Contextualize the viewing. Before the song starts, explain that people used to think these portrayals were funny, but now we know they are hurtful. Ask why the cats are drawn and voiced so differently from Lady or Tramp.
2. Compare and Contrast. Watch the 1955 version and then the 2019 version. Talk about why the change was made. It’s a great way to show how society's values evolve over time.
3. Focus on the Art, Not the Bias. You can study the animation techniques—the "squash and stretch" principle—without needing to sing along to the lyrics. Separate the craft from the content.
4. Explore Better Representation. If you want to see Asian culture represented in animation without the 1950s baggage, look at modern examples. Films like Turning Red or Raya and the Last Dragon offer authentic storytelling that doesn't rely on the "sinister outsider" trope found in the we are siamese lyrics.
The reality is that these lyrics won't be deleted from the internet. They exist in the archives. But their power to offend is neutralized when we actually talk about why they are there in the first place. We don't have to pretend the song doesn't exist; we just have to be smart enough to see it for what it really is: a relic of a different, less inclusive time.
Moving forward, the focus should be on creating new classics that don't require a disclaimer before the opening credits. We've moved past the need for "Siamese if you please." Modern storytelling is finally starting to catch up to a world that's a lot more interesting than a 1955 caricature.