Scouse The Mouse is a children’s album featuring the voice of Ringo Starr in the title role, a mouse who emigrates from Liverpool to the USA.
Starr appeared on eight of the album’s songs: ‘Living In A Pet Shop’, ‘Scouse’s Dream’, ‘Running Free’, ‘Boat Ride’, ‘Scouse The Mouse’, ‘I Know A Place’, ‘S.O.S.’, and ‘A Mouse Like Me’. His parts were recorded at London’s Berwick Street Studios in July 1977, and were produced by Hugh Murphy.
The album was written, directed and narrated by Donald Pleasence, with songs mostly composed by Roger Brown.
Also appearing on Scouse The Mouse were Adam Faith and Barbara Dickson, who voiced Bonce the Mouse and Molly Jolly respectively.
An animated television version of the story was planned for the UK, but was delayed and uktimately shelved after trade union disputes and industrial action.
Starr re-recorded ‘A Mouse Like Me’ as ‘A Man Like Me’ for his next album, 1978’s Bad Boy.
Scouse The Mouse was released on 9 December 1977 in the UK. With it Starr concluded his three-album deal with Polydor. The album was not issued in the USA.
Initial copies of the album included an entry form for a Scouse The Mouse colouring and drawing competition, open to children aged 5-10. Two hundred copies of an illustrated Scouse The Mouse book, published by New English Library, were given away as prizes. The book contained illustrations by Gerry Potterton.
