Excellent music I can not take out of my head... and I desperately need to find. 35 years so far... It evokes the unavoidable approach of an uncanny "deus-ex-machina"... that eventually is the punishment cat deserves. I have heard this music in other WB cartoons. Rather than a critic to gambling, as I have read in other comments, I guess this cartoon is about fate and a metaphor about predestination and temptation, where cat plays the role of human species, Gambling Bug is the devil, and the dog is a punisher angel. ...well, I think so... I first saw when I was a child, and it did shock me pretty much, not because of the punishments (which are ***funny***) but because of this perfect combination of music and drama ...reading between the lines ;)
Review of Early to Bet
