The Cat Came Back Old man Johnson had troubles of his own. Had a little cat that wouldn't leave him alone. He tried and tried to give him away, He gave him to a man going far, far away. CHORUS: But the cat came back, the very next day. But the cat came back, they thought he was a goner, But the cat came back, he just couldn't stay away, away, away. He gave it to a man going up in a ballon Told him to give it to the man in the moon The ballon came down about 20 miles away And where that man is we just can't say. He gave him to a boy with a dollar note, Told him to take up the river in a boat, Tied a rock round its neck must have weighed a hundred pounds, And now they're dredging the river for the little boy who drowned. He gave hime to a man going way, way out west, Told him to give it to the one he favored best, First the train jumped track, then it hit the rail, And no one is alive today to tell the gruesome tale. Old man Johnson said he'd shoot that cat on sight, So he loaded up his shotgun with nails and dynamite. He waited and waited for that cat to come around, But ninety seven pieces of the man were all they ever found The H-bomb fell just the other day, The A-bomb fell in the very same way, Russia went, China went, and the USA The human race was destroyed without a chance to pray The Cat Came Back (Version 1) Written By: Harry S. Miller (with later folk additions) Copyright Unknown Old Mister Johnson had troubles of his own He had a yellow cat which wouldn't leave its home; He tried and he tried to give the cat away, He gave it to a man goin' far, far away. But the cat came back the very next day, The cat came back, we thought he was a goner But the cat came back; it just couldn't stay away. Away, away, yea, yea, yea The man around the corner swore he'd kill the cat on sight, He loaded up his shotgun with nails and dynamite; He waited and he waited for the cat to come around, Ninety seven pieces of the man is all they found. But the cat came back the very next day, The cat came back, we thought he was a goner But the cat came back; it just couldn't stay away. Away, away, yea, yea, yea He gave it to a little boy with a dollar note, Told him for to take it up the river in a boat; They tied a rope around its neck, it must have weighed a pound Now they drag the river for a little boy that's drowned. But the cat came back the very next day, The cat came back, we thought he was a goner But the cat came back; it just couldn't stay away. Away, away, yea, yea, yea He gave it to a man going up in a balloon, He told him for to take it to the man in the moon; The balloon came down about ninety miles away, Where he is now, well I dare not say. But the cat came back the very next day, The cat came back, we thought he was a goner But the cat came back; it just couldn't stay away. Away, away, yea, yea, yea He gave it to a man going way out West, Told him for to take it to the one he loved the best; First the train hit the curve, then it jumped the rail, Not a soul was left behind to tell the gruesome tale. But the cat came back the very next day, The cat came back, we thought he was a goner But the cat came back; it just couldn't stay away. Away, away, yea, yea, yea The cat it had some company one night out in the yard, Someone threw a boot-jack, and they threw it mighty hard; It caught the cat behind the ear, she thought it rather slight, When along came a brick-bat and knocked the cat out of sight But the cat came back the very next day, The cat came back, we thought he was a goner But the cat came back; it just couldn't stay away. Away, away, yea, yea, yea Away across the ocean they did send the cat at last, Vessel only out a day and making water fast; People all began to pray, the boat began to toss, A great big gust of wind came by and every soul was lost. But the cat came back the very next day, The cat came back, we thought he was a goner But the cat came back; it just couldn't stay away. Away, away, yea, yea, yea On a telegraph wire, sparrows sitting in a bunch, The cat was feeling hungry, thought she'd like 'em for a lunch; Climbing softly up the pole, and when she reached the top, Put her foot upon the electric wire, which tied her in a knot. But the cat came back the very next day, The cat came back, we thought he was a goner But the cat came back; it just couldn't stay away. Away, away, yea, yea, yea The cat was a possessor of a family of its own, With seven little kittens till there came a cyclone; Blew the houses all apart and tossed the cat around, The air was full of kittens, and not a one was ever found. But the cat came back the very next day, The cat came back, we thought he was a goner But the cat came back; it just couldn't stay away. Away, away, yea, yea, yea The atom bomb fell just the other day, The H-Bomb fell in the very same way; Russia went, England went, and then the U.S.A. The human race was finished without a chance to pray. But the cat came back the very next day, The cat came back, we thought he was a goner But the cat came back; it just couldn't stay away. Away, away, yea, yea, yea The Cat Came Back (Version 3) As recorded by Marais and Miranda Written By: Harry S. Miller (with later folk additions) Copyright Unknown Old Mr. Johnson had trouble all his own He had a yellow cat that wouldn't leave his home He tried in every way to keep that cat away Took him up to Canada and told him for to stay But the cat came back the very next day The cat came back, they thought he was a goner But the cat came back, he just wouldn't stay away On a telegraph wire the birds were sitting in a bunch He saw an even number, said he'd have 'em for his lunch Climbed softly up the pole until he reached the top Put his foot upon the 'lectric wire, tied him in a knot But the cat came back the very next day The cat came back, they thought he was a goner But the cat came back, he just wouldn't stay away This cat had company out in the backyard Somebody threw a boot and threw it awful hard Hit the cat behind the ear and he thought it was a slight And down came a brick and knocked him out of sight But the cat came back the very next day The cat came back, they thought he was a goner But the cat came back, he just wouldn't stay away They threw him in the kennel where the dog was asleep And the bones of cats lay piled in a heap That kennel burst apart and the dog flew out the side With his ears chewed off and holes in his hide But the cat came back the very next day The cat came back, they thought he was a goner But the cat came back, he just wouldn't stay away They sneaked him in a shop with the butcher not around And they dropped him in the hopper where the meat was ground The cat despaired with a blood-curdling shriek And that shop's hamburger tasted furry for a week But the cat came back the very next day The cat came back, they thought he was a goner But the cat came back, he just wouldn't stay away They put him in a cotton sack and gave him to a girl Who'd started on a bicycle all around the world Well, over there in China a terrible wreak was found She's singing now in heaven with the angels all around But the cat came back the very next day The cat came back, they thought he was a goner But the cat came back, he just wouldn't stay away Now this cat was a terror and they thought it would be best To give him to a feller who was going way out west Train ran round a curve and hit a broken rail Not a blessed soul aboard that train lived to tell the tale But the cat came back the very next day The cat came back, they thought he was a goner But the cat came back, he just wouldn't stay away The cat was a possessor of a family all its own With seven little kittens till there was a cyclone Blew the houses all apart and tossed the cat around The air was full of kittens and not a one was found But the cat came back the very next day The cat came back, they thought he was a goner But the cat came back, he just wouldn't stay away Away across the ocean they did send the cat at last Vessel only out a day and taking water fast People all began to pray, the boat began to toss A great big gust of wind came by and every soul was lost But the cat came back the very next day The cat came back, they thought he was a goner But the cat came back, he just wouldn't stay away They gave the cat to a man in a balloon And told him to give him to the man in the moon But the balloon it busted and everybody said Ten miles away they picked the man up dead But the cat came back the very next day The cat came back, they thought he was a goner But the cat came back, he just wouldn't stay away At last they found a way this cat to really fix They put him in an orange crate on highway 66 Come a ten ton truck with a twenty ton load Scattered pieces of that orange crate a mile down the road But the cat came back the very next day The cat came back, they thought he was a goner But the cat came back, he just wouldn't stay away They put him on a boat bound for Sidneytown They thought with all that rain there he'd surely drowned When the rain came down for the 92nd day That whole darn city just a floated out the bay But the cat came back the very next day The cat came back, they thought he was a goner But the cat came back, he just wouldn't stay away The farmer on the corner said he'd shoot that cat on sight Loaded up his shotgun full of nails and dynamite And he hid in the garden till the cat came round But 97 pieces of that man were all they found But the cat came back the very next day The cat came back, they thought he was a goner But the cat came back, he just wouldn't stay away They put him on the White House lawn, I'll tell the reason why With all the golfballs flying, they thought he'd surely die Well the very next morning, what do you think they found 64 squirrels lying dead upon the ground But the cat came back the very next day The cat came back, they thought he was a goner But the cat came back, he just wouldn't stay away Gave him to a little boy with a dollar note Who was going out to sea in an open boat They tied a rock around his neck, it must have weighed a pound Now they're dragging up the river, cause the little boy was drowned But the cat came back the very next day The cat came back, they thought he was a goner But the cat came back, he just wouldn't stay away They took him down to Cape Canaveral and they put him into place And they shot him in a satellite way up into space They thought that the cat was beyond human reach And then they got a phone call from Miami Beach But the cat came back the very next day The cat came back, they thought he was a goner But the cat came back, he just wouldn't stay away An H bomb fell just the other day, A bomb fell in the very same way Russia went, England went, then the USA The whole human race gone without a chance to pray But the cat came back the very next day The cat came back, they thought he was a goner But the cat came back, he just wouldn't stay away ------------------- The Cat Came Back "A Comic Negro Absurdity Minstrel Song" Sing Along Comedy MIDI Song Words and Music by Harry S. Miller (1893) Dar was ole Mister Johnson He had troubles ob his own; He had an ole yeller cat that wouldn't leave his home. He tried eb'ry thing he knew to keep de cat away; Eben sent it to de preacher, but he tole it fer to stay. And de cat came back De very next day And de cat came back We thought it was a goner But de cat came back Because it wouldn't stay away! De cat did hab some comp'ny one night in de yard Someone frowed a boot-jack, and dey frowed it mighty hard. Caught de cat behind de car, She thought it rather slight When along dar comes a brick-bat And it knocked it out ob sight. But de cat came back De very next day And de cat came back We thought it was a goner But de cat came back Because it wouldn't stay away! Away across de ocean dey did send de cat at last, Vessel only out a day, and taking water fast; People all began to pray, de boat began to toss, When a nodder vessel came along And took de people off. But de cat came back De very next day And de cat came back We thought it was a goner But de cat came back Because it wouldn't stay away! On a telegraph wire sparrows sittin' in a bunch, Cat 'a feelin' hungry, thought she'd like 'em fer her lunch; Climbing softly up de pole, And when she reached de top, Put her foot upon de 'lectric wire Which tied her in a knot. But de cat came back De very next day And de cat came back We thought it was a goner But de cat came back Because it wouldn't stay away! One time did give the cat away To man in a balloon An' tole him fer to gib it To de man in de moon; But de b'loon, it busted, sho, and eb'rybody sad It was seben miles away or more Dey picked the man up dead. But de cat came back De very next day And de cat came back We thought it was a goner But de cat came back Because it wouldn't stay away! De cat was a possessor ob a fam'ly ob its own Wid seben little kittens till dar comes a cyclone; Blowed de houses all apart, And tossed de cat around, When de air was full ob kittens Not a one was eber found. But de cat came back De very next day And de cat came back We thought it was a goner But de cat came back Because it wouldn't stay away! De cat it were a terror And dey said it war be best To gib it to a gambler who was goin' out West De train goin' round de curve Struck a broken rail Not a blessed soul aboard de train Was left to tell de tale. But de cat came back De very next day And de cat came back We thought it was a goner But de cat came back Because it wouldn't stay away! A man down on de corner swore to kill de cat at night Loaded up a musket full ob nails and dynamite Waited in de garden fer de cat to come around; Half-a-dozen bits and pieces ob de man was all they found. But de cat came back De very next day And de cat came back We thought it was a goner But de cat came back Because it wouldn't stay away! Little boy took de cat away, he got a dollar note, Took it down de ribber in a little open boat; Tied a brick around its neck, an' stone about a pound; Now dey're grapplin' in de ribber for a little boy that's drowned. But de cat came back De very next day And de cat came back We thought it was a goner But de cat came back Because it wouldn't stay away! While de cat lay a-sleepin' An' a restin' one day 'Round came an organ grinder an' he began to play; De cat look'd around awhile, an' kinda raised her head When he played "Ta-rah-rah-boom-dee-ay" De cat just dropped down dead. But its ghost came back The very next day Yes, its ghost came back, Maybe you will doubt it But its ghost came back Because it wouldn't stay away! Yes, its ghost came back To tell you all about it Yes, its ghost came back Don't you ever doubt it But its ghost came back Just to bid 'em all goodbye!