The Cat Came Back

(Pigmeat version)

Words & Music:

Harry S. Miller

 

This version from "Ditties From Grany's Days" is the happiest sounding version of this song I have found.  It's becoming my favorite.

 

A

Old Mister Johnson had a trouble of his own.

A                                               E7

He had an old alley cat that wouldn't leave his home.

A

He tried everything he knew to give the cat away.

A                                                  E7

He gave him to the preacher and he told him for to stay.

 

CHORUS:

        A                    D

But the cat came back; they thought he was a goner.

        A                         E7           A

But the cat came back, 'cause he couldn't stay away.

    A                  D

The cat came back; hooray for Mr. Johnson!

    A                    E7        A

The cat came back on the very next day.

 

A man on the corner swore he'd kill the cat on sight.

He loaded up his musket with nails & dynamite.

He waited on a corner for the cat to come around.

But a thousand little pieces of the man is all they found.

 

CHORUS:

 

Well, a little boy took him with a forty-dollar note

To the middle of the river in a little open boat.

He tied up around his neck the weight of 40 pound.

Now, they fishin' in the river for the little boy that drowned.

 

CHORUS:

 

Well the cat he was a terror and they thought it was the best

To give him to a fella that was goin' out West.

The train was goin' 'roun a curve and struck a broken rail.

Not a single soul aboard the train was left to tell the tale.

 

CHORUS:

 

Oh, Mr. Johnson gave him to a man in a balloon.

He told him for to take it to the Man in the Moon.

The balloon it burst and everybody said

It was 40 miles away or more they picked the man up dead.

 

CHORUS:

 





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