Cat Came Back, The
Song Lyrics & Words
Now old Mr. Johnson had troubles of his own
He had an old yellow cat that wouldn't leave home
Tried everything he knew to do to keep the cat away
Took him up to Canada and told him for to stay...
But the cat came back
The very next day the old cat came back
Thought he was a goner, but the cat came back
`Cause he wouldn't stay away
On the telegraph wire the birds were sittin' in a bunch
Saw an even number, thought he'd' have `em for his lunch
Climbed softly up the pole, until he reached the top
Put his foot upon the electric wire, tied him in a knot...
But the cat came back
The very next day the old cat came back
Thought he was a goner, but the cat came back
`Cause he wouldn't stay away
This old 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 old cat came back
Thought he was a goner, but the cat came back
`Cause he 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 ol' 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 old cat came back
Thought he was a goner, but the cat came back
`Cause he wouldn't stay away
They sneaked into the shop with the butcher not around
And they dropped him in the hopper where the meat was ground
The old cat disappeared 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 old cat came back
Thought he was a goner, but the cat came back
`Cause he wouldn't stay away
They put him in a cotton sack and give him to a girl
Who was startin' on a bicycle all around the world
Well over there in China, a terrible wreck was found
She's singin' now in heaven with the angels all around...
But the cat came back
The very next day the old cat came back
Thought he was a goner, but the cat came back
`Cause he 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 goin' out West
Train ran around a curve and hit a broken rail
Not a blessed soul aboard the train lived to tell the tale...
But the cat came back
The very next day the old cat came back
Thought he was a goner, but the cat came back
`Cause he wouldn't stay away
They gave the old cat to the man in the balloon
And they told him to give him to the man in the moon
Well the balloon, it busted and everybody said,
"Ten miles away they picked a man up dead"...
But the cat came back
The very next day the old cat came back
Thought he was a goner, but the cat came back
`Cause he wouldn't stay away
Well at last they found the way this cat they'd really fix
They put him in an orange crate on Highway Sixty-Six
Come a ten ton truck with a twenty ton load
Scattered pieces of the orange crate a mile down the road...
But the cat came back
The very next day the old cat came back
Thought he was a goner, but the cat came back
`Cause he wouldn't stay away
They put him on a boat bound for Cambridge town
They thought with all the rain there, he'd surely drown
When the rain come down on the ninety-second day
The whole darn city just a-floated out the bay...
But the cat came back
The very next day the old cat came back
Thought he was a goner, but the cat came back
`Cause he wouldn't stay away
Now the farmer on the corner said he'd shoot the cat on sight
And he loaded up his gun with nails and dynamite
And he hid in the garden till the cat come around
Seven little pieces of the man was all they found...
But the cat came back
The very next day the old cat came back
Thought he was a goner, but the cat came back
`Cause he wouldn't stay away
They put him on the White House lawn, I'll tell you the reason why
They thought with all those golf balls flyin' there, he'd surely die
The very next morning, what do you think they found
Ninety-four squirrels lyin' dead upon the ground...
But the cat came back
The very next day the old cat came back
Thought he was a goner, but the cat came back
`Cause he wouldn't stay away
They took him down to Cape Canaveral and they put him in a place
And they shot him in a satellite way into space
They thought that cat was beyond human reach
Then they got a phone call from Miami Beach, sayin'...
The cat came back
The very next day the old cat came back
Thought he was a goner, but the cat came back
`Cause he wouldn't stay away
Alternative Lyrics & Words
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
Information About This Song
Traditional - Harry Miller
Fiddlin' John Carson - 1924
Comments (2)
By Erin in Newcastle on 24 July 2009
My grandad used to sing this song to me and play along with his guitar. When I was younger I used to cry at everything they'd do to the cat but it's funny now I'm older.
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This song has been printed from BusSongs.com.

By Amy in Helena Mt Usa on 15 March 2009
My 3 year old loves this goofy song---the lyrics on the CD we have are different than either one of the above. She dances around and sings the chorus.