The Cat Came Back
Words and Music by Harry S. Miller
Verse 1: Dar was old Mister Johnson, he had troubles ob his own;
He had an ole yaller cat that wouldn't leave its home.
He tried eb'ry thing he knew to keep de cat away;
Eben sent it to de preacher, and he tole it for to stay.
Chorus: But de cat came back, couldn't stay no longer,
Yes de cat came back de very next day;
De cat came back - thought she were a goner,
But de cat came back for it wouldn't stay away.
Verse 2: De cat did hab some company one night out in de yard,
Some one frowed a boot-jack, an' dey frowed it might hard,
Caught de cat behind de ear, she thought it rather slight,
When along dar comes a brick-bat an' it knocked it out ob sight.
Chorus: But de cat came back, couldn't stay no longer,
Yes de cat came back de very next day;
De cat came back - thought she were a goner,
But de cat came back for it wouldn't stay away.
Verse 3: Away across de ocean dey did send de cat at last,
Vessel only out a day and making water fast;
People all begin to pray, de boat begin to toss,
When anodder vessel came along and took de people off.
Chorus: But de cat came back, couldn't stay no longer,
Yes de cat came back de very next day;
De cat came back - thought she were a goner,
But de cat came back for it wouldn't stay away.
Verse 4: On a telegraph wire sparrows sitting in a bunch,
Cat a-feeling hungry thought she'd like 'em for a 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.
Chorus: But de cat came back, couldn't stay no longer,
Yes de cat came back de very next day;
De cat came back - thought she were a goner,
But de cat came back for it wouldn't stay away.
Verse 5: One time did gib de cat away to man in a balloon,
An' tole him for to gib it to de man in de moon;
But de b'loon it busted sho, and eb'rybody sed,
It wer seben miles away or more dey picked de man up dead.
Chorus: But de cat came back, couldn't stay no longer,
Yes de cat came back de very next day;
De cat came back - thought she were a goner,
But de cat came back for it wouldn't stay away.
Verse 6: The cat was a posessor 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,
While de air was full ob kittens not a one was eber found.
Chorus: But de cat came back, couldn't stay no longer,
Yes de cat came back de very next day;
De cat came back - thought she were a goner,
But de cat came back for it wouldn't stay away.
Verse 7: De cat it were a terror and dey said it wer be best,
To gib it to a nigger who was going out West,
De train going 'round de curve struck a broken rail,
Not a blessed soul aboard de train wer left to tell de tale.
Chorus: But de cat came back, couldn't stay no longer,
Yes de cat came back de very next day;
De cat came back - thought she were a goner,
But de cat came back for it wouldn't stay away.
Verse 8: A man down on de corner swore to kill de cat at sight,
Loaded up a musket full ob nails and dynamite,
Waited in de garden for de cat to come around;
Half a dozen little pieces ob de man was all dey found.
Chorus: But de cat came back, couldn't stay no longer,
Yes de cat came back de very next day;
De cat came back - thought she were a goner,
But de cat came back for it wouldn't stay away.
Verse 9: 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 and stone about a pound;
Now dey're grappling in de ribber for a little boy that's drowned
Chorus: But de cat came back, couldn't stay no longer,
Yes de cat came back de very next day;
De cat came back - thought she were a goner,
But de cat came back for it wouldn't stay away.
Verse 10: While de cat lay a-sleeping an' a resting one day,
'Round came an organ grinder an' he began to play;
De cat look'd around awhile an' kinder raised her head,
When he played Ta-rah-rah-boom-da-rah an' de cat dropped dead.
Final Chorus: But its ghost came back to tell you all about it;,
Yes its ghost came back, between you and I.
Its ghost came back, maybe you will doubt it,
But its ghost came back just to bid 'em all good-bye.
