The Cat Came Back

Old Mr. Johnson, he's got problems of his own...
He's got this big old yellow cat that just won't leave home!
He's tried and he's tried to give that cat away,
He gave it to a man who lived far, far away…

Chorus

But the cat came back the very next day,
the cat came back,
They thought it was a goner, but the cat came back,
he just couldn't stay away, away, away, away!



Then he gave it to a boy with a dollar note,
Who took it down the river in a leaky rowboat.
He took a rope that weighed nearly ten pounds,
Now they’re looking in the river for the poor lad who drowned!

Chorus
But the cat came back the very next day,
the cat came back,
They thought it was a goner, but the cat came back,
he just couldn't stay away, away, away, away!

Now the man around the corner, he joined in the fight.
He loaded up his gun with nails and dynamite!
He waited… and he waited… for the cat to come around,
and ninety-seven pieces of that man is all they found!

Chorus
But the cat came back the very next day,
the cat came back,
They thought it was a goner, but the cat came back,
he just couldn't stay away, away, away, away!

Harry S. Miller (with later folk additions)
Copyright Unknown