The Cat Came Back facts for kids

Quick facts for kids "The Cat Came Back"
Cover, sheet music, 1893
Song
Language	English
Published	Christmas, 1893
Songwriter(s)	Harry S. Miller

"The Cat Came Back" is a funny song written by Harry S. Miller in Christmas 1893. It tells a silly story that has become a popular folk song. Many artists have recorded it with slightly different titles, like "But the Cat Came Back" or "And the Cat Came Back." It's also a very popular song for children.

What the Song is About

This song is all about humor! It tells the tale of "ole Mister Johnson" and his "ole yaller cat." Mister Johnson really didn't want the cat around. He tried many ways to get rid of it, but the cat always found its way back home.

Here's a famous part of the song:

But the cat came back, he couldn't stay no long-er,
Yes the cat came back de very next day,
the cat came back—thought she were a goner,
But the cat came back for it wouldn't stay away.

In Harry S. Miller's first version, the cat finally died. This happened when a street musician (an organ grinder) played music nearby:

De cat look'd around awhile an' kinder raised her head
When he played Ta-rah-dah-boom-da-rah, an' de cat dropped dead.

But even after that, the cat's ghost still came back!

The very first time the song was recorded was around 1894. Charles Marsh sang it for the Columbia Phonograph Company. Later, Fiddlin' John Carson recorded it in 1924. Another early recording was by Dock Philipine "Fiddlin' Doc" Roberts in 1925.

Rhythm and Beat in the Song

"The Cat Came Back" is often used to help children learn about rhythm and tempo in music. It's a great example because it has a strong, steady beat. The funny lyrics also make it fun to learn with.

Like many songs for kids, this one has a clear and steady beat pattern. It usually has one soft beat followed by one strong beat. Because of this, it's often sung in 2
4 time. This means you can easily sing it while walking. For example, you might step on your left foot on the strong beat and your right foot on the soft beat.

Different Ways to Sing the Song

There are many different versions of "The Cat Came Back." In some versions, the cat is yellow. Here's how one popular version goes:

First part

Now old Mr. Johnson had some troubles of his own,
He had a scarlet cat that just wouldn't leave his home,
He tried and he tried to give the cat away,
He gave it to a man going far far away.

Main part (chorus)

But the cat came back the very next day,
The cat came back, we thought he was a goner,
The cat came back, he just wouldn't stay away.

Another way to sing the main part

But the cat came back he wouldn't stay away,
He was sitting on the porch the very next day.

In these lyrics, every second beat is given more emphasis. The words that are capitalized are usually where the music chords change or start.

The pattern of the music chords repeats every eight beats. This means the song can be thought of as being in 2/4 time or 8/4 time. This beat pattern is similar to "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star", but it starts on a soft beat instead of a strong one.

Adding Music to the Chorus

Sometimes, musicians add extra instrumental music or a short musical break at the end of the chorus. This helps make the song's sections a certain length, like 64 beats. It can also be a short pause without music.

Song Key

Many versions of the song are in a major key, which often sounds bright and happy. However, some versions are in a minor key, which can sound a bit more serious or thoughtful.

Cordell Barker's Animated Film

In 1988, a famous animated film called "The Cat Came Back" was made by Cordell Barker. This film doesn't have many spoken words. Instead, it uses animation to show the story. The few spoken parts in the film are a bit different from other versions of the song:

Now, old Mr. Johnson had troubles of his own.
He had a yellow cat that wouldn't leave his home!
A special plan with deception as the key.
One little cat—how hard could it be?

and

Well, old Mr. Johnson had troubles of his own.
Still the yellow cat wouldn't leave his home!
Steps were needed to remove the little curse.
The old man knew it couldn't get any worse.