Oh, Old Mr.

Johnson had troubles of his own

He had a yellow cat that 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

But the cat came back, the very next day

Oh, the cat came back
(they thought he was a goner)
but the cat came back, he just couldn’t stay
Away away away
MEOW!

So he gave it to a woman going

Up in a balloon
He told her for to take it to the
Man up in the moon
The balloon came down about
90 miles away
and where the woman is now,
well I cannot say

But the cat came back, the very next day

Oh, the cat came back
(they thought he was a goner)
but the cat came back,
he just couldn’t stay
Away away away
MEOW

So he gave it to a man going way out West

he told him for to take it to the one he loved the best
first the train hit the track,
and then it jumped the rail
and nobody was left to tell the awful tale

But the cat came back, the very next day

Oh, the cat came back
(they thought he was a goner)
but the cat came back, he just couldn’t stay
Away away away

The cat came back, the very next day

Oh, the cat came back
(they thought he was a goner)
but the cat came back, he just couldn’t stay
Away away away
MEOOOOOOOW!
the chords are the same for every line

Em D C B7
 The Cat Came Back
Traditional Song
Old Mr. Johnson had troubles of his own
He had a yellow cat which wouldn't leave his home;
He tried and he tried to give the cat away,
He gave it to a man goin' far, far away.

(Chorus)
But the cat came back the very next day,
The cat came back, they thought he was a goner
But the cat came back; he just couldn't stay away.

He gave it to a man going up in a balloon,

Told him to give it to the man in the moon;
Balloon cam down about ninety miles away,
But where the man is today I cannot say.

(Chorus)

He gave it to a man going way out West,

Told him to give it to the one he loved best,
The train hit a curve, then it jumped the rail,
Not a soul's alive to tell that gruesome tail.

(Chorus)

The man around the corner swore he'd shoot that 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.

(Chorus)

He gave it to a little boy with a dollar note,

Told him for to take it up the river in a boat;
Tied a rope around its neck, must have weighed a pound
 Now they drag the river for a little boy that's drowned.

(Chorus)

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, but not a one was ever found.

(Chorus)