Digital Tradition Mirror

The Cat Came Back (2)

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

The Cat Came Back (2)

     Freddie Wilson had a cat that he didn't want to keep,
     He offered it for sale, but no-one would buy it cheap.
     He called upon the preacher to ask for his advice,
     The preacher said just leave him here, for it would be

so nice --


But the cat came back, he wouyldn't stay away,

He was sitting on the porch on the very next day;

The cat came back, he didn't want to roam,

The very next day he was home sweet home.

     Freddie put the cat on board a ship was headed for

Ceylon,
     The ship was overloaded, about forty thousand ton;
     Not many miles from shore that gallant ship went down
     There wasn't any doubt about it, everybody drowned --
           [cho.]

     Freddie put the cat on board with a man in a balloon,
     Who would give the cat away to the man up in the moon,
     The balloon it didn't rise, it burst in bits instead,
     Ten miles away they found the man stone dead --
           [cho.]

     Freddie Wilson took his gun and he hid behind a bush,
     In the barrel of his gun lead and powder he did push.
     He aimed it at the spot where the cat would appear;
     The next day all they found was Freddie Wilson's ear --
           [cho.]

     Now the cat sat on the porch and he ate a piece of

cheese,
     An Irishman came by, he was feeling well at ease.
     The cat he was a-smiling, for he was fully fed;
     The Irishman sang "Britannia!" and the cat fell dead --

           But his ghost came back, he wouldn't stay away,
           He was sitting on the porch on the very next day.
           His ghost came back, he didn't want to roam,
           He haunted Freddie's house and his home sweet
                home.

You have a version of this, the common one so to speak, with
a minor tune etc.  This version I had from Bob MacMillan of
Vancouver about 25 years ago, to a major tune. MS

MS

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!