Song of the Day 4/30: Riley Puckett, “The Cat Came Back”

As I noted yesterday, and Kristi Noem is finding out at her leisure, Americans treasure two animals above all others – Man’s Best Friend, and His Noble Steed – and you can tell by how many sappy, schmaltzy songs have been written about dogs and horses. People shed tears at “Old Shep” and “Wildfire.”

For contrast, look at songs about other animals. Cats? Get real. This is the most famous song about a cat – it’s well over a century old – and its copious verses are all about failed attempts to get rid of it. Sure, it’s a comic song, but there are no comic songs about trying to kill your dog.

“The Cat Came Back” was published in 1893 and quickly entered the folk canon, so both the melody and lyrics mutated into various forms. It was first recorded the next year, and was popular through the ’50s with old-time country musicians. Riley Puckett recorded this version in 1937.

After that the tune became considered, of all things, a children’s song, and many a kiddie concert has featured the tune on its set list. Trout Fishing in America included it on their 1991 LP “Big Trouble.”