1. Old Mister Johnson had troubles of his own
He had a yellow cat that wouldn't leave its home
He tried and he tried to give the cat away
He gave it to a man going far, far away

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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 wouldn't stay away.

2.  He had that yellow cat that he didn't want to keep
He offered him for free and he tried to sell him cheap
He called upon the preacher one Sunday for advice
The preacher said, "Yes, leave him here, it would be so nice!"

3.  He put him on a ship and they headed for Ceylon
The ship was overloaded more than twenty thousand ton
Not far away from shore the cargo ship went down
There wasn't any doubt about it, everybody drowned

4.  He gave it to a man going up in a balloon
He told him for to take it to the man in the moon
The balloon didn't rise, it burst to bits instead
And ten miles from the spot, they found the man stone dead

5.  He gave it to a man going way out west
He told him for to take it to the one he loved the best
The train jumped a track, then it jumped a rail
Not a soul was left aboard to tell the gruesome tale