I Bought Me a Cat

“I Bought Me a Cat” is the fifth and last song in Aaron Copland’s Old American Songs, Set 1.

Date: 1950Composer: Aaron CoplandSong Collection: Old American Songs, Set 1

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About

A children’s nonsense song, “I Bought Me a Cat” repeats a refrain, adding one farm animal with each repeat. The harmony and accompaniment simulate barnyard sounds.

–Vivian Perlis, 1998, from Boosey & Hawkes Web site

Text

I Bought Me a Cat
Traditional

I bought me a cat, my cat pleased me,
I fed my cat under yonder tree.
My cat says fiddle eye fee.

I bought me a duck, my duck pleased me,
I fed my duck under yonder tree.
My duck says, “Quaa, quaa”,
My cat says fiddle eye fee.

I bought me a goose, my goose pleased me,
I fed my goose under yonder tree.
My goose says, “Quaw, quaw”,
My duck says. . .

I bought me a hen, my hen pleased me.
I fed my hen under yonder tree.
My hen says, Shimmy shack, shimmy shack”,
My goose says. . .

I bought me a pig, my pig pleased me.
I fed my pig under yonder tree.
My pig says, “Griffey, griffey”.
My hen says. . .

I bought me a cow, my cow pleased me.
I fed my cow under yonder tree.
My cow says “Moo, moo”,
my pig says . . .

I bought me a horse, my horse pleased me.
I fed my horse under yonder tree.
My horse says, “Neigh, neigh”,
My cow says. . .

I bought me a wife, my wife pleased me.
I fed my wife under yonder tree.
My wife says, “Honey, honey”,
My horse says “Neigh, neigh”. . .

Sheet Music

Old American Songs (Complete)

Composer(s): Aaron Copland

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