| First Published | 1892 |
| Writer/composer | Joseph Tabrar | Roud | RN13973 |
| Music Hall Performers | Vesta Victoria |
| Folk performances | Collected from the singing of: Jefferies, Mrs Maggie E.: USA : Virginia; 1940 Robertson, Jeannie; Scotland: Aberdeenshire; 1958 |
I love my little cat I do Its coat is oh so warm It comes each day with me to school And sits upon the form When teacher says, “Why do you bring That little pet of yours?” I tell her that I bring my cat Along with me because. Daddy wouldn't buy me a bow-wow (bow-wow) Daddy wouldn't buy me a bow-wow (bow-wow) I've got a little cat I am very fond of that But I'd rather have a bow-wow wow. We used to have two tiny dogs Such pretty little dears But Daddy sold them ‘cos they used To bite each other's ears I cried all day, at eight at night Papa sent me to bed When ma came home and wiped my eyes I cried again and said, I'll be so glad when I get old To do just as I please I'll have a dozen bow-wows then A parrot and some bees Whenever I see a tiny pet I'll kiss the little thing ‘Twill remind me of the time gone by When I would cry and sing.
A big hit for Vesta Victoria in 1892, written for her by the prolific Joseph Tabrar . She sang it to great acclaim in the British music halls but also had great success with it in New York where she had an eight-week run at Tony Pastor’s New York theatre. The chorus at least is widely remembered today and the song itself was revived several times in the 20th century, for example in the film Evergreen (1934) where it was sung by Jessie Matthews.
The song has been collected twice from traditional singers on both sides of the Atlantic.
Jessie Matthews sings it in the 1934 film Evergreen
Sources:
- VWML entry
- Kilgarrif Sing Us
- Lyrics and sheet music: monologues.co.uk
- Sheet Music cover: Victoria and Albert Museum
- Ballad Index
Last Updated on March 16, 2024 by John Baxter | Published: April 27, 2023
