Steve taught me Kittypuss immediately before we recorded it today. I’ve only heard him play it once before today. I have to say that the tunes name really was the driving force behind me learning it. Steve told me that Kittypuss has lyrics but that he never sings them for fear of offending the audience. Now I really have to know what the lyrics are.
Steve and I just finished our second day of recording for our new Fiddle Whamdiddle CD at Swingfingers Studio just west of Fort Collins. Aaron Youngberg, our awesome sound engineer was kind enough to hold the camera for us.
Stay tuned for our new Album, it’s going to be lots of fun!
Kitty Puss according to Fiddler’s Companion
KITTY PUSS. AKA and see “Hop Up, Kitty Puss [1],” “Black Eyed Susie [1],” “Possum Up a Simmon Tree [1],” “Puncheon Camp(s),” “Tucker’s Old Barn [1],” “Old Time Mockingbird.” Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA; northeast Kentucky, Tennessee. G Major (OTH/Thomas): D Major (Phillips). Standard tuning. ABB’. A somewhat archaic sounding American fiddle tune.
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Hop up, Kitty Puss, hop up higher,
Hop up, Kitty Puss, your tail’s in the fire.
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Poor little Kitty Puss, poor little feller,
Poor little Kitty Puss, died in the celler.
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HOP UP, KITTY PUSS [1]. AKA and see‑ “Black Eyed Susie [1],” “Kitty Puss,” “Possum Up a Simmon Tree [1],” “Puncheon Camp(s).” Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA, Oklahoma. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Marion Thede linked her Oklahoma-collected tune with “Black-eyed Susie [1].” Source for notated version: John Crawford (McIntosh County, Oklahoma) [Thede].
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Hop Up Kitty Puss, hop a little higher,
Hop Up Kitty Puss, your tail’s on fire.
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Refrain
O my honey, O my sugar,
O my pretty little black‑eyed Susie.
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Rain come wet me, sun come dry me,
Stand back pretty girl, don’t come nigh me.
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