The Soft Kitty Song from Big Bang Theory is real.
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I think I am tired of the credit of such a wonderful children’s song not being given to the Author.
The song I talk about is Soft Kitty…well children’s song at least. Its constantly referenced on one of my favorite shows Big Bang Theory, and I get upset that they have not once given credit to the authors, leading people to believe the song is completely made up by the writers of the show.
This however is wrong.
The song is a wonderful song that was written and authorized in a book titled Songs for the Nursery by Laura Pendleton MacCarteney and carries a Copyright by Willis Music Co 1937.
It was republished in the 1950’s (or so I believe) and thanks to the Australian National Library you can find that online for free. The Soft Kitty song is actually called “Warm Kitty” and can be found on page 21 on the link below. Despite the lyrical difference the tune remains the same and is an adaptation of an English folk tune (As credited by MacCartney). The tune was composed by Edith Newlin.
http://www.nla.gov.au/apps/doview/nla.mus-vn2628642-p (Go to page 21 to view the original song)
So for everyone who ends up here from a search engine, here is your answer! I am tired of being asked, and correcting people!Enjoy Big Bang Theory its a great show and interesting, we talk about it a lot in one of the Autism Support Groups I goto! Its a wonderful show where there is less drama and more a look at the daily lives of a group of quirky friends.
-Update-
If you wish to listen to the original version of the song being sung, you can listen to it being sung by the Australian TV presenter Patsy Biscoe who recorded the song for her 2009 album 50 Favourite Nursery Rhymes Vol.3 under the Catskills Investments Pty Ltd label which someone was kind enough to upload to youtube.
This song also featured on Play School, an Australian Children’s Show during Season 140 Episode 4, Titled Bags – Thursday And on their 2002 Album  Hip Hip Hooray(2002) Track 39
 – Update – The Polish Inspiration
Recently it has been discovered that the more modern version of this song by Edith Newlin and the edited version of that shown on the Big Bang Theory, may possibly have been inspired by a lullaby by Oskar Kolberg (The Folklorist/Ethnographer/Composer) and allegedly composed by Stanisław Moniuszko (Opera and Song Composer/Conductor/teacher) titled Wlazł kotek na płotek From XIX Century Warsaw (Modern day Poland).
The connection it may have, is in the form of inspiration, to a slightly similar and yet very different lullaby, titled Wlazł kotek na płotek
Wlazł kotek na płotek was written in the Nineteenth century and first published in a book titled Dzieła wszystkie (You can view a later reprint here), which is apparently a reprint of a book called LUD published in 1871. (However I was unable to find it in the first edition of LUD)
Wlazł kotek na płotek has a slightly different rhythm to the Warm Kitty song by Edith Newlin (And the edited version used in the Big Bang Theory) and is about a kitten sitting on a fence. Nonetheless it still does appear  to be a possible inspiration for the English song written by Edith Newlin. It is very important however to note that Newlin took no credit for the tune.
Its quite possible the tune which was credited by Newlin in the Songs for the Nursery by Laura Pendleton MacCarteney and copyright by Willis Music Co 1937. Was chosen by someone else to fit the lyrics, because of its connection to kittens.Or that Newlin heard the song and was inspired to write her own kitten rhyme. Sadly! I guess we may never know! What we do know is that the tune has a long standing history to kittens, perhaps by coincidence… or perhaps not!
I do hope this helps clear up the messy information online that the song is originally polish.
If you have any more information or see something you think needs correcting, comment below!
About The Author
Matty is a 36 year old girl who is an Autistic Poet, Writer and Artist and lives alone in Christchurch New Zealand with a kitty! Matty has given many talks on autism and about being unique in a world that's often not accepting, Matty has also engaged with artist and worked on Art projects Matty usually works on an Art project at the same time as a writing one! This means posts can be a bit delayed!
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22 Responses and Counting...
Thanks for this info, Matty. I always thought I’d heard the song before.
I thought the tune was from phantom of the opera
Its just a strange co-incidence that they sound similar. Seeing as Andrew Lloyd Webber was yet to be born when this music was written 🙂
My thought is, since it’s an old English folk song, Andrew Lloyd Webber may have been subconsciously influenced/inspired by it.
Oooo spooky theory!
I was really surprised when I heard this sung on “Big Bang Theory” as I remember it from my early school days in the 1960s-haven’t heard it since then!
Well no doubt… this song is pretty popular thanx to ‘The Big Bang Theory’ 🙂
My husband was at harmonica band practice when one of the older gentlemen began playing “soft kitty”….He had never heard of the program “Big Bang Theory”….but said that he learned the song from his Mother…….it was an old German folk song……Go figure…..It’s so SWEET…..We love it!
I worked as a Pre-K teacher in China for a Australian school so I have heard this song before and use to -sing it to the kids. I too wish they would also give credit to the authors instead of making people believe is a made up song for the BBT.
It’s a folk tune, and I believe Sheldon first says that his grandmother sang it to him. Just because it appears in this book doesn’t mean that they’re the author, and the tune (not just the words) on the show is slightly different. Since it is a folk tune, I don’t really think they should have to say anything about where it came from.
=)
Yes, Laura Pendleton MacCarteney was the author. But this book was a republishing, the original was published in 1937.
The tunes are not different appear to remain the same in both versions 🙂
I believe its important to credit all artist and writers for their work. I know I get upset if someone uses what I have written without saying that it is mine.
Just shared on Facebook. Thanks for the info and your stance on credit. Especially with written works that can be so easily reproduced, changed and redistributed, the minimal respect we can give to an author is to also share who created a piece.
Without that respect, we’re all just pirates and thieves. Fun to play, not to actually be.
I have always related the song to the TV show, but it’s great to learn the truth behind the song.
What would you have TBBT show do? Have Sheldon announce, “My grandmother used to sing this song to me but it was actually written by Edith Newlin and published in 1937.�
The fact is, television programs usually don’t credit the music they use. People that assume it was written for the show came up with that on their own, since no one has said anything to indicate that.
The fact is, thanks to the internet and people like you, the origins of the song are being told, at least to people curious enough to look for itt.
I doubt Ms. Newlin is still alive, but if she is, I’m sure that she is thrilled that her song has been popularized, and happy to receive the unexpected royalty checks.
🙂 Include it in the credits. And no she is not alive, but her daughter is and I email with her 🙂 as she contacted me after this blog post.
Edith Newlin was my mother’s older sister. Her name changed to Edith Newlin Chase when she married. My aunt was a teacher and spent her entire life writing poetry for children. Many of these poems were published in collections and later in illustrated children’s books. I sincerely hope that she will receive the recognition she so richly deserves!
Hi
My other half is Polish and started singing the Polish lullaby to our new born, I almost immediately noticed the similarity. The melody is identical for the most part and the fact that the subject is the same only added weight to the thought that this was the inspiration. Really glad I came across this page, thanks.
All hail Edith Newlin!
It was already published in 1937. And this link has the note/sheet music.
http://www.nla.gov.au/apps/doview/nla.mus-vn2628642-p
On page 21 Warm Kitty by Edith Newlin who adapted it from an English folk tune.
I wondered about the origin of this song. But I began singing it to my newborn grand daughter when she became fussy and she would stop almost instantly. She will be 2 years old next month and it still works. Though now she has begun to sing it to herself. We love it and would not have known of it without Big Bang. Thank you one and all.
I find your update a bit strange because from your scan its clear no one ever claimed that Newlin wrote the tune of the song, rather it is credited in your scan as an English folk tune, Newlin claimed the lyrics as her own. So if the tune was actually composed by a Polish musician or that song’s theme inspired Newlin that is an interesting historical but hardly seems like a serious mistake on Newlin’s part.
Sam Kass, you managed to get the Big Bang Theory folks to credit you (good job, by the way). Maybe you can let them know about Edith Newlin?