The "Tune the Old Cow Died On" became a popular phrase voiced whenever someone didn't like or was bored by a song. Mark Twain used it in "Life on the Mississippi" and a James Joyce character says it in "Ulysses." It once was common on both sides of the Atlantic.

There is more than one song with the title. The one posted above by Bruce Olson is close to the one in the sheet music at American Memory linked by Masato, words- George Russell Jackson, music by 'Eastburn' (Winner) from 1880. The original poem is older.

Here is one at Public Domain Music by John Hill Hewett.ca. 1850?, from an undated Ms. The song is widespread in collections.

THE TUNE THE OLD COW DIED ON
(John Hill Hewett)

I am a poor old widdower,
My name is Betsy Dow,
I once possessed a fortinin,
And a fine old brindle cow.
I milk'd her ev'ry noon and night;
And sold my cheese and butter
But then, poor thing! she died on day,
May soon be dead and gone;

Chorus (sung after each verse):
I'm singing now in doleful strain
The tune my cow died on.
(Note: manuscript refers to a chorus beginning
"Oh, pity" but the words are not included.)

On applesass and peanutsuts
I feed my poor old cow,
And ev'ry day I sang herer
The tune I'm singing now.
I gave her sassafrase and salt,
Mix'd with plantation bitters,
But, she got worse and worse each day
The vile, ungrateful critter!

She could not speak her feelingsings
When this 'ere song I sing;
She knew that she was dyinging
Lodown her head was hung.
The song it so affected her,
That she began a sighing,
And then she look'd a look that said,
"Oh, stop for I am dying!"

The fled her gentle spiritit,
She's gone where good cows go;
And then on Abram's bosomom
(Note: verse incomplete in manuscript)

Copied without changes. "Source: manuscript photocopy from John H. Hewitt papers # 31 (OP3 8)
Special Collections, The Robert W. Woodruff Library, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322-2870."

Old Cow