The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #89355   Message #1685244
Posted By: Goose Gander
04-Mar-06 - 05:36 PM
Thread Name: Origins: Eighteen or Nineteen Years Old
Subject: Origins: 'Eighteen or Nineteen Years Old'
Does anyone know anything about this song?

It appears as Ninety Years Old in Voices From the Dust Bowl

Ninety Years Old
Wayne Dinwiddie
Visalia FSA Camp
8-14-41

As I was out walking down by the seashore
I spied a young lady she sure did look grand
Ribbons and laces, her hair shone like gold
She appeared to be eighteen or nineteen years old

Now when we were married I thought I would faint
She raked from her pale cheeks a full box of paint
When out on the carpet her glass eye did roll
She appeared to be eighty or ninety years old

I counted her fingers, I could only count three
She unscrewed her cork legs both at the knee
Took off her false wig, her bald knob it shone
I found I'd married an old lady 'bout ninety years old


Here's a more complete text posted at
bluegrasslyrics.com but no source is provided.

She Appeared To Be Eighteen Or Nineteen Years Old

As I was out walking down by the seashore
I met a fair maiden she sure did look grand
Her lace and her diamonds and her hair shone like gold
She appeared to be eighteen or nineteen years old

Her fingers they jingled like bells on a door
Her nose was turned up but not very much more
When we were married the wedding bells told
I have married a young lady just nineteen years old

When we were married and retired for our rest
My love changed for her why you can guess
For a box full of powders my love did unfold
She appeared to be eighteen or nineteen years old

She raked from her pale cheeks a box full of paint
When she took out her false teeth I thought I would faint
Out upon the carpet her glass eye did roll
She appeared to be eighteen or nineteen years old

She unsnapped her fingers I counted just three
Then she unscrewed both cork legs up to her knees
When she took off her false wig her old bald head told
I had married an old lady about ninety years old