DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa (D Latham/M Jaffe)

Subject: I'm My Own Grandpa
From:
Date: 07 Nov 96 - 01:31 PM

Hi. Looking for lyrics to I'm My Own Grandpa, which describes a genealogical tale of woe. Anyone know it? Thanks--Jim Jacquet

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Search for "own grandpa" threads

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 07 Nov 96 - 05:43 PM

Hi- It's in our database. Try searching for grandpa.

By the way, the original for this song dates back to the mid-to-late 1800s; Mark Twain used it.

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Bill Foster
Date: 14 Nov 96 - 08:13 AM

As Dick says, Mark Twain used it in his platform lectures. I have seen a handwritten version dated January 29, 1829 in an old "ballet book." Mark Twain entitled the piece "Whereby It May Be Demonstrated That A Man May Become His Own Grandfather."

Subject: Lyr Add: I'M MY OWN GRANDPA (from Lonzo & Oscar)
From:
Date: 01 Sep 01 - 10:52 AM

I'm My Own Grandpa (Lonzo & Oscar) It sounds funny, I know, But it really is so, Oh, I'm my own grandpa. I'm my own grandpa. I'm my own grandpa. It sounds funny, I know, But it really is so, Oh, I'm my own grandpa. Now many, many years ago, when I was twenty-three, I was married to a widow who was pretty as could be. This widow had a grown-up daughter who had hair of red. My father fell in love with her, and soon they, too, were wed. This made my dad my son-in-law and changed my very life, My daughter was my mother, cause she was my father's wife. To complicate the matter, even though it brought me joy, I soon became the father of a bouncing baby boy. My little baby then became a brother-in-law to Dad, And so became my uncle, though it made me very sad. For if he was my uncle, then that also made him brother Of the widow's grown-up daughter, who, of course, was my stepmother. Father's wife then had a son who kept him on the run, And he became my grandchild, for he was my daughter's son. My wife is now my mother's mother, and it makes me blue, Because, although she is my wife, she's my grandmother, too. Now if my wife is my grandmother, then I'm her grandchild, And everytime I think of it, it nearly drives me wild, For now I have become the strangest case you ever saw As husband of my grandmother, I am my own grandpa! I'm my own grandpa. I'm my own grandpa. It sounds funny, I know, but it really is so, Oh, I'm my own grandpa.

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 01 Sep 01 - 06:04 PM

The UWP Archive at www.leo.org/ claimed the original song was written by Moe Jaffe and Dwight Latham (whoever they may be) in 1947. However, the link doesn't seem to be valid any more. I copied the info about three years ago. Thanks for the info about Mark Twain!

---

Note: most of the "folk" songs in the UWP* Database come from the Digital Tradition.
-Joe Offer-
*UWP (University of Wisconsin Parkside, outside Kenosha)

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Bill D
Date: 01 Sep 01 - 07:28 PM

for the next 2-3 weeks, you can listen to the song by Lonzo & Oscarhere, at the Record Lady's site (Country Music Page 4) (or try clicking here). She may or may not have a place to put her collection after that.

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Hawker
Date: 03 Sep 01 - 06:45 PM

I remember the muppets doing a superb rendition of this song!
Lucy

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Amergin
Date: 03 Sep 01 - 07:04 PM

my theme song....

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From:
Date: 03 Sep 01 - 10:54 PM

Suzanne, you weren't wrong. I found a couple of web-sites which confirms the JAffe and Latham. Here you go

From Shel Silverstein's FAQ
I'm My Own Grandpa - Moe Jaffe and Dwight Latham

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 04 Sep 01 - 06:02 PM

Many thanks, George! I'll add those addresses to my info. I like having some backup for it!

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Jul 02 - 06:05 PM

OK, so Dick says it comes from Mark Twain, and I usually believe Dick. I decided to do some digging and see where I ended up. Not much luck, I'm afraid. With several prettydamngood Web searches, all I came up with was this (click):

My Own Grandfather by Mark Twain After long years as a bachelor I was tired of being alone and married a widow with a grown daughter. My father fell in love with the daughter and took her as his wife. This made me my own son-in-law and my stepdaughter became my mother. After a year my wife gave birth to a son. Now, my son was my father's brother-in-law and at the same time my uncle, since he was my stepmother's brother. But my father's wife also gave birth to a son. So this was my brother and also my grandson, since he was the son of my daughter. This meant I'd married my grandmother, since she was the mother of my mother. As my wife's husband, I was also her grandson. And since the husband of a grandmother is always a grandfather, I am my own grandfather.

It sounds credible, but where's the documentation? If this is really a quote from Mark Twain, where was it published?

I can't say that this is Twain's text - but if Bill Foster says he saw a handwritten copy from 1829, I believe him. Bill is a very credible source.

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: C-flat
Date: 11 Jul 02 - 06:10 PM

Can't get any of the links to work but would very much like to hear the tune.
Any ideas?

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: C-flat
Date: 11 Jul 02 - 06:13 PM

I just noticed the dates on those posts with the clickies and realise why they don't work.
Does anyone have the song?

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: RolyH
Date: 11 Jul 02 - 06:13 PM

A version of this (He's His Own Grandpa) was recorded by Phil Harris

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: C-flat
Date: 11 Jul 02 - 06:14 PM

Thanks RolyH, I'll look it up from there.

Subject: Lyr Add: I'M MY OWN GRANDPAW (D Latham/M Jaffe)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Jul 02 - 06:22 PM

Here's the entry from Dorothy Horstman's Sing Your Heart Out, Country Boy (Country Music Foundation Press, 1975, 1986, 1996)

I'M MY OWN GRANDPAW
Quote from Dwight Latham:

Back in the early days of radio in the thirties, I had a very successful group called The Jesters performing three nights a week on NBC. Our specialty was novelty songs and bits of spoken humor. In reading a book of anecdotes and sayings by Mark Twain, I came across a paragraph wherein he proved it was possible for a man to become his own grandpa by a certain succession of events beginning with the premise that if the man married widow with a grown-up daughter and his father married the daughter, etc., etc., he would eventually become his own grandpa. The idea seemed funny enough to repeat on the air, and sure enough, the response was very good.
Later Moe Jaffe and I decided to expand the basic idea and set it as a song.

—Dwight

---

The lyrics are almost the same as what you'll find in the Digital Tradition (click):

I'M MY OWN GRANDPAW
(Dwight Latham and Moe Jaffe)

Many, many years ago when I was twenty-three
I was married to a widow who was pretty as could be
This widow had a grown-up daughter who had hair of red
My father fell in love with her and soon they too were wed.

This made my dad my son-in-law and changed my very life
For my daughter was my mother, 'cause she was my father's wife
To complicate the matter, even though it brought me joy
I soon became the father of a bouncing baby boy.

My little baby then became a brother-in-law to dad
And so became my uncle, though it made me very sad
For if he was my uncle, then that also made him brother
Of the widow's grown-up daughter, who, of course, was my step-mother

I'm my own grandpaw, I'm my own grandpaw
It sounds funny I know, but it really is so
Oh, I'm my own grandpaw.

Father's wife then had a son who kept them on the run
And he became my grand-child, for he was my daughter's son
My wife is now my mother's mother, and it makes me blue
Because, although she is my wife, she's my grandmother, too.

Now, if my wife is my grandmother, then I'm her grandchild
And every time I think of it, it nearly drives me wild
For now I have become the strangest case you ever saw
As husband of my grandmother, I am my own grandpaw.

© 1947. All rights reserved. General Music Publishing Co., Inc.

---

So, can anybody find the source of the Mark Twain quotation?
The tune in the Digital Tradition is pretty close to the one I know - but the DT tune is way too slow. Click here to get to a recording of the song at The Record Lady's new site.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Jul 02 - 06:28 PM

There is also a midi at this site: Grandpa

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: C-flat
Date: 12 Jul 02 - 02:52 AM

Thanks, that great!

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,preciouspuppy
Date: 02 Dec 02 - 07:22 PM

i think its incredible that you are your own grandpa. it is discusting, yet icredible. you have family who married your family. thats gross!!!!! nice talkin to ya! tootles

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Richie
Date: 02 Dec 02 - 11:16 PM

Guest,preciouspuppy-

Come visit Jerry Lee Lewis on his ranch in Nesbit, Mississippi. I think he has a spare room for you. You might learn something!

-Richie

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: pavane
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 01:09 PM

I seen to remember that the song was quoted (or at least the title) in a book by Robert Heinlein (The Door into Summer?)

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: MMario
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 01:15 PM

I think it was mentioned in several of the Lazarus Long books - because time travel could result in the situation.

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Schantieman
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 01:17 PM

My parents had a 78 with Danny Kaye singing it.

Steve

Subject: CHORDS: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 10:50 AM

In another thread, there was a request for the chords. Here's what's in the Rise Up Singing songbook:

C - G7 - / - - C - / - C7 F - / D7 G -


CHORUS:
C CG C - / F FD G - / C C7 F D / C CG C -

The spaces separate measures, and the slashes separate lines. A dash means play the same as the previous measure. Two chords together, like AE, mean play A half the measure, and E the other half.

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,A. Lawson
Date: 29 May 03 - 08:27 PM

I have a cassette of Ray Stevens doin' his version of I'm My Own Grandpa." I can't remember which one it's on though.

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 29 May 03 - 10:15 PM

I strongly doubt that the quote that Joe posted (in the box above) is authentic. It doesn't sound like Mark Twain's style to me. It isn't particularly funny. Even when he wasn't writing for publication, Mark Twain was funnier than that. For example, while searching Twain's works for the word "grandfather" I found this (at Mark Twain's Letters, Complete, Arranged with Comment by Albert Bigelow Paine):

                                             21 Fifth Avenue, New York,
                                                 November 14, 1905.
DEAR MR. ROW,--That alleged portrait has a private history. Sarony was as much of an enthusiast about wild animals as he was about photography; and when Du Chaillu brought the first Gorilla to this country in 1819 he came to me in a fever of excitement and asked me if my father was of record and authentic. I said he was; then Sarony, without any abatement of his excitement asked if my grandfather also was of record and authentic. I said he was. Then Sarony, with still rising excitement and with joy added to it, said he had found my great grandfather in the person of the gorilla, and had recognized him at once by his resemblance to me. I was deeply hurt but did not reveal this, because I knew Sarony meant no offense for the gorilla had not done him any harm, and he was not a man who would say an unkind thing about a gorilla wantonly. I went with him to inspect the ancestor, and examined him from several points of view, without being able to detect anything more than a passing resemblance. "Wait," said Sarony with confidence, "let me show you." He borrowed my overcoat--and put it on the gorilla. The result was surprising. I saw that the gorilla while not looking distinctly like me was exactly what my great grand father would have looked like if I had had one. Sarony photographed the creature in that overcoat, and spread the picture about the world. It has remained spread about the world ever since. It turns up every week in some newspaper somewhere or other. It is not my favorite, but to my exasperation it is everybody else's. Do you think you could get it suppressed for me? I will pay the limit.
                              Sincerely yours,
                                        S. L. CLEMENS.

If the quote is authentic, it ought to be possible to find it in one of the works listed at the Online Books Page but it would take a lot of patience. You have to search one book at a time. Many, but not all of his works are searchable here.

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,Andrew O'Reilly
Date: 05 Jun 03 - 09:58 PM

I just found this thread searching on Google for the same information...then I remembered where I'd found it before. If I may offer more fuel to the grandpaternal fire...

http://php.indiana.edu/~jbmorris/LYRICS/grandpa

According to this, Lonzo and Oscar wrote it, Jaffe and Latham composed it, and Lombardo, Harris, Jo Stafford, Homer & Jethro, and Ray Stevens all recorded versions of it (Stafford, of course, being her own grandma).

Hope this helps.

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,neilania
Date: 20 Nov 03 - 08:37 PM

and all the time i thought it was australia's Chad Morgan that wrote it. if you wantto hear some funny stuff, search him   on the p2p music programs.

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Tiger
Date: 21 Nov 03 - 09:44 AM

I know that one well, but also have another that's completely different in a collection by "Blue Grass Roy" Freeman.

It starts with "I am the most related man that walks the earth today." The tune is similar to "When the Work's All Done This Fall"

I'll see if I can get it transcribed over the weekend.

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Jacqk
Date: 23 Nov 03 - 07:51 PM

Supporting the Moe Jaffe and Dwight Latham authorship is a record at the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.

You can look at their record here; you have to enter the name in the search field because I couldn't link directly to the page. Past the following into the search field:

I m my own grandpa

That should bring up the record. As far as reliablity of this info, I can't say. But it looks fairly professional.

Jack

Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,bob
Date: 23 Jan 04 - 06:22 AM

hu the hell r the singers in the muppet show song of im my own grandpa

Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,someone
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 03:05 PM

it's a good song

Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Feb 04 - 12:18 PM

You can also hear a version of this in the movie "The Stupids" starring Tom Arnold.
The movie IS stupid but the song is GREAT!!!!!

Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Mar 04 - 02:48 AM

Suzanne:

Here is information about Moe Jaffe: http://home.earthlink.net/~jaffed/moejaffe/index.html

Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 06 Mar 04 - 04:56 PM

Thanks, guest!

Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Stewie
Date: 06 Mar 04 - 06:49 PM

The final stanza of Fiddlin' John Carson's 'Papa's Billy Goat'[OK 45077 ca March 1924] is a lyric of similar ilk:

Then I acted an old fool, married me a widow
And the widow had a daughter and her name was Maude
Father being a widower married her daughter
And now my daddy is my own son-in-law

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Little Robyn
Date: 22 Mar 04 - 06:19 AM

Our local newspaper today had this Reuters story from India:
'A 25 year-old Indian man has married his 80-year-old grandmother because he wants to take care of her.
"I felt she needed extra care as she is old. I can look after her better as a husband than as a grandson," Narayan Biswas said.
The couple married in a Hindu ceremony near Panchpara, 150 kilometres west of Calcutta.'
I wonder if he knows the song???
Robyn

Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From:
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 11:23 AM

What is the name of that movie, with Tom Arnold?

Subject: Re: Tom Arnold Movie
From:
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 02:54 PM

In the message left earlier, I think it said the movie was "The Stupids". That's the way I read it.

Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,from Gina Boyanowski
Date: 06 Mar 05 - 12:01 PM

For those thinking that I'm my own grandpa is illegal or wrong for some reason. It is perfectly legal and could happen.

The man was 23 and probably married a widow some years older than himself. Then his widowed father fell in love with the widow's daughter (his stepdaughter). There was probably, again an age difference, but it was true love. And being widowed and not at all related through blood to his true love they married. Nothing wrong, nothing gross, nothing illegal at least where I live. True love in both cases.

The song is a mind bender, but to really figure it out you've got to put it down on paper.

Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 06 Mar 05 - 08:24 PM

I once saw a performance on TV where the singer had a chart - might have been on the 2 Ronnies....

Subject: Lyr Add: I'M MY OWN GRANDMAW (Esmereldy)
From:
Date: 13 Aug 05 - 11:43 AM

The group Sidesaddle did a female version of I’M MY OWN GRANDPA titled I’M MY OWN GRANDMA. I really need the lyrics of the female version. Can anyone find them and send ASAP. Thanks

---

This was posted in one of the other threads on this song. Dale Rose thinks it may have been sung originally by Jo Stafford, and I did find a listing for "I'm My Own Grandmaw" on a CD called Jo Stafford on Capitol. I think it's the version Sidesaddle sings on their Saratoga Gap CD, but I don't have that CD.
-Joe Offer (e-mail sent)-

Thread #2232, Message #1252436
Posted By: Ferrara
08-Jul-04 - 05:32 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: I'm My Own Grandpa
Subject: Lyr Add: I'M MY OWN GRANDMA

Funny. I sang this on July 1 at an Open Sing. We had a 78rpm of a woman singing it. The singer could have been Judy Canova, but I think it was Esmereldy, and the flip side was probably "Hooo-eee, Ain't Nature Grand!".... Here's how she sung it, more or less....

I'M MY OWN GRANDMAW
[As recorded by Esmereldy and her Novelty Band on Musicraft 536, 1948.]

1. Many, many years ago, when I was twenty-three,
I was married to a widower who fell in love with me.
My hubby had a grown-up daughter who had hair of red.
My father fell in love with her, and soon they too were wed.

Chorus: Oh, I'm my own grandma.
I'm my own grandma.
It sounds funny, I know, but it really is so.
Oh, I'm my own grandma.

2. This made my dad my son-in-law and changed my very life,
For my daughter was my mother-in-law, 'cause she was Father's wife.
To complicate the matter, even though it brought me joy,
I soon became the mother of a bouncing baby boy. (Chorus)

3. My little baby then became a brother-in-law to Dad,
And so became my uncle, though it made me very sad.
For if he was my uncle, then that also made him brother
Of my husband's grown-up daughter, who, of course, was my stepmother.

4. Father's wife then had a son who kept him on the run,
And he became my grandchild, for he was my daughter's son.
My hubby is my mother's father, and it makes me blue,
For though he is my husband, he is my grandfather, too. (Chorus)

5. Now if my hubby’s my grandfather, then I'm his grandchild,
And every time I think of it, it nearly drives me wild,
For now I have become the strangest case you ever saw.
I'm married to my grandfather, so I'm my own grandma! (Chorus)

Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Oct 05 - 02:35 PM

My 16-yr-old stepson wonders whether anybody has ever charted this out to see if it all works logically. I said it's all mixed in with stepmothers and stepfathers and step-this and step-that. As far as I can see, all the singer might be able to claim is that he is his own stepgrandpa - but it's best to just enjou the song and not worry about that.
In my experience, 16-yr-old boys are literalists, so they are unable to make the logical jumps needed to enjoy a song like Grandpa. If things aren't exactly right, then they have no value at all to a 16-yr-old boy. They have no room at all for imagination, unless the object of imagination is female. Some 16-yr-old boys never grow up - we call them "fundamentalists."
But back to Grandpa, has anybody got this all figured out?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 29 Oct 05 - 05:22 PM

As Iain MacKintosh used to say in his intro: "It's not legal - but it's possible." Joe, no doubt your stepson is correct about the stepgrandpa bit, but it's a lot less singable!

Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Louie Roy
Date: 03 Nov 05 - 12:04 PM

Anyone who would like to order a CD fo this song by LOnzo and Oscar can do so at his site
Thomas Frank
The Music Barn Ltd
Box 1083
Niagara Falls
New York 14304 USA
I have no idea what the cost is but you can contact with email to [e-mail] or visit their web page at www.themusicbarn.com or their Fax is 905 513 6918

Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Tannywheeler
Date: 04 Nov 05 - 12:14 PM

This is a silly, fun song.
I remember when my cousin had her first child. My Uncle John was so tickled he would sing the first line of the chorus a few times going around the house. I wondered how someone could be so idiotic about a baby. They were OK and could be pleasant to be around, but he was goofy.   Then I married, had kids, survived it, and had grandkids. I understand the goofiness at last. The only right reaction....Tw

Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: MartinRyan
Date: 04 Nov 05 - 03:08 PM

I almost heard this song for the first time last night! The guy who started off on it was far too drunk to remember where his feet went - never mind the words of the song!

Ah well....

Regards

Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,from Hull, England
Date: 04 Nov 05 - 06:41 PM

Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 04 Nov 05 - 08:02 PM

Joe: Yes, I believe the song is accurate IF you allow that a stepson can be called a son, a stepfather can be called father, and so on. If you insist on strict accuracy, that would require you to insert a lot of "steps."

Just for fun, I decided to do that:

This made my dad my stepson-in-law and changed my very life.
My stepdaughter was my stepmother, 'cause she was my father's wife.
To complicate the matter even though it brought me joy,
I soon became the father of a bouncing baby boy.
My little baby then became a stepbrother-in-law to Dad,
And so became my stepuncle though it was very sad.
For if he was my stepuncle then that also made him stepbrother
Of the widow's grown-up daughter who of course was my stepmother.

Father's wife then had a son who kept him on the run,
And he became my stepgrandchild for he was my stepdaughter's son.
My wife is now my stepmother's stepmother and it makes me blue,
Because although she is my wife she's my stepgrandmother, too.

Now if my wife is my stepgrandmother then I'm her stepgrandchild,
And every time I think of it it nearly drives me wild,
For now I have become the strangest case I ever saw.
As husband of my stepgrandmother, I am my own stepstepgrandpa.

Oh, I'm my own stepstepgrandpa
I'm my own stepstepgrandpa
It sounds funny I know
But it really is so
Oh, I'm my own stepstepgrandpa.

* * *
OK, I never heard of a stepuncle, or a stepstep-anything, but I believe my construction is logical. It might even get a few laughs to perform it that way, but only if the audience is already familiar with the song.

I know what you mean by being a literalist (although I think I grew out of my literalist phase by the time I reached 16). I do remember being bothered by the song TENNESSEE WALTZ when I was young. Assuming the song told a story that was literally true, how could she sing, "I was dancin' with my darlin' to the Tennessee Waltz" when this song WAS the Tennessee waltz? In other words, if it's true that someone really danced and then later wrote a song about it, and the song was called TENNESSEE WALTZ, then what song was she dancing to? OK, if you allow that the story was fictional, then it was a badly written one, because it was illogical and impossible.

Of course you can eliminate the paradox if you assume she only danced to the tune of the Tennessee Waltz, and the lyrics were written later, but I probably didn't know then that new lyrics were sometimes written to pre-existing tunes.

Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Louie Roy
Date: 18 Nov 05 - 04:09 PM

I can email an MP3 of I'm my own grandpa by Lonzo and Oscar to anyone who wants it.PM me your email address and I will be very happy to send the MP3 to you.Louie Roy