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Discuss: My Grandfather's Clock (Henry Clay Work)

16 Nov 99 - 09:36 PM (#137110)
Subject: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: nobbler@email.com

Well, I looked in the database, I clicked on "Grandfather's Clock" and got a rather amusing version of it called "Granfather's Cock." So now I have learned the rude version of it, does anyone have the real version of it? Is there more than one verse? I will check back tomorrow :)

Thanks in advnace.

nobbler


16 Nov 99 - 09:42 PM (#137114)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From:

1876. Two copies in the Levy collection and it also in 'Henry Clay Work: Songs', Da Capo press's 1974 reprint of an earlier work.


16 Nov 99 - 09:57 PM (#137121)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: Dale Rose

And you can find the words and midi at Benjamin Robert Tubb's site.


16 Nov 99 - 10:05 PM (#137123)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: sophocleese

Actually there was a thread on this a short while ago. A small glitch in the system does take you straight to the parody but if, when you are there, you click on the "Next Entire Page" phrase you will get the words to the original. Its worth it, if you click expecting one set of words to show up and you get another, to check out the related pages.


16 Nov 99 - 10:28 PM (#137132)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: nobbler@email.com

Thank you all. Job done. Thanks


02 Sep 02 - 10:10 PM (#775897)
Subject: Grandfathers Clock
From: GUEST,John

Looking for the 'clean' version of Grandfathers Clock. Digitrad has the 'dirty' lyrics under both 'Grandfathers Clock' and 'Grandfathers Cock' Give me a break!
Messages from multiple threads combined.
-Joe Offer-


02 Sep 02 - 10:55 PM (#775910)
Subject: RE: Grandfathers Clock
From: masato sakurai

GRANDFATHER'S CLOCK (Henry Clay Work) in the DT is the original song, not a "dirty" song at all. Original sheet music is at the Levy(Click here) and American Memory (with audio recording & some info; Click here).

~Masato


03 Sep 02 - 05:04 AM (#776008)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: Jon Bartlett

Astonishing man, Henry Work: his "Grandfather's Clock" generated "Click Go the Shears" and "Strike the Bell, Second Mate"; his "Marching Through Georgia" generated "One Big Industrial Union" and "The Glesga Eskimos" and there are a couple more. Someone should work him up for a longer entry.


03 Sep 02 - 09:38 AM (#776149)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: masato sakurai

The tune to Ring the Bell, Watchman! was adopted by "Click Go the Shears" and "Strike the Bell" songs.

~Masato


03 Sep 02 - 09:56 AM (#776158)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: masato sakurai

A great number of Work's songs (lyrics & MIDI) were at Benjamin Robert Tubb's Public Domain Music site, which unfortunately has closed. Tubb, however, says HERE:

My Public Domain Music (1800-1923) Website (The website is being relocated under the sponsorship of the Center for American Music at the University of Pittsburg, PA. Regrettably this move, as of 20 July 2002, will not be as seemless as I would like in regards to the downtime required for the move to become official. Please check back here occassionally for updated status.)

~Masato


03 Sep 02 - 12:24 PM (#776234)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: Jon Bartlett

Thanks, Masato - yes, it was "Watchman" that generated "Click" and "Second Mate", not "Grandfather's Clock".


03 Sep 02 - 06:06 PM (#776407)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: Joe Offer

I grew up on the Great Lakes, so one of my favorite Henry Clay Work songs is Lost on the Lady Elgin (click for DT lyrics). There's a thread on Great Lakes songs here (click).
-Joe Offer-


03 Sep 02 - 06:44 PM (#776437)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: GUEST,bridgee

The song was written about a clock in a hotel in Piercebridge UK and is a true story


03 Sep 02 - 11:27 PM (#776572)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: JedMarum

I love Grandfather's Clock - been singing for years (not sure i"ve gotit right yet) - play it on a variety of tunings and instruments and it's just damn good on all of 'em!

Thank You, Henry!


03 Sep 02 - 11:38 PM (#776576)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: DougR

And I've heard Jed sing it and he does a bang up job with it. Super job!

DougR


03 Sep 02 - 11:38 PM (#776577)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: Bob Bolton

G'day all,

If my memory serves me right, another of HC Work's songs that supplied form and tune to both "real' old folk songs and 'Folk revival' ditties was The Ship that never Returned. This gives us an old Australian song from the timber game: The Man Who Never Returned, about a worker "bluing" his cheque ... and all the loafers waiting around until he comes back with another!

It also gave the political song that was revived and made popular in the '60s as The MTA Song.

Another bit of HC Work trivia is that he never "wrote" down Marching Thru Georgia ... he set it straight down in music type - being a music typesetter, when he wasn't writing songs.

Regards,

Bob Bolton


03 Sep 02 - 11:43 PM (#776580)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: Big Mick

The first time Jed stated that he was going to sing Grandfathers Clock, I remember thinking that it is a kids song and I hadn't sung since I was a kid. And what the hell is he singing that for. But he proved two things. A) He is a great folksinger. B) This is a great folk song. I have even taken to singing it for the first time since I was a kid. And my daughter loves it. MaryLou even jumps in.

Mick


03 Sep 02 - 11:49 PM (#776584)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: Joe Offer

Hey, Bob, can you give us the lyrics for "The Man Who Never Returned"? I did a forum search and didn't find it. I also did a Google search and found lots of parodies, but nothing that fits what you describe.
Thanks.
-Joe Offer-


04 Sep 02 - 05:20 AM (#776656)
Subject: Lyr Add: ONLY ONE MORE DRINK (Australian parody)
From: Bob Bolton

G'day there Joe,

I'll slip this one in before getting away to my meeting!

I seem to have led everyone, myself included, astray with the name I (mis-?)remembered for this song. I learned it, about 32 years ago, from Bill Scott's brother Alan and I'm sure he called it The Man Who Never Returned - possibly by association to The Ship That Never Returned ... or because of the recent popularity of The MTA Song, the verses of which end with the line "(He's the) man who never returned". Bob Michell reckoned that Cyril Duncan thought that his grandfather had written this song ... but don't they all?

I can't really check up on this, as my copy was a third or fourth carbon copy from Alan's typewriter ... and it remained for years in the bottom of the case to an accordion I no longer have! Anyway, here are the words - and the tune (which has some variance from HS Work's original) in Alan of Oz's MIDItext format.

Only One More Drink
Collected by Bob Michell from Cyril Duncan, Nerang, Queensland, in 1962

'Only one more drink', said the hardy bushman,
As he leaned across the bar;
'Only one more drink of that good old whisky
Then away to the camp so far'.

So he called them in and all were welcome
And his cheque went round like grand.
And for weeks and weeks there's been boozers watching
For that man's return again.

And now he's back among the ranges
To the life he as a boy he learned,
For to swing an axe and to make the damper
But he yearns for the lights afar.

So he works away and he saves his money
And his cheque builds up again,
After weeks and weeks the boozers are happy
For that man's returned again.

Bill Scott, of Yeerongpilly, Qld, also collected a verse and chorus from a Mr Gleeson of Townsville, Qld


MIDI file: One-More.mid


Timebase: 240


TimeSig: 2/4 24 8

Tempo: 120 (500000 microsec/crotchet)

Start

0240 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 60 080 0144 0 60 064 0036 1 60 080 0048 0 60 064 0012 1 65 080 0288 0 65 064 0072 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 72 080 0180 1 72 080 0012 0 72 064 0018 0 72 064 0030 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 71 080 0672 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 64 080 0113 0 64 064 0007 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 60 080 0672 0 60 064
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:
M:2/4
Q:1/4=120
K:C
C6C2|G4G4|E4C3C|F6G2|A2c2B2A2|G4c3c|d4c4|
B8|-B4A2B2|c4B4|A4E2E2|F4G4|A2c2B2A2|G4E2E2|
D4C4|C8|-C3||

Regards,

Bob Bolton


04 Sep 02 - 08:38 AM (#776733)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: curmudgeon

Prior to the popularity of Work's song, that type of "clock" had been known as a "tall clock" or "tall case clock." Among professional antiques dealers it still is. Thus, not only did Henry Work give us a good song, but also added to the Ameerican lexicon the term, :Grandfather's Clock."

-- Tom


04 Sep 02 - 08:38 AM (#776734)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: masato sakurai

A folk version "As sung by Ollie Gilbert, Mountain View, Arkansas on July 15, 1970" is in the Max Hunter Collection. Click here.

~Masato


04 Sep 02 - 09:03 AM (#776743)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: RoyH (Burl)

'Grandfather's Clock' may not be a folk song but 'the folk' certainly seem to like it. Just about every traditional singer I have ever met or collected from had it in their repetoire along with things like 'The Farmer's Boy', 'The Old Rustic Bridge','Break The News To Mother', or 'The Volunteer Organist'. 'Grandfather's Clock' was a particular favourite of the late Fred Jordan.


04 Sep 02 - 09:05 AM (#776744)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: RoyH (Burl)

An afterthought. Fred Jordan also sang 'The Ship that Never Returned'.


04 Sep 02 - 09:50 AM (#776780)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: JedMarum

Good point, curmudgeon. We can thank Henry for the popular term; Grandfather's clock. It was also custom to stop the clock at the moment of death of loved one so that when the wake was conducted in the home, and the visitors arrived, they would know at what time of day the loved one had passed.

I typically pass on these two bits of info when I sing the song.


04 Sep 02 - 09:51 AM (#776783)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: catspaw49

I will forever associate this song with the visit we had from Bill Sables when he came to the US with Sam and Ian. Sam and Ian are both such tremendous musicians...........anyway...........They were happily playing something or another and the clock on Connie's mantle chimed the hour. Without a missed beat, both Sam and Ian broke into "Grandfather's Clock" and I just cracked up. We all enjoyed the laugh and from that point on, whenever the clock would chime.........It was a very magical visit and this little thing somehow stands out to me.

Spaw


04 Sep 02 - 03:29 PM (#777005)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: JJ

I have a photo of me standing by the bronze bust of Henry Clay Work by Louisa Gudebrod in a park in Middletown, Connecticut. Civil War Monuments of Connecticut says, "The bust is supported by a rough-hewn granite stele which has a bronze plaque reading, in raised caps:
IN MEMORY OF HENRY CLAY WORK
AUTHOR OF
MARCHING THROUGH GEORGIA
BORN IN MIDDLETOWN NEAR
THIS SITE OCTOBER 1 1832

A friend in Middletown told me that "Grandfather's Clock" is a very popular song in Japan, learned by all as schoolchildren, and that a Japanese TV crew had actually come to Middletown in search of the titular clock. I have never tried to verify this, however.

See also the 1975 Joan Morris album, "Who Shall Rule This American Nation? Songs by Henry Clay Work," (with Clifford Jackson, baritone, and the Camerata Chorus of Washington, D.C.) Nonesuch H-71317 (LP)

Side One 1. Who Shall Rule This American Nation? (1866) 2. Grafted Into the Army (1862) 3. Poor Kitty Popcorn, or The Soldier's Pet (1866) 4. When the "Evening Star" Went Down (1866) 5. The Buckskin Bag of Gold (1869) 6. "Come Home, Father!" (1864) 7. Uncle Joe's "Hail Columbia!" (1862)

Side Two 1. Grandfather's Clock (1876) 2. Kingdom Coming (1862) 3. The Picture On the Wall (1864) 4. "Now, Moses!" (1865) 5. Take Them Away - They'll Drive Me Crazy! (1871) 6. Agnes By the River (1868) 7. Crossing the Grand Sierras (1870) 8. The Silver Horn (1883)


04 Sep 02 - 03:44 PM (#777011)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: dick greenhaus

DigiTrad has 38 songs by the estimable Mr. Work. Search for [Henry Clay Work]


04 Sep 02 - 08:47 PM (#777176)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: Wotcha

The Cadgwith "Fishermen" let loose with an excellent rendition of "Grandfather's Clock" at their sings at the Cove Inn, Cadgwith ... check it out!
Cheers,
Brian


10 Sep 02 - 08:03 AM (#780318)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: Wilfried Schaum

The tune is well known in Germany, too, since 1830.
It belongs to a poem called Die Uhr (The Clock), wherein the human heart is compared to a clockwork which stops at death and is brought back to the Great Horologist.
German text and tune:
Die Uhr
Text by Johann Gabriel Seidl (1804-1875)
Set by Johann Karl Gottfried Loewe (1796-1869), op. 123 no. 3, published 1830.
Numerous sources, have a look at: http://ingeb.org/Lieder/ichtrage.html

Wilfried


Die Uhr
Melodie - Johann Karl Gottfried Loewe, 1830 (1796 - 1869) op. 123 no. 3
Johann Gabriel Seidl (1804-1875)

Ich trage, wo ich gehe,
Stets eine Uhr bei mir;
Wieviel es geschlagen habe,
Genau seh ich an ihr.

Es ist ein großer Meister,
Der künstlich ihr Werk gefügt,
Wenngleich ihr Gang nicht immer
Dem törichten Wunsche genügt.

Ich wollte, sie wäre rascher
Gegangen an manchem Tag;
Ich wollte, sie hätte manchmal
Verzögert den raschen Schlag.

In meinen Leiden und Freuden,
In Sturm und in der Ruh,
Was immer geschah im Leben,
Sie pochte den Takt dazu.

Sie schlug am Sarge des Vaters,
Sie schlug an des Freundes Bahr,
Sie schlug am Morgen der Liebe,
Sie schlug am Traualtar.
  Sie schlug an der Wiege des Kindes,
Sie schlägt, will's Gott, noch oft,
Wenn bessere Tage kommen,
Wie meine Seele es hofft.

Und ward sie auch einmal träger,
Und drohte zu stocken ihr Lauf,
So zog der Meister immer
Großmütig sie wieder auf.

Doch stände sie einmal stille,
Dann wär's um sie geschehn,
Kein andrer, als der sie fügte,
Bringt die Zerstörte zum Gehn.

Dann müßt ich zum Meister wandern,
Der wohnt am Ende wohl weit,
Wohl draußen, jenseits der Erde,
Wohl dort in der Ewigkeit!

Dann gäb ich sie ihm zurücke
Mit dankbar kindlichem Flehn:
Sieh, Herr, ich hab nichts verdorben,
Sie blieb von selber stehn.


10 Sep 02 - 01:04 PM (#780529)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: GUEST,Richie

That might mean Henry Clay Work appropriated the song and changed the lyrics. What do you think? Work's "Grandfather's Clock" dates 1876.

Here's the lyrics to Work's sequel to Grandfather's Clock" for those tired of the original: Click here

-Richie


10 Sep 02 - 01:36 PM (#780546)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: masato sakurai

From the Levy Collection:

Title: Sequel to Grand Father's Clock. Song and Chorus.
Composer, Lyricist, Arranger: Words and Music by Henry C. Work.
Publication: New York: Willis Woodward & Co., 817 & 819 B'way, 1878.
Form of Composition: strophic with chorus
Instrumentation: piano and voice (solo and satb chorus)
First Line: Once again have I roamed thro' the old-fashioned house, where my grandfather spent his ninety years
First Line of Chorus: Grandfather sleeps in his grave; Strange steps resound in the hall!
Engraver, Lithographer, Artist: R. Teller 116 E. 11th St. N. York
Advertisement: ads on inside front and on back covers for Willis Woodward & Co. stock
Subject: Carts & wagons
Subject: Dwellings
Subject: Barns
Subject: Wells
Subject: Inheritances
Subject: Nostalgia
Subject: Sadness
Call No.: Box: 134 Item: 100

~Masato


10 Sep 02 - 02:58 PM (#780637)
Subject: ADD: SEQUEL TO GRANDFATHER'S CLOCK^^
From: Joe Offer

Here is the sequel Richie linked to above. I made a few corrections, based on the sheet music Masato linked to at the Levy site.
-Joe Offer-



SEQUEL TO GRANDFATHER'S CLOCK
(Henry Clay Work)

Once again have I roamed thro' the old-fashioned house,
Where my grandfather spent his ninety years.
There are strangers in charge, and the change they have wrought
Oh! it saddens me, even to tears.
Dear old clock! when they found you were speechless from grief,
Then they went and swapped you off, case and all.
For that vain, stuck-up thing
(tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick),
For that vain, stuck-up thing on the wall.

Chorus: Grandfather sleeps in his grave;
Strange steps resound in the hall!
And there's that vain, stuck-up thing
(tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick),
There's that vain, stuck-up thing on the wall.

While we talked of the old clock they all ran it down.
Tho' they claimed that it couldn't be made to run.
It was useless they said-- it was quite out of style;
Built, no doubt, just about the year One.
And the words echoed round, with a faint, mocking sound,
As if some one gave assent to it all;
'Twas that vain, stuck-up thing
(tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick),
'Twas that vain, stuck-up thing on the wall.
Repeat Chorus

From the clock-peddler's cart to the junk-shop it went,
Where its cog-wheels were sundered one by one;
And the brass-founder joked as they writhed in the flames
"Melt'em up," says he; "then they will run."
There is grief in my heart, there are tears in my eyes.
Yet indignantly the sight I recall
Of that vain, stuck-up thing
(tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick),
Of that vain, stuck-up thing on the wall.
Repeat Chorus

"An extremely hard case!" said the junk-dealer's wife,
As she carved it for kindling wood and sighed
That mahogany case, with its quaint, figured face,
Which so long was my grandfather's pride.
"There is hope for the small; there's a chance for us all;
For the mighty ones of Time, they must fall!"
Says that vain, stuck-up thing
(tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick),
Says that vain, stuck-up thing on the wall.
Repeat Chorus

Words and music by Henry Clay Work, 1878
Source: Levy Sheet Music Collection, Johns Hopkins University

The original "Grandfather's Clock" was published in 1876.^^


10 Sep 02 - 05:23 PM (#780759)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: Wilfried Schaum

Looking at the sheets we see two tunes Masato drew our attention to:
The first one (masato, sep 02), the Levy edition, is definitely the tune set by Loewe in 1830, but the Willis Woodward (masato, sep 10) edition has another one.
Thanks for the German text; the last stanza, unfortunately, is misplaced and appears at the right side of the table instead of the end.

Wilfried


10 Sep 02 - 06:25 PM (#780819)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: GUEST,guest

Fail to see the connection between the song by Henry Clay Work and the German song. Tune quite different.


11 Sep 02 - 12:59 AM (#781013)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: Joe Offer

Hi, Wilfried - which verse is the last one? Are the others in order?
I guess I can see parts of the "die Uhr" tune in "Grandfather's Clock." I can also see parts of the "Mexican Hat Dance" in "die Uhr." I can see how Work could have been inspired by "die Uhr," but Work's work is certainly7 quite different.
In "die Uhr," the clock marks important moments of life," but that's the only similarity I see.
I suppose I could attempt a translation, but I'd rather see one from a German Mudcatter.
Wilfried?
-Joe Offer-


11 Sep 02 - 01:20 AM (#781021)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: GUEST,The rude version, as a contest winner

In the mid 70's, my exwife and I with out any knowledge of the parody in the dgitrack wrote our version. It was written for and recieved it's only public presentation at NYC's second and last anual dirty song contest at the Focus II Sunday night traditional folk coffeehouse. Glen


11 Sep 02 - 04:32 AM (#781086)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: Wilfried Schaum

Joe - I hadn't looked right before. On the right side there are the last 5 stanzas. I think you only need reformatting the table and you'll have two columns of 5 stanzas each in the same width. The order is correct; first 5 stanzas on the left side, following 5 stanzas on the right side.
It's a little bit tricky to translate into English for me; give me some time.
Work might have known the Loewe tune, but I doubt Loewe had known the Mexican Hat Dance.

Wilfried


12 Sep 02 - 05:30 PM (#782402)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: Wilfried Schaum

Joe - Got difficulties sending you the translation. I always am warned that I use a prohibited HTML-tag. I formated with the tags b, br, i, center, table, tr, td, their ends, and Width=20. What's wrong?

Wilfried


12 Sep 02 - 07:31 PM (#782519)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: Snuffy

Wilfried, tables are now banned on Mudcat. I don't know why.


12 Sep 02 - 08:14 PM (#782553)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: Joe Offer

Hi, Wilfried - Pene thought tables might cause us some technical problems, so now only Pene, the Clones, and I can do tables. If you need to post a table, e-mail it to me.
-Joe Offer (click to e-mail)-


13 Sep 02 - 04:25 AM (#782829)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: Wilfried Schaum

Hello Joe,

table sent a minute before to address given above.

Wilfried


14 Sep 02 - 03:01 PM (#783941)
Subject: ADD: Die Uhr
From: Joe Offer

Here's Wilfried's translation of the Seidl/Loewe song. I did a little polishing of the English, but it's mostly Wilfried's translation. Yes, one could argue with it. It's always difficult to come up with a decent translation because you have to balance accuracy with the flow of the language. I think we did a reasonably good job.
-Joe Offer-
Die Uhr - The Watch
Lyrics: Johann Gabriel Seidl (1804-1875)
Tune:  Johann Karl Gottfried Loewe (1796 - 1869), 1830  op. 123 no. 3

Ich trage, wo ich gehe,
Stets eine Uhr bei mir;
Wieviel es geschlagen habe,
Genau seh ich an ihr.
Wherever I go,
I always carry a watch with me.
How often the bell has tolled
I can see by it exactly.
Es ist ein großer Meister,
Der künstlich ihr Werk gefügt,
Wenngleich ihr Gang nicht immer
Dem törichten Wunsche genügt.
It is a great master
Who made its artificial works,
Although how it runs does not always
Satisfy my foolish wishes.
Ich wollte, sie wäre rascher
Gegangen an manchem Tag;
Ich wollte, sie hätte manchmal
Verzögert den raschen Schlag.
I wished it had run
faster on many a day;
And sometimes I wished
It had delayed its quick strike
In meinen Leiden und Freuden,
In Sturm und in der Ruh,
Was immer geschah im Leben,
Sie pochte den Takt dazu.
In my sorrows and joys,
In storm and rest - 
Whatever happened in life,
It ticked the cadence for it.
Sie schlug am Sarge des Vaters,
Sie schlug an des Freundes Bahr,
Sie schlug am Morgen der Liebe,
Sie schlug am Traualtar.
It tolled at the coffin of my father
It tolled at the bier of my friend,
It tolled at the dawn of love,
It tolled at the altar of marriage.
Sie schlug an der Wiege des Kindes,
Sie schlägt, will's Gott, noch oft,
Wenn bessere Tage kommen,
Wie meine Seele es hofft.
It tolled at cradle of the child,
And, God willing, it will toll more often
If better days are coming
As my soul hopes.
Und ward sie auch einmal träger,
Und drohte zu stocken ihr Lauf,
So zog der Meister immer
Großmütig sie wieder auf.
Sometimes when it ran slower
And its works were nearly stopped,
The great master
Magnanimously wound it up again.
Doch stände sie einmal stille,
Dann wär's um sie geschehn,
Kein andrer, als der sie fügte,
Bringt die Zerstörte zum Gehn.
But if it would ever stop
that would be the end of it
No other but he who made it
Could ever make it run again.
Dann müßt ich zum Meister wandern,
Der wohnt am Ende wohl weit,
Wohl draußen, jenseits der Erde,
Wohl dort in der Ewigkeit!
Then I should journey to the master
Living at the end so far
Beyond Earth
Out there in Eternity.
Dann gäb ich sie ihm zurücke
Mit dankbar kindlichem Flehn:
Sieh, Herr, ich hab nichts verdorben,
Sie blieb von selber stehn.
Then I should give it back to him
With grateful and childlike supplication:
Look here, Lord, I didn't break it,
It stopped by itself.


19 Oct 02 - 01:51 PM (#806740)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: masato sakurai

Public Domain Music, which has recently come back, has a great collection of Henry Clay Work's songs (lyrics & midi files).

~Masato


19 Oct 02 - 05:25 PM (#806878)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: pastorpest

For the mountain dulcimer players out there, Bonnie Carol's "Dust Off That Dulcimer & Dance" has a good arrangment of this song in DAA with the middle a string always a drone while the base and melody strongs are fingered. All foiur stanzas of lyrics are there besides.


19 Oct 02 - 06:41 PM (#806915)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: GUEST,Bill

If you like the tune you can also try Grandfather's Ferret,lyrics by Derek Jolly
Bill


06 Aug 08 - 06:08 AM (#2406364)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: Mr Happy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Clay_Work

Incidentaly, in addition to the songs above to the 'Grandfather' tune, is "The Shepherd and his Dog" that went to the tune (verse only) and was included in the BBC's 'Singing Together' books & broadcasts in the early 1960's


06 Aug 08 - 07:48 AM (#2406408)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: Mr Happy

Hmmmmmmmnnnnn,

Thinking on......."The Shepherd and his Dog" isn't 'Grandfather' at all [ at all], its 'Ring the Bell, Watchman',see Masato's post above & below:



Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: masato sakurai - PM
Date: 03 Sep 02 - 09:38 AM

The tune to Ring the Bell, Watchman! was adopted by "Click Go the Shears" and "Strike the Bell" songs.

~Masato


06 Aug 08 - 09:01 AM (#2406448)
Subject: RE: Henry Work - Grandfathers Clock
From: Mr Happy

A whole pile of Henry Work's works compositions, & midi file soundbites here:

http://www.pdmusic.org/work.html