Subject: "The clock stopped, never to run again... From: michaelr Date: 22 Feb 11 - 12:22 AM ...when the old man died." My wife remembered this fragment today, and I'm stumped. Does anyone here recognize it? |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: Gurney Date: 22 Feb 11 - 12:26 AM Grandfathers Clock. Lots of recordings of that. |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: Gurney Date: 22 Feb 11 - 12:32 AM On YouTube, including by Johnny Cash. |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: Janie Date: 22 Feb 11 - 12:36 AM the lyrics are in the DT. You can find them under either of the following: Grandfather's Clock My Grandfather's Clock. I think this was the first song I learned on autoharp. |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: MGM·Lion Date: 22 Feb 11 - 01:03 AM Written by the prolific Henry Clay Work, along with Marching Thru Georgia, The Year Of Jubilo, &c &c ~~ contemp, & easily equal of, Stephen C Foster; & like him maybe a bit out of fashion now because of certain obvious now outdated vocabulary & attitudes. The DT entry claims that the name Grandfather, or Grandfather's, clock originated with the singing of the song, and such a clock was previously called simply a tall clock. This last statement is not entirely accurate, as the terms "long" or "long-case" clock were also used. The OED does, however, confirm that it was the singing of the song which suggested the current popular name of the long-case clock. ~Michael~ |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: J-boy Date: 22 Feb 11 - 01:06 AM Jed Marum sings a great version of this song. |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 22 Feb 11 - 10:16 AM this is a great song for dulcimer |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: Bernard Date: 22 Feb 11 - 10:20 AM Also an excellent 5-string banjo solo, bluegrass style... I tack it on the end of Poverty Knock for a bit of a contrast! |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: olddude Date: 22 Feb 11 - 10:21 AM I was a little kid and my grandpa would play that song ... ya gotta here Leroy Troy doing this on a banjo in the style of Uncle Dave Macon ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMvK5_ZW9Io |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: GUEST,999 Date: 22 Feb 11 - 12:03 PM Henry C. Work wrote many folk songs. This was one of his most successful ones. It was written in 1876. In 1876 it was one of two most popular songs in America - the other being I'll Take You Home Kathleen. (above from the net) It`s a beautiful song, and time hasn`t diminished its value. |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: catspaw49 Date: 22 Feb 11 - 01:35 PM When Ian, Sam, and Bill Sables graced us with a wonderful visit back in 2001, Sam and Ian played almost continually. They need music as they need air......two remarkable young men. In any case, the clock chimed the hour and they played this song. For the rest of the evening, every time the clock would chime on the quarter hours, they smoothly transitioned into "Grandfather's Clock" no matter what they'd been playing then transitioned back just as easily. Spaw |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: Steve Gardham Date: 22 Feb 11 - 06:11 PM One of dear old Fred Jordan's party pieces. I am told that there is a legend that Work wrote it after visiting Yorkshire in England where he saw the clock that inspired him. |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: Neil D Date: 22 Feb 11 - 08:28 PM When I was young my Grandma had a Fisher-Price wind up grandfather clock that played this song. It was my favorite toy and I still get a warm,fuzzy feeling when I hear this song. Christina |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: GUEST,crazy little woman Date: 23 Feb 11 - 01:27 PM My mother was proud that she knew the second verse. Not many people know it. ====== In watching its pendulum swing to and fro he had spent many hours as a boy. In his childhood and manhood the clock seemed to know and to share in his grief and his joy. For it struck twenty-four when he entered at the door with a blooming and beautiful bride. But it stopped short - never to go again - when the old man died. ===== When you're playing the part about the blooming and beautiful bride, you should make your music very fancy and lovely. I consider the third verse smug and tedious, so I don't do it. |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: GUEST Date: 23 Feb 11 - 01:30 PM Then of course we ought perhaps to mention the bawdy parody. |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: michaelr Date: 23 Feb 11 - 04:19 PM Thank you all! I had no idea the song was that old, and that well-known. I learn something every day from the Mudcat Cafe. |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: Seayaker Date: 24 Feb 11 - 06:09 AM It had a Lifetime Guaranty |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 24 Feb 11 - 10:47 AM Good one, Seayaker! |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: olddude Date: 24 Feb 11 - 10:56 AM The elementary band director was in love with this song. When my kids were little and in band they had to play it again and again and again. Each kid as they entered band would have to play it in the band recitals. One time I got a call from the principal ... had to go down to talk to him because my daughter said out loud in class .. "Oh no we have to play constipated clock again" I could barely keep a straight face having to discipline my daughter for being disrespectful ... |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: olddude Date: 24 Feb 11 - 10:57 AM sorry that was syncopated clock not grandfathers clock |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: mousethief Date: 24 Feb 11 - 11:18 AM In 1876 it was one of two most popular songs in America - the other being I'll Take You Home Kathleen. And see which one is still ticking! It had a Lifetime Guaranty Okay, this actually, literally, truly, and without fooling made me laugh out loud. |
Subject: ADD: Old Man's Advice From: Jim Carroll Date: 24 Feb 11 - 12:25 PM The song was re-made in this form early in the 20th century in a campaign to re-establish the Agricultural Workers Union in East Anglia Jim Carroll OLD MAN'S ADVICE My grandfather worked when he was very young, And his parents felt grieved that he should, To be forced in the fields to scare away the crows, To earn himself a bit of food, The days they were long and his wages were but small, And to do his best he always tried, But times are better for us all, Since the old man died. For the union is started, unite, unite, Cheer up faint hearted, unite, unite, The work's begun, never to stop again, Since the old man died. My grandfather said in the noontide of life, Poverty was a grief and a curse, For it brought to his home sorrow, discord and strife, And kept him poor with empty purse, So he took a bold stand and joined the union band, To help his fellow men he tried, A union man he vowed he'd stand Till the day he died. For the union……………………… My grandfather's dead, as we gathered round his bed, These last words to us he did say: Don't let your union drop nor the agitation stop, Or else you'll soon rue the day, Get united to a man, for it is your only plan, Make the union your care and your pride, Help on reform in every way you can, Then the old man died. For the union……………………. |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 24 Feb 11 - 01:12 PM Hi, olddude. Even though there was slight mixup over the clocks, I'm glad you posted. I've tried it out, and I can now add 'Syncopated Clock' to my list of tunes for the dulcimer. I expected that the music for 'Syncopated Clock' would have syncopations in it, but it doesn't seem to. What's up with that? |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: SINSULL Date: 24 Feb 11 - 01:26 PM The most wonderful version of this song was performed at The Getaway by Wakana, Brett's wife, in Japanese. Getaway moment. |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: Barbara Date: 24 Feb 11 - 02:46 PM The song has four verses, (and they are in RUS and here Grandfather's Clock) I sing the third verse because it belongs to the time the song was written in. Blessings, Barbara |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 24 Feb 11 - 04:28 PM Then there is My Grandfather's Ferret" |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: MGM·Lion Date: 24 Feb 11 - 10:26 PM ... and I remember Germaine Greer, in her student days at Cambridge c1965, singing a song in a CU Footlights Revue Society smoker called My Grandfather's Rat; which, when I mentioned it to her not long ago, she had absolutely no recollection of whatever, It is clearly one of those ∞-ly parodiable #s. ~M~ |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: masato sakurai Date: 24 Feb 11 - 11:15 PM In Japan, Ken Hirai sang this ["Okina Furudokei"] in 2002, which became a hit. |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 24 Feb 11 - 11:45 PM Thanks for the link, Masato. He has a beautiful voice. The tune's the same, but that sounds much too soulful to be about a clock. It isn't, is it? |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: BanjoRay Date: 25 Feb 11 - 05:55 AM If you go to the excellent (real ale) George Hotel in Piercebridge not far from Scotch Corner on the A1 in County Durham, you can find the long case clock from the song standing in the corner. Apparently Henry Clay Work visited the pub while on holiday and was told the story of the clock, which he turned into the song. In the real story two brothers ran the pub, and the clock became erratic when one of them died. When the other died, it stopped. It's a lovely banjo tune.... Ray |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: GUEST,Mark Hofman Date: 11 Dec 21 - 02:50 PM Art Brooks suggested I post a link to my take on this one here. Hope y’all enjoy! https://youtu.be/hYlFyEEp7aM |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: GUEST Date: 11 Dec 21 - 04:09 PM That's very bizarre - it's just after 9.00pm, and I've just this moment seen that the clock on my wall apparently stopped at 15.40 this afternoon. Cue music from "The Twilight Zone". It will run again, as soon as I find a new battery. |
Subject: RE: The clock stopped, never to run again From: GerryM Date: 11 Dec 21 - 04:57 PM The Allan Sherman version has been posted to several threads on Mudcat. Here it is again: My grandfather's clock was the best ever made By the Timex company. Just like the clock John Cameron Swayze displayed Last night on the old TV. Oh it works under water so perfectly, And still makes a ticking sound. Which my grandfather tried only this afternoon, And that's how the old man drowned. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9J_Xl9hPJU&t=4s |
Subject: RE: Info: The clock stopped, never to run again From: rich-joy Date: 12 Dec 21 - 08:11 AM My late Beloved, Paul Lawler, was originally a watch/clock maker. When he passed from cancer/chemo in 2014, our wall clock did indeed cease at 4.15 - his time of death. Then a couple of years later, the wall clock in our computer room (where I spend most of my time!), also stopped at 4.15. I've never felt able to re-set them, but, maybe I should - to test if he's still around??!!! Cheers, R-J (Down Under) |
Subject: RE: Info: The clock stopped, never to run again From: GUEST Date: 12 Dec 21 - 09:50 AM A clock repairer once told me that not being able to start a clock after its owner died was quite common. A clock that was worn and in need of cleaning and oiling might not have the power to go once the gunk had been undisturbed for a time. |
Subject: RE: Info: The clock stopped, never to run again From: leeneia Date: 13 Dec 21 - 01:39 AM A few years ago, I was having dinner with my brother-in-law and his fellow Scout leaders, some male and some female. All seemed to be in their forties. I was asked to play some tunes on the dulcimer, and when I said I would play 'My Grandfather's Clock," they looked mystified and said they had never heard of it. But when I started playing, there were happy exclamations - they knew it after all. I was glad to hear that we were not THAT separated by the passing decades. |
Subject: RE: Info: The clock stopped, never to run again From: GUEST,CJB666 Date: 15 Dec 21 - 04:32 AM I had a strange stoppage some years ago. I had a SVHS recorder. It was top of the range at over £2,000. I used it for some years o record t.v. progs. Then the very last tape that it recorded was of the Queen Mother's funeral. The tape stuck in the machine. I managed to get it out by taking the case apart. But I couldn't play the tape. The machine never worked again, and I couldn't find anyone to repair it. Meanwhile the world moved on to cheaper VHS and DVDs. |
Subject: RE: Info: The clock stopped, never to run again From: saulgoldie Date: 15 Dec 21 - 05:16 AM It seems that the longcase clock became known as a grandfather clock because of this song. I thought I had heard this explanation. And the Interwebs helped me find it in short order. Word Origin: Grandfather Clock Saul |
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