Lyr Req: They're long and they're gray...

Subject: Lyr Req: They're long and they're gray...
From: Slag
Date: 22 Jun 06 - 12:54 AM

My dad used to sing this to my brother and me and I only remember a few lines. I used to think it was a part of "Aint We Crazy" but late learned that it was not. Some of the lines (in no real order) are as follows:

They're long and they're gray
They're always in the way
They hide the dirt on pappy's shirt
They're always in the way.

Grandma chews them in her sleep
She thinks she's eating Shreaded Wheat...

...he hid behind his whiskers and fooled the enemy..

If anyone knows this song or it's origin I would be grateful.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: They're long and they're gray...
From: Slag
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 07:41 PM

I sure hope someone out there has some info or insight on this one. I think it's origin was after WWI. Am I the last to have a living memory of it???

Subject: Lyr Add: GRANDPA'S WHISKERS / FATHER'S WHISKERS
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 08:04 PM

I found various sources for some of your lyrics by searching on "grandma chews them in her sleep." Some of these were just jumprope rhymes (in fact there's one of those in the Mudcat archives already); several were songs. Here's one from this Canadian Boy Scouts site. No tune was posted, but perhaps you remember that. If not, a thorough Internet search should get you lots of info:

GRANDPA'S WHISKERS

I have a dear old Grandpa
His hair is turning grey,
He has a pair of whiskers,
They're always in the way !

Chorus:

Oh they're always in the way,
The cows eat them for hay.
They cover the dirt,
On Grandpa's shirt,
They're always in the way.

I have a dear old uncle
He owns a Ford machine
He uses Grandpa's whiskers
To strain the gasoline !

Chorus

I have a dear old Grandma
And when she goes to sleep,
She chews on Grandpa's whiskers,
And thinks they're shredded wheat !

Chorus

Every Monday morning,
We gather in a group,
To watch Grandpa's whiskers
A dangling in the soup.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: They're long and they're gray...
From: Bob the Postman
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 09:51 AM

Here's a clickie for Father's Whiskers in Digitrad where there's a link to a midi file. (The midi file may not play--legacy of a Mudcat meltdown?)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: They're long and they're gray...
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 10:01 AM

Thank you, B the P -- I couldn't find it using MC search yesterday for some reason. I found the jumprope version in the DT using an outside search engine; Mudcat search came up totally dry for me.

I had a feeling it was there somewhere. Just wanted everyone to know that this time, I DID remember to try the DT first!

Claire

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: They're long and they're gray...
From: Bob the Postman
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 09:02 PM

I found it by searching for "always in the way".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: They're long and they're gray...
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 09:49 PM

A few more verses:

My grandpa was a soldier
He fooled the enemy
He wrapped his whiskers round him
They thought he was a tree.

My grandpa was a swimmer
No bathing suit for him
He tied his whiskers round his waist
And then he dove right in.

I have a dear old grandma
She likes his whiskers too
She uses them for dusting
And cleaning out the flue.

From Campfire Songs, YMCA Camp Loowit.
www.backyardgardener.com/loowit/song/song130.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: They're long and they're gray...
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 10:04 PM

When grandpa was in the army
And the Captain called "barrage"
He wrapped his whiskers round himself
And called it camouflage.

When grandpa goes a-fishing
No fishing line needs he
He throws his whiskers in the lake
And pulls out two or three.

When grandpa goes to breakfast
And there's nothing left to eat
He dips his whiskers in the milk
And calls it shreaded wheat.

The official Troop 78 Songbook
www.octoraro.org/~arles/sounds/Songs.doc

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: They're long and they're gray...
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Aug 21 - 03:27 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOcEoXu4sYY