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

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

07 Nov 96 - 01:31 PM (#302)
Subject: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: digiredu@cco.net

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

Search for "own grandpa" threads

07 Nov 96 - 05:43 PM (#307)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: dick greenhaus

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.

14 Nov 96 - 08:13 AM (#380)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Bill Foster

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."

01 Sep 01 - 10:52 AM (#539626)
Subject: Lyr Add: I'M MY OWN GRANDPA (from Lonzo & Oscar)
From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca

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.

01 Sep 01 - 06:04 PM (#539846)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Susanne (skw)

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)

01 Sep 01 - 07:28 PM (#539889)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Bill D

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.

03 Sep 01 - 06:45 PM (#541049)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Hawker

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

03 Sep 01 - 07:04 PM (#541067)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Amergin

my theme song....

03 Sep 01 - 10:54 PM (#541208)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca

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

04 Sep 01 - 06:02 PM (#541902)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Susanne (skw)

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

11 Jul 02 - 06:05 PM (#746791)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Joe Offer

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-

11 Jul 02 - 06:10 PM (#746794)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: C-flat

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

11 Jul 02 - 06:13 PM (#746796)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: C-flat

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

11 Jul 02 - 06:13 PM (#746797)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: RolyH

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

11 Jul 02 - 06:14 PM (#746799)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: C-flat

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

11 Jul 02 - 06:22 PM (#746806)
Subject: Lyr Add: I'M MY OWN GRANDPAW (D Latham/M Jaffe)
From: Joe Offer

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-

11 Jul 02 - 06:28 PM (#746813)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)

There is also a midi at this site: Grandpa

12 Jul 02 - 02:52 AM (#746980)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: C-flat

Thanks, that great!

02 Dec 02 - 07:22 PM (#839217)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,preciouspuppy

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

02 Dec 02 - 11:16 PM (#839387)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Richie

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

03 Dec 02 - 01:09 PM (#839742)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: pavane

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

03 Dec 02 - 01:15 PM (#839750)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: MMario

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

03 Dec 02 - 01:17 PM (#839752)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Schantieman

My parents had a 78 with Danny Kaye singing it.

Steve

05 Dec 02 - 10:50 AM (#841440)
Subject: CHORDS: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Joe Offer

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.

29 May 03 - 08:27 PM (#961558)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,A. Lawson

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.

29 May 03 - 10:15 PM (#961614)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Jim Dixon

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):

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.

05 Jun 03 - 09:58 PM (#962994)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,Andrew O'Reilly

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.

20 Nov 03 - 08:37 PM (#1058177)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,neilania

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.

21 Nov 03 - 09:44 AM (#1058490)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Tiger

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.

23 Nov 03 - 07:51 PM (#1059627)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Jacqk

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

23 Jan 04 - 06:22 AM (#1099519)
Subject: RE: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,bob

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

31 Jan 04 - 03:05 PM (#1106049)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,someone

it's a good song

27 Feb 04 - 12:18 PM (#1125243)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST

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!!!!!

06 Mar 04 - 02:48 AM (#1130239)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST

Suzanne:

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

06 Mar 04 - 04:56 PM (#1130537)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Susanne (skw)

Thanks, guest!

06 Mar 04 - 06:49 PM (#1130574)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Stewie

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.

22 Mar 04 - 06:19 AM (#1142764)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Little Robyn

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

09 Jul 04 - 11:23 AM (#1222308)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,wattsnteens@aol.com

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

09 Jul 04 - 02:54 PM (#1222472)
Subject: Re: Tom Arnold Movie
From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca

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

06 Mar 05 - 12:01 PM (#1428115)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,from Gina Boyanowski

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.

06 Mar 05 - 08:24 PM (#1428443)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: The Fooles Troupe

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

13 Aug 05 - 11:43 AM (#1541803)
Subject: Lyr Add: I'M MY OWN GRANDMAW (Esmereldy)
From: GUEST,pindell@artelco.com

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)-

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)

29 Oct 05 - 02:35 PM (#1593247)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Joe Offer

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-

29 Oct 05 - 05:22 PM (#1593338)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Susanne (skw)

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!

03 Nov 05 - 12:04 PM (#1596555)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Louie Roy

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 tom@themusicbarn.com or visit their web page at www.themusicbarn.com or their Fax is 905 513 6918

04 Nov 05 - 12:14 PM (#1597380)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Tannywheeler

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

04 Nov 05 - 03:08 PM (#1597515)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: MartinRyan

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

04 Nov 05 - 06:41 PM (#1597648)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,from Hull, England

04 Nov 05 - 08:02 PM (#1597693)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Jim Dixon

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.

18 Nov 05 - 04:09 PM (#1608390)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Louie Roy

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

19 Nov 05 - 06:05 AM (#1608778)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Dave'sWife

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

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

Hawker..if you are still here (your post was in '01)... That album was MUPPET SILLY SONGS a terrific album indeed that included kermit singing Lydia the Tattoed Lady. I used to babysit for a little boy named Quinn when I was in Grad School. I had him all day 2 days a week and the only way i could get him to sit still and eat lunch was to put on MUPPT SILLY SONGS.

There was a catch however. if 'I'm my own Grandpa' came on whilst he was eating his soup, he would wait for the chorus and the start banging the spoon, full or empty, on the highchair tray, singing along with the chorus at the top of his lungs! Alphabet soup all over the kitchen!

Those were fun days. I highly recommend that album which I'm sure can be obtained on CD by now, to anyone with a small boy. The songs are just perfect for them. There's even one called 'The Worm song'

21 Nov 05 - 01:31 AM (#1609964)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,AJP

Moe Jaffe was my father. And, yes indeed, he and Dwight Latham did write "Grandpa." The Website cited (no pun intended) contains material written by my brother Howard in honor of the centennial of my father's birth. It was put on the Net by our niece, Debbie J.

Lonzo and Oscar were only the first of a long line of charlatans who have erroneously claimed that they wrote the song. For some peculiar reason, several people have assumed it was public domain and attempted (with some initial success) to publish it under their own names through BMI. BMI should have checked and seen that it was an ASCAP song. After being threatened with several lawsuits, they now acknowledge that it is not their song.

21 Nov 05 - 01:41 AM (#1609966)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Seamus Kennedy

Guest AJP, would you please become a member here at Mudcat, and PM me.
I'm one of the people who mistakenly recorded the song as Public Domain, on the word of other musicians who told me it was Traditional. This was over 23 years ago, before the Internet, when songs and authors were not as easily tracked down as they are today.
I'd like to rectify the situation.
Thanks.

Seamus Kennedy

23 Apr 06 - 01:41 AM (#1725099)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,Dave Hemsworth

Hey Louie Roy
Could you send me the mp3 to I'm My Own Grandpa.
My address is gretawog@hotmail.com
cheers

23 Apr 06 - 07:04 AM (#1725188)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman

One of the best and earliest recordings of this (a 78 rpm c. 1947 or 48? which makes it shortly after this song was composed in '47) was by Grandpa (what else) Jones.

23 Apr 06 - 03:15 PM (#1725484)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Kaleea

I was at the Walnut Valley Music Festival in Winfield, Kansas when 9-11 happened. It was quite an unusual festival year, as you may imagine. There was not a lot of laughter going on. I was sitting with some old & new friends for the performance of the Prairie Rose Wranglers who had come to perform in the place of some who could not make it. (it was amazing how many folks loaded up the vans & trucks, as many could not fly, & headed to Winfield that year to help out)
The Wranglers sang some & told some of the usual Cowboy type humor which reaped little laughter. Then they went into "I'm My Own Grandpa." It was an old song which many had heard, but the Wranglers were mugging such faces & hamming it up that we started to laugh and just couldn't stop. Those gentlemen brought some sorely needed guffahs to all of us-for which we were tremendously grateful in a difficult time.

24 Apr 06 - 11:14 AM (#1725970)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,Jim

I first heard this song sung by Jimmy Dean, not the rebel without a cause, but the guy who used to flog sausages on TV. Another great version was Michael Cooney's (I'm not sure if it's available on record).

I used to teach music in public school and about 2 years ago I ran into one of my former students at a gig. She was all grown up with kids of her own, but she requested "that song about incest that you used to sing us in greade 4." I got her to listen carefully and she admitted that there was no incest in the song. I think only a public school secretary can fully understand it on first listening.

18 Jun 06 - 06:16 PM (#1763158)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,GUEST: RHR

hi-
I got here by googling for "I'm My Own Grandma" and Canova because I remembered that the 78 my dad used to play was by Judy Canova. Never heard of Esmerelda. Sounds like many, many people have covered it, which I did not realize until I came here.

18 Jun 06 - 07:38 PM (#1763209)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Peace

"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."

Mark Twain was born in 1835.

18 Jun 06 - 08:10 PM (#1763228)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Peace

Only melody for it I have heard is here.

14 Nov 06 - 02:13 AM (#1885296)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,janette

funny! hehe! this is our assignment about relations anf functions!

its really a great song!

25 Nov 06 - 10:45 PM (#1893661)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Susanne (skw)

On the radio the other day I heard a song by the Viennese songwriter Hugo Wiener, sung by chanteuse Cissy Kraner: Eine verzwickte Verwandtschaft (Tricky relatives). Could it be ...? Yes it was. The last line was "I'm my own grandma".
Wiener died in 1993, and this song seems to be from the Seventies. I suspect it is an adaptation of our song above, though so far I haven't found proof one way or the other.

26 Nov 06 - 08:47 AM (#1893898)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: oldhippie

In addition to those mentioned, there are also recordings by Guy Lombardo and Steve Goodman.

07 Apr 07 - 02:46 PM (#2019240)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Barry Finn

"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."

Mark Twain was born in 1835.

So not only was Mark Twain's death great exaggerated but so was his birth.

Barry

23 Sep 07 - 03:32 AM (#2155482)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,Lucia Song

Hello Louie Roy!
This is my email address: luciasong8@hotmail.com
Could you send that MP3 song to me?
I'm be very glad to receive it.

23 Sep 07 - 11:15 AM (#2155654)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Seamus Kennedy

I sang this song at a kids's show earlier this year ( a lot of kids and grandparents there). The audience loved it, but the organizers got one complaint from a disgruntled patron who asked, "Why is Seamus Kennedy singing that filthy Irish song 'I'm my Own Grandpa?'"
You can't win 'em all.

Seamus

06 Oct 07 - 11:57 AM (#2165173)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Nigel Parsons

This song could now be made even shorter following a news item in the Daily Telegraph Pensioner sperm donor for his 'grandchild'

CHEERS
Nigel

11 Feb 09 - 02:46 AM (#2563527)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,anonymous

about the step-step thing above, i believe that two steps cancel out and become an in-law, and also, i have 2 stepuncles, so they do exist, (but saying "stepuncle larry" is too long, so i just call them uncles)

01 Aug 09 - 12:29 AM (#2691419)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,Jim Rolfs (pen name--Douglas Marshall

I have a book, copyright 1883 and 1901, entitlie "Library of Wit and Humor" by Eli Perkins and Others. The cover of the book has a photo of Samuel Clemens who, of course, wrote under the pen name of Mark Twain. On the inside is a sketch of Melville D. Landon who wrote under the pen name of Eli Perkins. The "Many Others" includes Josh Billings (who was initially promoted by Eli Perkins), Bret Harte, and Eugene Field. Josh Billings, who's real name was Henry Wheeler Shaw, was probably the second most popular humorist, lecturer, and writer in the US in the latter 1800s.

On page 87 of the book is found a short piece entitled, "Very Closely Related" that goes like this:

"Well, Sam, I'll tell you how it is. You see, I married a widow, and this widow had a daughter. Then my father, being a widower, married our daughter so you see my father is my own son-in-law."

"Yes, I see."

"Then again my step-daughter is my step-mother, ain't she? Well, then, her mother is my grandmother, ain't she? I am married to her, ain't I? So that makes me my own grandfather, doesn't it?"

Many of the writings in this book are credited specifically to one or another of the contributors, but quite a few are not. The "Very Closely Related" piece is one of the ones that is not. If this book is the one the song idea came from, it's as likely that Eli Perkins wrote the own-Grandpa thing a Mark Twain. It does sound very much like Mark Twain's style, but I think it sounds more like Eli Perkins. Also, the last writer credited before this piece was Eli Perkins. It's impossible to tell for sure from this volume who actually authored the piece. Of course the source could have been a different book altogether.

This gives me an idea for a funny song about 19th humorists with pen names that wrote alike--maybe a guy named Arthur who's his own author. No, that's lame--hafta work on that.

10 Apr 10 - 03:18 PM (#2883782)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: GUEST,guest, C. Payne

I have been trying for 2 years to get a copy of the Muppet's tape (or CD preferably) called Silly Songs. It's an older one containg I'm My Own Grandpa, Lydia the Tatooed Lady, among others. Can you help?

11 Apr 10 - 02:41 AM (#2884043)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Jim Dixon

From Wit and Humor: A Choice Collection by Marshall Brown, John Wesley Beatty (Chicago: S. C. Griggs and Company, 1882), page 213:

SOMEWHAT MIXED.

"What's the matter?"
"Sam, who am I?"
"Why, you are yourself—Bob Harrison, ain't you?"
"No, far from it."
"Why, what's the matter?"
"Well, sir, I am so mixed up I don't know who I am."
"Don't take it so hard to heart."
"I can't help it."
"Well, sir, what's the matter?"
"Why, I am married."
"Married! Why, sir, you should be happy."
"Yes, but I ain't."
"Why, all married men are supposed to be happy."
"Yes, but how many are so?"
"Well, sir, as I said before, don't take it so hard; tell us all about it."
"Well, Sam, I'll tell you how it is. You see I married a widow, and this widow had a daughter."
"Oh, yes, I see how it is; you have been making love to the daughter."
"No; worse than that! You see my father was a widower, and married that daughter; so that makes my father my son-in-law, don't it?"
"Well, is that all?"
"No; I only wish it was. Don't you see, my stepdaughter is my step-mother, ain't she? Well, then, her mother is my grandmother, ain't she? I am married to her, ain't I? So that makes me my own grandfather doesn't it?"

11 Apr 10 - 03:05 AM (#2884046)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Jim Dixon

From Alden's Illustrated Family Miscellany, Oxford, England, Vol. XII, No. 133, September 1865.

DOMESTIC PERPLEXITIES.—A correspondent of the Drawer is involved in domestic perplexities. He writes, "I got acquainted with a young widow, who lived with her step-daughter in the same house. I married. My father fell, shortly after it, in love with the step-daughter of my wife, and married her. My wife became the mother-in-law, and also the daughter-in-law, of my own father; my wife's step-daughter is my step-mother, and I am the step-father of my mother-in-law. My stepmother, who is the step-daughter of my wife, has a boy; he is naturally my step-brother because he is the son of my father and of my step-mother; but because he is son of my wife's step-daughter, so is my wife the grandmother of the little boy, and I am the grandfather of my step-brother. My wife has also a boy; my stepmother is consequently the step-sister of my boy, and is also his grandmother, because he is the child of her step-son; and my father is the brother-in-law of my son, because he has got his step-sister for a wife. I am the brother of my own son, who is the son of my step-mother; I am the brother-in-law of my mother, my wife is the aunt of her son, my son is the grandson of my father, and I am my own grandfather."

11 Apr 10 - 04:01 AM (#2884056)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa
From: Busy Lizzie

Try Anthony John Clarke website!

18 Aug 17 - 12:29 PM (#3872375)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa (D Latham/M Jaffe)
From: Jim Dixon

I was intrigued by the quote that Jim Rolfs posted awhile back, so I traced it via Google books, and it is exactly as he described it (except for the book title—but then maybe Jim had a later edition than this one, and the book was retitled).

I found it in Wit and Humor of the Age: Comprising Wit, Humor, Pathos, Ridicule, Satires, Dialects, Puns, Conundrums, Riddles, Charades, Jokes and Magic by Mark Twain, Robt. J. Burdette, Josh Billings, Alex. Sweet, Eli Perkins (etc.), (Lexington, Ky.: Huffman & Johnson, 1884), page 87.

Since Twain is the first author listed on the title page, it's easy to see how a bit of sloppy scholarship (or a poor memory) resulted in the quote being misattributed to him. I agree with Jim Rolfs that Eli Perkins was the more likely author of this piece that is unattributed in the original.

25 Apr 22 - 06:22 PM (#4140186)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa (D Latham/M Jaffe)
From: Helen

Thread #119 Message #4140151
Posted By: Helen
25-Apr-22 - 04:11 AM
Thread Name: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa (D Latham/M Jaffe)
Subject: RE: DTStudy: I'm My Own Grandpa (D Latham/M Jaffe)

I'll go back and read this whole thread but I just watched an Australian Sci-fi movie called Predestination. A couple of times in the movie someone was playing I'm My Own Grandpa on a juke box and it turns out that it is a core theme of the movie.

I'll have to watch it again to fully understand it all - like I had to watch Inception a couple more times. It was an interesting concept and I think it was worth watching.

Based on a story by Robert Heinlein called All You Zombies, and I'll now try to find it and read it.

Hi Piers Plowman,

I've created a new thread, specific to our discussion on our favourite Sci-Fi and/or fantasy fiction authors:

BS: Sci-Fi and/or fantasy authors

I didn't want to sully a DTStudy thread with unrelated content.

I moved the unrelated content over to the new thread (click)
-Joe Offer-

06 Oct 25 - 04:44 AM (#4229720)
Subject: YouTube: My Dad Has Had 5 Wives
From: Joe Offer

An interesting parody. Anybody wanna transcribe it?

My Dad Has Had 5 Wives: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rlh0gE_mYE