My Grandfather's Clock

Song My Grandfather's Clock
Artist Howe Gelb
Album I Am The Resurrection: A Tribute To John Fahey

Lyrics

[00:07.97] My grandfather's clock
[00:09.98] Was too large for the shelf,
[00:11.92] So it stood ninety years on the floor;
[00:16.11] It was taller by half
[00:18.15] Than the old man himself,
[00:20.05] Though it weighed not a pennyweight more.
[00:24.10] It was bought on the morn
[00:26.09] Of the day that he was born,
[00:28.09] And was always his treasure and pride;
[00:32.03] But it stopped short
[00:34.22] Never to go again,
[00:36.03] When the old man died.
[00:39.82]
[00:40.42] Ninety years without slumbering,
[00:42.48] Tick, tock, tick, tock,
[00:44.28] His life seconds numbering,
[00:46.27] Tick, tock, tick, tock,
[00:48.07] It stopped short
[00:50.11] Never to go again,
[00:51.70] When the old man died.
[00:55.32]
[00:55.82] In watching its pendulum
[00:58.22] Swing to and fro,
[00:59.67] Many hours had he spent while a boy;
[01:03.62] And in childhood and manhood
[01:06.11] The clock seemed to know,
[01:07.62] And to share both his grief and his joy.
[01:11.57] For it struck twenty-four
[01:13.58] When he entered at the door,
[01:15.48] With a blooming and beautiful bride;
[01:19.33] But it stopped short
[01:21.77] Never to go again,
[01:23.32] When the old man died.
[01:26.99]
[01:27.38] Ninety years without slumbering,
[01:29.83] Tick, tock, tick, tock,
[01:31.39] His life seconds numbering,
[01:33.44] Tick, tock, tick, tock,
[01:35.24] It stopped short
[01:37.39] Never to go again,
[01:38.88] When the old man died.
[01:42.63]
[01:42.88] My grandfather said
[01:44.74] That of those he could hire,
[01:46.64] Not a servant so faithful he found;
[01:50.65] For it wasted no time,
[01:52.65] And had but one desire,
[01:54.90] At the close of each week to be wound.
[01:58.70] And it kept in its place,
[02:00.84] Not a frown upon its face,
[02:02.65] And its hand never hung by its side.
[02:06.65] But it stopped short
[02:09.16] Never to go again,
[02:10.55] When the old man died.
[02:14.26]
[02:14.56] Ninety years without slumbering,
[02:17.02] Tick, tock, tick, tock,
[02:18.72] His life seconds numbering,
[02:20.77] Tick, tock, tick, tock,
[02:22.54] It stopped short
[02:24.49] Never to go again,
[02:26.03] When the old man died.
[02:29.79]
[02:30.14] It rang an alarm
[02:32.55] In the dead of the night,
[02:34.54] An alarm that for years had been dumb;
[02:38.04] And we knew that his spirit
[02:40.48] Was pluming for flight,
[02:42.19] That his hour of departure had come.
[02:46.08] Still the clock kept the time,
[02:48.14] With a soft and muffled chime,
[02:50.14] As we silently stood by his side.
[02:54.25] But it stopped short
[02:56.78] Never to go again,
[02:58.14] When the old man died.
[03:01.59]
[03:01.99] Ninety years without slumbering,
[03:04.49] Tick, tock, tick, tock,
[03:06.28] His life seconds numbering,
[03:08.38] Tick, tock, tick, tock,
[03:10.17] It stopped short
[03:12.12] Never to go again,
[03:13.47] When the old man died.