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MY GRANDFATHER'S CLOCK

Time signature:  4/4          Tempo: ~210  bpm.
​
Henry Clay Work, 1876
Accordion Notation
Beats per bar =   4
Dots (or '"equivalent') per beat =   1      
Either row =  Buttons  4 to 8

Verse 1 (of 4)


 .5   |     :6    .6*  .6   |   :7*     .6    .7*   |   :7   .8*  .7   |   :5*  
My    grand-fath-er's  clock  was  too      tall  for  the   shelf,  /

 .7*  .7*   |    :6       .6   .6   |    :6*   .5*  .6*   |   ::6~ | ~.     .r  
So    it       stood  nine-ty     years  on  the        floor;    /

.5   .5   |   :6  .6*   .6   |   :7*    .6    .7*   |   :7   .8*      .7   |   :5*  
It  was     tall-er    by     half  than  the     old  man  him  -  self,  /

     .7*    .7*   |      :6        .6   .6   |   :6*  .5*   .6*    |   ::6~ | ~.     .r  
Though  it       weighed  not  a      pen-ny-weight     more.    /


             .7  .8*   |     :8      .7   .7*   |    :6    .6*  .6   |   .7*   .6    .6*   .5*   |   :5  
             It  was    bought  on the      morn  of  the    day  that  he  was     born,   /

                .7    .8*   |   :8    .7     .7*   |   :6    .6*    .6   |   ::7*~ | ~.    .r  
             And  was       al-ways  his     treas-ure  and      pride;    /

              .5   .5   |     .6       .:r   |   .7*    .:r   |   "7  "7   .7   .8*   .7   |   :5*   
             But  it     stopped ___   short     —     nev-er   to   go    a   - gain,

                .7*    .7*   |   ::6   |   ::6*   |   ::6~ | ~.    .r  

             When the       old       man      died.     /

Chorus (sung after each verse):

   .5   .5   |   :6       .5   .5   |    .5*   .5*  :5   |   :4    :5   |   :4     .5           
Nine-ty     years  with-out    slum-ber-ing    (tick, tock,   tick, tock),

 .5   |   :6    .5     .5   |   .5*  .5*   :5   |    :4    :5   |   .4      .5         .r  
His    life's sec-onds  num-ber-ing,    (tick, tock,   tick,  tock),  /

 "5  "5   |      :6       :r   |     :7*   :r   |    "7  "7   .7   .8*   .7   |   :5*   
But  it      stopped  ___   short   —      nev-er   to   go    a   -  gain,

   .7*    .7*   |   ::6   |   ::6*   |   ::6~ | ~.     :r  

When the       old       man      died.      /

Embedded youTube VIDEOS


Key:   F  from time 0 to 1:03
          G from 1:03 to 2:10


Tempo:  ~210 bpm

Singers:  Foster & Allen

​Posted by:  ​​NL Treasure

Key:   Gb 

Tempo:  ~210 bpm

Singer:  Burl Ives

​Posted by:  vintagemusictv

Burl Ives sings the verse quickly, but slows the tempo on the chorus, as compared with the notation above.

Key:   Eb  from time 0 to 1:43
​          F    from 1:43 to End

Tempo: ~215 bpm

Singer:  Johnny Cash

Posted by:  Johnny Cash

Key:  A ?
​
Tempo:  ~195 bpm

Group:   Everly Brothers

Posted by: 1,2,3,4 listen to the ted roar
​

Key:  F 

Tempo:  ~220 bpm.

Singer:  Cliff Richard + ?

Posted by:   iain bagwell



Key:   A

Tempo:  ~225 bpm

Singer:  Grandpa Jones

​Posted by:  CMH Records

Key: C

Tempo:  ~240 bpm.

Piano accordion: Bob
Button accordion:  Hector
    Our talented Australians!

Posted by: 


Key:  Db ? 

Tempo:  ~185 bpm

Singer:   Tennessee Ernie Ford

​Posted by:  Wiggly Wigglesworth

​

Key:  E

Tempo:  ~210 bpm

Singer:  Doc Watson

Posted by: WES Harman

Key:  D  from time 0 to 1:57
         E  from 1:57 to 3:09 (end)
​

Tempo:  ~190 bpm

Group:  The Cashmen

Posted by: CashmenVideo

Key:   Ab

Tempo:  ~210 bpm

Group:  Robert Shaw Chorale

​Posted by:  UnclaimedFr8
​


Background Materials, Information & Links

​Lyrics:

My grandfather's clock was too large for the shelf,
So it stood ninety years on the floor;
It was taller by half than the old man himself,
Though it weighed not a pennyweight more.
          It was bought on the morn of the day that he was born,
          And was always his treasure and pride;
          But it stopped short — never to go again --
          When the old man died.

Chorus:  Ninety years without slumbering    (tick, tock, tick, tock),
               His life's seconds numbering,  (tick, tock, tick, tock),
               It stopped short — never to go again --
               When the old man died.


In watching its pendulum swing to and fro,
Many hours had he spent while a boy;
And in childhood and manhood the clock seemed to know
And to share both 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.

My grandfather said that of those he could hire,
Not a servant so faithful he found;
For it wasted no time, and had but one desire --
At the close of each week to be wound.
          And it kept in its place — not a frown upon its face,
          And its hands never hung by its side.
          But it stopped short — never to go again --
          When the old man died.

It rang an alarm in the dead of the night --
An alarm that for years had been dumb;
And we knew that his spirit was pluming for flight --
That his hour of departure had come.
          Still the clock kept the time, with a soft and muffled chime,
          As we silently stood by his side;
          But it stopped short — never to go again --
          When the old man died.

Background Links:
Click HERE for additional info about this song.

Click HERE  for biographical info on Henry Clay Work


NOTE  1 - Copyright:
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DISCLAIMER 2 - Errors & Omissions:
Many of these tune pages are still in early stages of development, probably with many errors and omissions.  Make corrections as needed.

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