Grandfather's Clock

Henry Clay Work
(1832-1884)

Henry Clay Work was born in Middletown, CT on October 1, 1832 to the parents of Alanson Work and Amelia A. Forbes Work. He had three sisters named Loiusa, Etta and Lizzie.

He apprenticed as a printer in Hartford. He published his first song, "We Are Coming, Sister Mary", in 1853. A musical typesetter by trade, he was said to be so talented that he could directly set the type to his new compositions without benefit of a written draft copy. He died, at the age of 51, in Hartford, CT on 8 June 1884. Among his most popular songs were "Brave Boys Are They!" (1861), "Kingdom Coming!" (1862), "Little Major" (1862), "Marching Through Georgia" (1865) and "Grandfather's Clock" (1876).

In 1876 "Grandfather's Clock" was one of two most popular songs in America that year. It was written for singing at home and in the variety hall. Most dictionaries agree that Work's song is the source for the name grandfather clock.

The Music
Grandfather's Clock
[ 4:09 ] [ 15k ]

The Song
The song in this book which is sung to the tune of
"Grandfather's Clock"

1. My Grandfather's Cock

Grandfather's Clock

Dedicated to my Sister Lizzie (1876)
Words and Music by Henry Clay Work, No. 52

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 stopp'd short-- never to go again--
When the old man died.

CHORUS
Ninety years without slumbering (tick, tick, tick, tick),
His life seconds numbering (tick, tick, tick, tick),
It stopp'd 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 its 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 stopp'd short-- never to go again--
When the old man died.

(CHORUS)

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 on its face,
And the hands never hung by its side;
But it stopp'd 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 stopp'd short-- never to go again--
When the old man died.