Grand-father's Clock

My grand-father'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 penny weight 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.

[Solo] 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 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.

[Solo] 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 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.

[Solo] 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.

[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.