—— Comments ——

Patrick O’Brien writes:

A delightful surprise to glance at your website today and see featured the old American song, My Grandfather’s Clock. In my old age I am teaching music, part ime, in a diocesan Catholic grammar school; and a year and a half ago taught this song to most of the grades. It was the surprise hit of the year! The melody, the beat, the “tick-tocks” which were acted out, especially by boys making body movements (one third grader moved his eyebrows up and down to the meter) — the song captivated the students. A fourth grade girl asked me if the song was a true story. A friend pointed out that this song must be a very early example of the sentimentalization of one of the products of the Industrial Revolution. By 1876 people had become attached to manufactured items, at least this one.

The composer, Henry Clay Work, was a rabid abolitionist. During the Civil War he wrote “The Kingdom Coming and the Year of Jubilo,”  a satirical look at slaves rejoicing as master runs away. If you have never heard of the song, I still bet that you know the melody. And singing his “Marching Through Georgia,” celebrating Sherman’s March to the Sea, could still cause a fight in the South today. At least I hope there would be a fight.

Thanks again for “My Grandfather’s Clock,” a charming song that brings back memories of normal human life and attachments in better times than now.

Laura writes:

Thank you for the background information.

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