American Old Time Song Lyrics: 01 Our Grandfathers Days

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 1

OUR GRANDFATHERS DAYS

A song for to please all my kind friends before me:
I've been thinking of late, a new subject to raise,
And one I have got, and I know it will please you­I'm going to sing of our grandfathers' days.
In our grandfathers' days, men were judged but by merit,
And those who were sound, got their measure by praise;
But nowadays, folks judge of men by their money-
That wasn't the case in our grandfathers' days.

In our grandfathers' days, they had no patent leathers,
Garote-choking collars', or no peg-top pants;
Young men didn't go it with two-forty horses,
Or visit young ladies at night, at their aunt's.
The boys didn't then congregate on the corners,
To see the gals crossing, on wet; slushy days,
Nor the gals didn't want a policeman to help them-
That wasn't the style in our grandfathers' days.

In our grandfathers' days, billiard-markers ne'er sported
Moustache ou their lips, or goatees on their chins;
Nor did six-penny barbers drive out in light wagons,
Nor did fish-ball waiters wear diamond pins.
The gals didn't paint, stuff themselves up with cotton;
They didn't wear hoops, patent bustles or stays,
Didn't smoke cigarettes, or drink cock-tails at Taylor's-
That wasn't the style in our grandfathers' days.

In our grandfathers' days, married men they were steady­You'd not find them out every day of their lives,
Nor see them out late, walking home with their cousins-
They alway retired, in good time, to their wives.
They had no champagne suppers, no little flirtations,
No trying to go it in various ways;
Didn't stop in saloons with a female acquaintance-
They had no waiter-girls in our grandfathers' days.

In our grandfathers' days, when a man ran for office,
He did it alone for the national good.
And not for the dollars and cents he might pocket-
That is something that, nowadays, ain't understood.
The government, then, was for wisdom selected;
Rebellion had not set the country ablaze,
But the people have sworn that our flag shall float over
The Union as 'twas in our grandfathers' days.