Chords and Lyrics for My Grandfather's Clock

Words and Music by Henry Clay Work

VERSE 1

   G             D             G             C 
My grandfather's clock was too large for the shelf,

Am    G            D7           G 
So it stood ninety years on the floor;

                 D             G          C 
It was taller by half than the old man himself,

Am        G             D7          G 
Though it weighed not a pennyweight more.

                                 D 
It was bought on the morn of the day that he was born.

        G                       D 
And was always his treasure and pride;

       G       D     G            C     
But it stopped short never to go again 

Am       G   D7  G 
When the old man died.

  
Ninety years, without slumbering (tick, tick, tick tick).

  
His life seconds numbering (tick, tick, tick, tick),

           D     G            C 
It stopped short never to go again 

Am       G   D7  G 
When the old man died.

VERSE 2

   G            D        G            c

In watching its pendulum swing to and fro,

Am   G            D7            G 
Many hours had he spent while a boy;

                     D           G               C 
And in childhood and manhood the clock seemed to know,

Am     G              D7            G 
And to share both his grief and his joy.

                                  D                  
For it struck twenty-four when he entered at the door,

       G                     D 
With a booming and beautiful bride;

       G       D     G            C     
But it stopped short never to go again 

Am       G   D7  G 
When the old man died.

  
Ninety years, without slumbering (tick, tick, tick tick).

  
His life seconds numbering (tick, tick, tick, tick),

           D     G            C 
It stopped short never to go again 

Am       G   D7  G 
When the old man died.

VERSE 3

   G           D            G              C 
My grandfather said that of those he could hire,

Am    G          D7          G 
Not a servant so faithful he found;

                 D             G         C 
For it wasted no time, and had but one desire,

Am     G             D7         G 
At the close of each week to be wound.

                               D 
And it kept in its place not a frown upon its face,

        G 
And its hand never hung by its side;

       G       D     G            C     
But it stopped short never to go again 

Am       G   D7  G 
When the old man died.

  
Ninety years, without slumbering (tick, tick, tick tick).

  
His life seconds numbering (tick, tick, tick, tick),

           D     G            C 
It stopped short never to go again 

Am       G   D7  G 
When the old man died.

VERSE 4

   G        D           G           C 
It rang an alarm in the dead of the night,

Am  G             D7             G 
An alarm that for years had been dumb;

                     D          G           C 
And we knew that his spirit was pluming for flight,

Am       G         D7          G 
That his hour of departure had come.

                                      D 
Still the clock kept the time, with a soft and muffled chime,

      G                     D 
As we silently stood by his side;

       G       D     G            C     
But it stopped short never to go again 

Am       G   D7  G 
When the old man died.

  
Ninety years, without slumbering (tick, tick, tick tick).

  
His life seconds numbering (tick, tick, tick, tick),

           D     G            C 
It stopped short never to go again 

Am       G   D7  G 
When the old man died.

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