"My Grandmother's Watch" (1878)
The Immensely Popular Song,
composed for, dedicated to, and sung by
Miss Lena Aberle,
Tivoli Theatre, N.Y.
Words and Music by
Frank Conway.

[Source: 133/147@Levy]

[Note: this song was obviously "inspired" by
the song "Grandfather's Clock" by Henry Clay Work
composed in 1876 to which Work himself wrote the
"Sequel to 'Grandfather's Clock'" in 1878.]

1.
My Grandmother's Watch was presented to me,
When I was scarce sixteen years old,
And tho' it was silver as plain as could be,
I thought it was equal to gold;
In school-hours its figures to scan I would dare,
And view it with innocent pride,
While classmates would glance with a curious air,
And scarcely their envy could hide:
But the watch as if to mock my companions's wrong desires,
Would tick faster than a clock with its little springy wires,

CHORUS
It went tick a tick a tick tick, nick a nick a nick,
tick a nick a nick a nick a tick a nick nick;
tick a tick a tick tick, nick a nick a nick,
O! how happy was I, as the time flew by.

2.
My Grandmother's Watch was a queer one to go,
It vex'd me as oft as it went;
'Twas sometimes too fast, and 'twas sometimes too slow,
I never could tell what it meant;
Yet tho' it was fickle and had rusty ribs,
I priz'd it for Grandmother's sake,
But if I e'er found it indulging in fibs,
I'd give it a terrible shake:
Then the watch as if to mock my vain wishes and desires,
It ticks faster than a clock with the little springy wires,

(CHORUS)

3.
My Grandmother's Watch tho' it _lies_ in a drawer,
Yet never since has it _lied_;
For worn out with times, it can't tick any more,
Since Grandmother sicken'd and died;
But oft as I view it and dwell on the past,
Fond memory heaves forth a sigh,
While sometimes too slow, and as often too fast,
The tick of my old friend seems nigh:
Yes, the watch it seems to mock my fond wished and desires,
It ticks faster than a clock with its little springy wires,

CHORUS
It goes tick a tick a tick tick, nick a nick a nick,
tick a nick a nick a nick a tick a nick nick;
tick a tick a tick tick, nick a nick a nick,
O! how happy am I, as the time flies by.