In the 1930s, Dwight Latham had a singing group called “The Jesters”. Their specialties were bits of spoken humor and novelty songs.
While reading a book of Mark Twain anecdotes, Latham found a paragraph in which Twain proved it would be possible for a man to become his own grandfather. So in 1947 Latham and Moe Jaffe expanded the idea into a song.
Oh, many, many years ago when I was twenty-three,
I was married to a widow who was pretty as can be.
This widow had a grown-up daughter who had hair of red.
My father fell in love with her and soon the two were wed.This made my dad my son-in-law and changed my very life,
For my daughter was my mother ’cause she was my father’s wife.
To complicate the matter, though it really brought me joy,
I soon became the father of a bouncing baby boy.This little baby then became a brother-in-law to Dad.
And so became my uncle though it made me very sad.
For if he was my uncle then that also made him brother
Of the widow’s grown-up daughter who of course is my step-mother.My father’s wife then had a son who kept them on the run.
And he became my grandchild for he was my daughter’s son.
My wife is now my mother’s mother and it makes me blue.
Because although she is my wife she’s my grandmother too.Now if my wife is my grandmother then I’m her grandchild.
And every time I think of it it nearly drives me wild.
For now I have become the strangest case you ever saw
As husband of my grandma I am my own grandpa.- Chorus -
I’m my own grandpa
I’m my own grandpa
It sounds funny I know
But it really is so
Oh, I’m my own grandpa
1 response so far ↓
1 Rosemary // Jan 25, 2006 at 10:09 pm
I remember reading this the other day. I didn’t know whether to get sick or laugh! lol. How are you? I am well. Have a nice day.