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While reading a book of Mark Twain anecdotes,
a man called Latham once found a paragraph in which Twain proved it would be possible for a man to become his own grandfather.
In 1947, Latham and Jaffe expanded the idea into a song, which became a hit for Lonzo and Oscar. It's also one of the songs on Michael Cooney's album of songs for children. The published words located and shown below do not exactly match those sung in the version you are listening to.
Many many years ago | when I was twenty three, I was married to a widow who was pretty as could be. This widow had a grown-up daughter who had hair of red. My father fell in love with her, and soon they two were wed. This made my dad my son-in-law And changed my very life. For my daughter was my mother, 'cos she was my father's wife. To complicate the matter, Although it brought me joy, I soon became the father Of a bouncing baby boy. My 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 To the widow's grown-up daughter Who, of course, was my step-mother. My Father's wife then had a son, Who kept him 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 is my grandmother too. If my wife is my grandmother, Then I am 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 the husband of my grandmother, I am my own grandpa. Original version by Mark Twain | |