> Folk Music > Songs > Granny’s Old Armchair

Granny’s Old Armchair

[ Roud 1195 ; G/D 3:705 ; Ballad Index R467 ; Mudcat 7214 , 68895 ; John Read]

Frank Crumit sang Granny’s Old Arm Chair in 1932 on his 78 rpm shellac record His Master’s Voice B 4059. It was included in 2000 on his Naxos Nostalgia anthology Frank Crumit Returns.

Lee Monroe Presnell of Beech Mountain, North Carolina sang The Old Arm Chair to Diane Hamilton, Paul Clayton and Liam Clancy in 1956, and Grant Rogers of Walton, New York sang it to Sandy Paton in 1964. Both recordings were included in 2000 on the anthology of Ballads and Songs of Tradition from the Folk-Legacy archives.

Daisy Chapman sang My Grannie’s Old Armchair at the Aberdeen Folk Festival in October 1968. This recording made by Peter Shepheard was included in 2000 on her Musical Traditions anthology Ythanside and in 2025 on her Springthyme anthology The Donside Lass. Rod Stradling noted:

Written by John Read and recorded by Billy Williams in 1909. It does seem extraordinary that this song—which everyone used to know in the 1960s—has only been recorded three times in Britain. In fact there is only one Scottish entry (just a single verse in the Greig Duncan collection) and eight English entries in Roud—the 30 or so others being from the USA and Canada. Walter Pardon can be heard singing it on the recent Musical Traditions release Put a Bit of Powder on It, Father.

Jack Smith sang Granny’s Old Armchair on 5 November 1969 at King’s Head Folk Club in Islington. This recording made by Rod Stradling was included in 2012 on the Musical Traditions anthology King’s Head Folk Club. and in 2020, together with Frank Crumit’s version, on the Musical Traditions third Old World/New World Trilogy set, Wait Till the Clouds Roll By. Rod Stradling noted in 2012:

The original song, The Old Arm Chair, was composed in 1840 by Englishman, Henry Russell, with lyrics by Eliza Cook; it was a typical Victorian sentimental ballad. John Read parodied this song in the latter part of the century as Grannie’s Old Armchair and performed it in Britain and America, and it was recorded by Billy Williams in 1909. The American, Frank Crumit, recorded this parody around 1920 and it was a big seller in Britain.

It does seem extraordinary that this song—which everyone used to know when I were a boy-chap—has only been recorded 15 times in Britain. In fact there are only two Scottish entries (just a single verse in the Greig Duncan collection) and 13 English entries in Roud—the 56 others being from the USA and Canada. Walter Pardon can be heard singing it on MTCD305-6. Walter’s version is very close to Crumit’s text, but has slight variations in the tune.

The only other person I ever heard who didn’t sing the standard version was Jack Smith, and his chorus is the same as Walter’s except for one note. Walter’s verse and chorus tunes have a very obvious unity—was this an alternative standard tune which has been lost in the face of recorded versions? Was it something he developed himself? How did Jack have it as well? Was there a pre-existing traditional song which John Read transformed and made his own? Answers on a postcard, please…

and in 2020 on Frank Crumit’s version:

Such a well-known song. But, who exactly wrote it and where does it come from? It was printed twice in Boston, in 1880 and in 1881, firstly as Grandmother’s Chair by John Read and then as Grandma’s/Granny’s Old Arm Chair by Frank B. Carr, who is described as “America’s Motto vocalist”. John Read is known to have written other songs, but Carr is a mystery. Could it possibly be that the song was actually written by John Read, and that Frank B. Carr was the person who first performed the song?

The first known British recording was that by Billy Williams in 1909. Frank Crumit’s recording, which refers to ‘pounds’, was recorded for issue in Britain. On page 2 of the Introduction [to what?] Lucy Broadwood mentions the song Old Armchair by Eliza Cook [ Roud 13966 ; Ballad Index HeSo270 ]. This is a different song to Granny’s Old Arm Chair.

Bob Davenport and the Marsden Rattlers sang Granny’s Old Armchair in 1971 on their eponymous Trailer album Bob Davenport and the Marsden Rattlers. He noted:

Granny’s Old Armchair ca be found in such collections of songs that will live forever. The best known recording of it up to now has been a 78 sung by Frank Crumit.

David Jones sang The Old Armchair at the Troy Music Hall, Troy, New York, on 6 April 1974. This recording was released in 1984 on John Roberts and Tony Barrand’s Front Hall album An Evening at the English Music Hall.

Walter Pardon sang The Old Armchair to Mike Yates on 17 January 1980. This recording was included in 2000 on his posthumous Musical Traditions anthology Put a Bit of Powder on It, Father. Rod Stradling noted:

The original ballad, The Old Arm Chair, was composed in 1840 by Englishman, Henry Russell, with lyrics by Eliza Cook. This was a typical Victorian sentimental ballad:

I love it, I love it and who shall dare
To chide me for loving that old arm chair
I’ve treasured it long as a holy prize
I’ve bedewed it with tears, and embalmed it with sighs
Would ye learn the spell, a mother sat there
And sacred a thing is that old arm chair

John Read parodied this song in the latter part of the century as Grannie’s Old Armchair and performed it in Britain and America. The American, Frank Crumit, recorded this parody around 1920 and it was a big seller in Britain. Walter’s version is very close to Crumit’s apart from the variation in the tune. It does seem extraordinary that this song—which everyone used to know when I were a boy-chap—has only been recorded three times in Britain. In fact there are only six English entries in Roud (none from elsewhere in these islands); the dozen or so others being from the USA and Canada.

Walter’s tune is very interesting. It could be that Crumit’s tune is a variation on Read’s tune and Walter is actually singing the original. The only other person I ever heard who didn’t sing the standard version was Jack Smith, a settled Gypsy from Milford, near Guildford, who sang around a few Surrey folk clubs in the 1960s. Jack’s verses used something quite near to the ‘received’ version of the tune, but his chorus was the same as Walter’s except for one note. Walter’s verse and chorus tunes have a very obvious unity—was this an alternative standard tune which has been lost in the face of recorded versions? Was it something he developed himself? How did Jack have it as well? Was there a pre-existing traditional song which John Reed transformed and made his own? Answers on a postcard, please…

John Mearns sang Granny’s Old Armchair on his 1984 Ross cassette Hame and Guid Nicht. This track was also included in 1991 on his Ross anthology The Best of John Mearns.

Fred Jordan sang The Old Armchair on his 1991 VWML cassette In Course of Time. This track was also included in 2003 on his posthumous Veteran double CD anthology A Shropshire Lad.

Proper English sang The Old Armchair on their 2017 album A Little Cup of Tea. They noted:

Written by Victorian operetta composer Frank Osmond Carr and recorded on 78, this version came to us from a singer at Laxfield Low House.

Lyrics

Frank Crumit sings Granny’s Old Arm Chair

My grandmother, she, at the age of eighty three
One day took sick and died
And after she was dead the will of course was read
By a lawyer as we all stood side by side
To my brother, it was found She had left one hundred pound
The same unto my sister I declare!
but when it came to me, The lawyer said, “I see
She has left you her old armchair!”

Chorus:
How they tittered, how they chaffed
How my brothers and my sisters laughed
When they heard the lawyer declare
“Granny has left you her old armchair!”

I thought it hardly fair and still I did not care
And in the evening took the chair away
The neighbours, they chaffed and my brother at me laughed
And said, “It will be useful some day!
When you settle down in life find a girl to be your wife
You’ll find it very handy, I declare
On a cold and frosty night when the fire burns bright
You can sit in your old armchair!”

What my brother said was true for in a year or two
I had settled down and married life
I first the girl did court and then a ring I bought
Took her to the church to be my wife
Oh, the old girl and me were as happy as could be
For when my work was over, I declare
I never abroad would roam but each night stayed home
And was seated in my old armchair

Spoken: And here’s how granny fooled us!

One night the chair fell down
When when I picked it up I found
The seat had fallen out upon the floor
And there, to my surprise I saw before my eyes
A lot of notes, two thousand pounds or more
When my brother heard of this, the fellow I confess
Went nearly wild with rage and tore his hair
I only laughed at him and said, “Unto you Jim
Don’t you wish you had the old armchair?”

Daisy Chapman sings My Grannie’s Old Armchair

My grandmother she, at the age of eighty three,
One day took sick and died;
And after she was dead, the will, of course, was read,
By a lawyer as we all stood side by side.
To my brother it was found she had left one hundred pound,
The same unto my sister, I declare;
But when it came to me, now the lawyer said, “I see,
She has left you her old armchair.”

Chorus:
How they tittered, how they chaffed,
How me brothers and ma sisters laughed,
When they heard the lawyer declare,
“Grannie’s only left you her old armchair.”

I thought it hardly fair but still I didna care,
And in the evening took the chair away;
The neighbours at me laughed and me brother at me chaffed,
And said, “It will be useful some day.
When you settle down in life, find a girl to be your wife,
You’ll find it very handy, I declare;
On a cold and frosty night, when the fire burns bright,
You can sit in your old armchair.”

My brother’s words come true, for within a year or two,
I had settled down in married life;
I first the girl did court and then the ring I bought,
Then I took her to the church tae be my wife.
O the old gal and me were as happy as could be,
For when my work was over, I declare,
I was never one to roam, but each night stayed at home,
And was seated in my old armchair.

One night the chair fell down, when I picked it up I found,
The seat had fallen out upon the floor;
And there to my surprise, I saw before me eyes,
A lot of gowd, ten thousand pounds, or more.
When my brother heard of this, the fellow, I confess,
Went nearly wild with rage and tore his hair;
I only laughed at him and said unto him, “Jim,
Don’t you wish you had the old armchair?”

Jack Smith sings Granny’s Old Armchair

My grandmother, she, was the age of eighty-one
When one day in May took ill and she died.
Sure, after she was dead,
Well, the will that was read,
To me sisters that she left a thousand pounds.
But when it come to me, oh, the lawyer said,
“I see, John,” I said, “’Ello Sir.” “I’m sorry,
She’s only left you the old armchair.”

Chorus:

How they tittered, and how they chaffed,
How me brothers and me sisters laughed,
When they hear the lawyer declare,
“Granny only left you her old armchair.”

I thought it hardly fair, although I did not care,
But in the evening took the chair away.
When me brother at me laughed and me sisters at me chaffed;
“You’ll find it’ll come very useful, oh, some day.
When you get yourself a wife, and you settle down in life,
You’ll find it come very useful, I declare.
On a cold and winter’s night, when the fire is burning bright,
You can then sit in your old armchair.”

One night the chair fell down and I picked it up and found,
Well, the seat it had fallen out upon the floor.
I never was surprised, when I saw before me eyes,
Well, a thousand pounds in notes, and more, and more!
When my brother heared of this, oh, the feller, he confess
He went raving ’stracted mad, and tore his hair.
But I only laughed at him, And I said unto him “Jim, ’Ello!
Don’t you wish you had the old armchair?”

Walter Pardon sings The Old Armchair

My Grandmother, she, at the age of eighty three
One day in May was taken ill and died
And after she was dead, the will, of course, was read
By a lawyer, as we all stood by his side
To my brother it was found, she’s left a hundred pound
The same unto my sister, I declare
But when it came to me, the lawyer said “I see
She has left to you the old armchair.”

Chorus:
And how they chittered and how they chaffed
How my brother and my sister laughed
When they heard the lawyer then declare
Why, Granny’s only left you the old armchair.

I thought it hardly fair, still I said I did not care
And in the evening took the chair away
The neighbours they me chaffed, my brother at me laughed
And said “It will be useful, John, some day
When you settle down in life, find some girl to be your wife
You’ll find it very handy, I declare
On a cold and frosty night, when the fire is burning bright
You’ll be seated in your old armchair.”

One night the chair fell down, when I picked it up I found
That the seat had fallen down upon the floor
And there to my surprise, I saw before my eyes
Lot of notes—two thousand pounds, or more
When my brother heard of this, the fellow, I confess
Went nearly mad with rage and tore his hair
But I only laughed at him and I said unto him “Jim
Don’t you wish you had the old armchair?”

Fred Jordan sings The Old Armchair

Now my grandmother she, at the age of eighty three,
One day was taken ill and died;
And after she was dead, oh, of course, the will was read,
By a lawyer who was seated by my side.
To my brother it was found had left one hundred pound,
And my sister, likewise, I declare;
But when it came to me, oh, the lawyer said, “I see,
That her left to you the old armchair.”

Chorus:
How they tittered, how they chaffed,
How me brothers and me sisters laughed,
When they heard the lawyer declare,
“Grannie’s only left you her old armchair.”

Well, I said it was not fair but then I didna care,
And in the evening I took the chair away;
Oh, how me neighbours laughed, how me brother chaffed,
For he said, “It will be useful some day.
When you settles down in life, finds a girl to be your wife,
In the wintertime, boy, I declare;
On a cold and frosty night, when the fire burns bright,
You can sit her in the old armchair.”

Chorus:
Still they tittered, still they chaffed,
Still me brothers and me sisters laughed,
When they heard the lawyer declare,
“Grannie’s only left you her old armchair.”

My brother’s dream come true, for in a year or two,
I had settled down in married life;
For I first the girl did court and then the ring I bought,
And I took her to the church to be my wife.
We settled down she was as happy as could be,
And in the wintertime, boys, I declare,
On a cold and frosty night when the fire burns bright,
I can sit her in the old armchair.

But when I came home one night, I had an awful fright,
For the seat had fallen out upon the floor;
And there to my surprise, there before me eyes,
Was a lot of gold, a thousand pounds, or more.
When my brother heard of this, oh, the fellow, I confess,
He went nearly mad with rage and tore his hair;
But I only laughed at him and I said, “Don’t you wish, Jim,
That her’d left to you the old armchair.”