Lyrics When Grandpa Played the Banjo - Dave Taylor

Now Christmas time was here again
The family gathered round
The kinfolk came from near and far
From country and from town

Aunt Ellie-Mae came from back east
And just like every year
She brought with her a special gift
That she gave to grandpa

Now she has us all a guessin
What the wrapping it contained
And we all tried to guess
From the shape what it contained

He's too old for tennis
Could it be a warming pan
But his old eyes they came alight
When he saw what she had brang

Now, Aunt Ellie Mae said by the way
She couldn't stay for long
Back east she must skidaddle
And the next thing she was gone

But when it came to Boxing Day
It soon became so clear
Why Aunt Ellie Mae had been so keen
To say I'm outa here

When grandpa played the banjo
We all held our ears
Then pa he turned to ma and said
Just get him outa here
Get him out of here before he drives us all insane
Stick the old bugger on the back porch
Out in the wind and the rain

Well he played all night and he played all day
With a twinkle in his eye
Dewdrop on his nose
False teeth chattering away

Cripple Creek, Cumberland Gap
The Good Old Mountain Dew
Hope your ears are burning Aunt Ellie Mae
This racket's down to you

When Grandpa played the banjo

Now he never learned to tune the thing
But played on undeterred
Deaf as a post
Oblivious to the world

So the moral of the story
If you wanna stay clear of strife
Remember a banjo isn't just for Christmas
A banjo is for life

When Grandpa played the banjo