The Old Gray Mare

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The Old Gray Mare is an old folk song, typically regarded as a "kiddy" song. Although nominally about horses, it can just as easily refer to people who are well past their prime. Roud 751.

Contents

[edit] Lyrics

Oh, the old gray mare, she ain't what she used to be,
Ain't what she used to be, ain't what she used to be.
The old gray mare, she ain't what she used to be,
Many long years ago.
Many long years ago, many long years ago.
The old gray mare, she ain't what she used to be,
Many long years ago.
The old gray mare, she kicked on the whiffletree,
Kicked on the whiffletree, kicked on the whiffletree
The old gray mare, she kicked on the whiffletree
Many long years ago.
Many long years ago, many long years ago,
The old gray mare, she kicked on the whiffletree
Many long years ago.

[edit] Structure

The repetitious structure of the song is common to a number of traditional folk songs, including London Bridge is Falling Down. The melodic structure of the two songs is also similar, with the middle of the three repetitions of the phrase being sung to a similar melody, taken down a scale degree.[1]

[edit] References in popular culture

  • The song has been used for generations, as an underscore to cartoon or movie or TV scenes featuring a horse, especially an old one.
  • During an episode of The Simpsons entitled Krusty Gets Kancelled, the "Old Jewish Man", a recurring Simpsons character, is twice seen and thrice heard singing the song with his trousers around his ankles.
  • It serves as an ironic fight song for Murray State University athletics teams. Whenever the Racers score during a home football game, the band plays an upbeat rendition of The Old Gray Mare while an actual thoroughbred racehorse is run around the track of Roy Stewart Stadium.
  • Ohio State University fans sing the lyrics "We don't give a damn for the whole state of Michigan" to the tune.
  • The songs Great Green Gobs of Greasy, Grimy Gopher Guts, and I'm In the Lord's Army are usually performed to the same tune.
  • Jerry Lee Lewis recorded his version of this song in 1960, retitled 'Baby Baby Bye Bye'.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Jay Rahn, "Stereotype Forms in English-Canadian Children's Songs: Historical and Pedagogical Aspects", Canadian Journal for Traditional Music (1981)
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