You Are Old Father William

Em G C Em
Em G C Em

Am       Em                        G
"You are old, Father William," the young man said
          C                    Em
"And your hair has become very white
    Em                  G
And yet you incessantly stand on your head
       C                         Em
Do you think, at your age, it is right?"

       D
"In my youth," Father William replied to his son
   C                      G
"I feared it might injure the brain
    D
But now that I'm perfectly sure I have none
       C                D
Why, I do it again and again


D
"I am old
I am old
I will tell you again
I am old"


Am       Em                        G
"You are old," said the youth, "as I mentioned before
          C                    Em
And have grown most uncommonly fat
    Em                  G
Yet you turned a back-somersault in at the door
       C                         Em
Pray, what is the reason of that?"

      D
"In my youth," said the sage, as he shook his gray locks
  C                      G
"I kept all my limbs very supple
   D
By the use of this ointment, one shilling a box
       C                D
Allow me to sell you a couple?


D
"I am old
I am old
It's a statement, in fact
I am old"


Am       Em                        G
"You are old," said the youth, "and your jaws are too weak
          C                    Em
For anything tougher than suet
    Em                  G
Yet you finish the goose, with the bones and the beak
       C                         Em
Pray, how did you manage to do it?"


      D
"In my youth," said his father, "I took to the law
  C                      G
And argued each case with my wife
   D
And the muscular strength which it gave to my jaw
       C                D
Has lasted the rest of my life


D
"I am old
I am old
There's not much more to say
I am old"


Am       Em                        G
"You are old," said the youth, "one would hardly suppose
          C                    Em
That your eye was as steady as ever
   Em                  G
Yet you balanced an eel on the end of your nose
       C                         Em
What made you so awfully clever?"


      D
"I have answered three questions, and that is enough"
  C                      G
Said his father, "don't give yourself airs!
   D
Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff?
       C                D
Be off or I'll kick you downstairs


D
"Downstairs
Downstairs
Be off or I'll kick you downstairs!"