Old Zip Coon

My grandfather died today. He was 86 years old. My cousins & I were talking about our favorite memories of him today. We all agreed that our favorite is when he would bounce us on his knee & sing, "Old Zip Coon" as we laughed hysterically. There were always 5 or more kids waiting their turn to be bounced on Grandpa's knee. He never seemed to get tired of it and the younger cousins (there are 24 of us) have the same memory. We are glad he is no longer in pain. However, we will all miss him terribly. Grandpa was a wonderful man & the glue that holds our family together.


Here are the lyrics to Old Zip Coon:

There was once a man with a double chin
Who performed with skill on a violin
And he played in time and he played in tune
But he never played anything but Old Zip Coon
Old Zip Coon he played all day
Until he drove his friends away
He played all night by the light of the moon
And he wouldn't play anything but Old Zip Coon.

So the neighbours said "will you kindly play
Nellie Bly or 'Where are the Flowers of May"
Any tune will do if it's not that tune
But he wouldn't play anything but Old Zip Coon
Old Zip Coon he played all night
Until the owls and bats took flight
His friends all begged for a different tune
And he wouldn't play anything but Old Zip Coon.

So they took that man with the double chin
All his worldy goods and the violin
And they shiped him off to a foreign shore
Where the natives had never heard the tune before
Old Zip Coon he played all day
Until the natives ran away
He played and played by the light of the moon
Till they wished they had never heard of Old Zip Coon

They have left him there by the deep blue sea
Where he lives alone in a hollow tree
And he plays that tune and it never ends
So it isn't surprising he has no friends
Old Zip Coon he played all day
There's no on left to run away
And still he thinks it's a beautiful tune
And that is the history of Old Zip Coon


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The tune is the same as, "Turkey In The Straw" for anyone who is wondering. The song dates back to the 1830's. My Grandfather passed it on to us, the same as his father and grandfather passed it along to him. Now, my male cousins are singing it to their kids as they bounce them on their knee.

The rule always was, each kid got one verse & then it was the next child's turn. It never occurred to me, until I was much older and watching Grandpa bounce the younger cousins on his knee, that the endless line of grandkids wanting their turn must be exhausting. I don't remember Grandpa even once saying he was tired & couldn't do it anymore. Kid after kid, verse after verse, he had the time and energy for us all. I remember his sky blue eyes sparkling as he laughed along with us at the silly tune. He had incredibly beautiful eyes. Grandma is the one who ensured we didn't wear Grandpa out. Her timing seemed to be such that every kid got a turn, sometimes two, and then she'd need Grandpa for something or supper would be ready. I think she realized that Grandpa just wouldn't tell us "no".  

As a married couple, my grandparents set a wonderful example.  They have always been opposites.  Yet, in a strange way, they complimented each other perfectly.  There has never been a doubt in anyone's mind that knows either of them that they were madly in love with each other throughout their entire marriage.  There is also no one who knows them that would tell you they didn't argue.  Trust me, they argued... sometimes loudly.  Think of it more as a loud and spirited debate.  They always figured out a way to solve their disagreements and there was never a doubt, even in the middle of a heated debate, that they wouldn't work it out.  Some children hear parents or grandparents arguing & worry about the stability of that relationship.  On the few occasions we heard our grandparents disagree, it never crossed our mind that their relationship could possibly falter.  They were head over heels for each other for 64 years.  Nothing shook that rock solid relationship.  My heart goes out to my grandmother.  She is a strong woman.  However, I know that losing the love of her life is devastating.

Grandpa was a farmer. Not your typical farmer. He spent several years in the Army during World War II, did very well in school and placed a high value on education, was active in school and community groups throughout his life, had a wonderful sense of humor, and was blessed with an abundance of friends. Grandpa wasn't a farmer by necessity. He was a farmer because that's what he loved to do. Other than the military, he lived his entire life on the family farm. He and Grandma raised seven kids on that farm. They have 24 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren.  There is never a good time to say "goodbye" and we will all miss the man we knew simply as "Grandpa".