{"id":1272,"date":"2020-02-28T08:57:11","date_gmt":"2020-02-28T08:57:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=1272"},"modified":"2020-10-25T14:38:18","modified_gmt":"2020-10-25T14:38:18","slug":"old-adam-was-father-of-all","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/old-adam-was-father-of-all\/","title":{"rendered":"Old Adam was father of all"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AKA<\/strong><\/td>Adam was father of all
Old Adam<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Lyrics<\/strong><\/td>JB Geoghegan <\/td>Music<\/strong><\/td> JB Geoghegan<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>12875<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n
Music Hall performers<\/strong><\/td>Sam Torr 1880s<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Solomon Ayres early 20th cent.<\/em><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
What a wonderful world we are in, to be sure!\nWhat a Babel and bustle of strife!\nAnd ah! what a burden some have to endure\nAs they journey the rough road of life.\nThe strongest may push to a prosperous end,\nWhile the weak and unsteady may fall,\nBut no matter my friend, how we finish, depend\nOld Adam was father of all\n\nThen never despair, though you have not your share,\nOf riches that round you may fall,\nBut be to each other, like sister and brother,\nFor Adam was father of all.<\/em>\n\n\nOne man may be lucky and rolling in wealth,\nBeing born this world's riches to gain,\nWhile others may only favour and health,\nAnd a cranium crammed full of brain;\nBut health is not bought, nor is happiness sold,\nSo a man should not merit despise;\nFor a sorrow may come lordliest home,\nAnd a joy to the lowly may rise.\n\nNo wonder some men are born to command,\nWhile others seem born to obey!\nFor one man will hold all he earns in his hand,\nAnd another will cast it away;\nBut make the best use of your talents in time,\nAnd fortune will give you a call,\nFor in spite of our creed, we're all of one breed,\nAnd Adam was father of all.\n<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Collected by Alfred Williams from the singing of Solomon Ayres in Wiltshire sometime 1900-1930.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
 Performed in the Halls by Sam Torr<\/a>. The Victoria and Albert Museum have the sheet music<\/a>, which was published in 1876, but only the cover is available online. The cover states that the song was sung with the greatest success by Sam Torr.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The British Library catalogue has Old Adam was Father of all <\/em>(song begins “What a wonderful world”) by JB Geoghegan<\/a>, published in London 1876.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n