Ol' Man Mose
Golden Gate Quartet Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Now one time there lived an old man
With a very crooked nose
He lived inside a log hut
And they called him ol' man Mose
One dark and dreary morning I knocked upon his door
I didn't hear a single sound
So I ain't gonna do it no more.
'Cos I believe ol' man, I believe ol' man
I believe ol' man, thatol' man Mose is dead.
I believe ol' man, I believe ol' man
I believe ol' man, that ol' man Mose is dead.

(Now you believe) Mose kicked the bucket
(You believe) Mose kicked the bucket
(You believe) Mose kicked the bucket
(You believe he's dead)

(You believe) Mose kicked the bucket
(You believe) Mose kicked the bucket
(You believe) Mose kicked the bucket
(You believe he's dead)

Now listen here,
I went round to the window
And I peeped in through the crack,
Inside there was an old man
Laying flat upon his back
I thought that he was sleeping
Head hung to the floor
He didn't make a single move
So I ain't gonna do it no more

'Cos I found out ol' man, I found out ol' man
Yeah, I found out ol' man, ol' man Mose is dead

('Cos you found out) ol' man
(You found out) ol' man
(You found out) ol' man
(You found out he's dead)

(You found out) Mose kicked the bucket
(You found out) Mose kicked the bucket
(You found out) Mose kicked the bucket
(You found out he's dead)


(You found out) Mose kicked the bucket
(You found out) Mose kicked the bucket
(You found out) Mose kickin' up daisies
(You found out he's dead)





Old Man Mose is dead.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the Golden Gate Quartet's song "Ol' Man Mose" tell the story of an old man with a crooked nose, who lives in a log hut. One dark and dreary morning, the singer knocks upon his door, but there is no answer. After peeping in through the window and finding the old man lying motionless on the floor, the singer comes to the conclusion that he is dead.


The song is relatively simple but offers an interesting commentary on the human condition of mortality. The chorus repeats the phrase "I believe ol' man, that ol' man Mose is dead," emphasizing the idea that we are all going to die one day. The use of repetition is an effective tool, emphasizing and drilling home the concept of death.


The song is also notable for its use of call-and-response singing typical of African American spirituals. The lead singer delivers a line, and the other quartet members respond with a harmonized refrain. This technique adds depth and complexity to the piece.


Overall, "Ol' Man Mose" is a lament for a man who has passed away, but it also serves as a reminder of our own eventual fates.


Line by Line Meaning

Now one time there lived an old man
There was once an old man


With a very crooked nose
His nose was noticeably crooked


He lived inside a log hut
He lived in a log cabin


And they called him ol' man Mose
He was nicknamed 'ol' man Mose'


One dark and dreary morning I knocked upon his door
One dark and gloomy morning I knocked on his door


I didn't hear a single sound
He didn't hear any noise


So I ain't gonna do it no more.
So he decided not to try again


'Cos I believe ol' man, I believe ol' man I believe ol' man, that ol' man Mose is dead.
He believes that ol' Man Mose is dead


Now listen here, I went round to the window And I peeped in through the crack, Inside there was an old man Laying flat upon his back
He went to the window and saw Mose lying flat on his back


I thought that he was sleeping Head hung to the floor
He thought that Mose was sleeping with his head hanging down


He didn't make a single move So I ain't gonna do it no more
Since Mose didn't move, he decided not to try again


'Cos I found out ol' man, I found out ol' man Yeah, I found out ol' man, ol' man Mose is dead
He found out that ol' Man Mose is dead


(You found out) Mose kicked the bucket (You found out) Mose kicked the bucket (You found out) Mose kicked the bucket (You found out he's dead)
He discovered Mose died, using the expression 'kick the bucket'


(You found out) Mose kicked the bucket (You found out) Mose kicked the bucket (You found out) Mose kickin' up daisies (You found out he's dead)
He discovered Mose died, using the euphemism 'kickin' up daisies'


Old Man Mose is dead.
Ol' man Mose is no longer alive




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LOUIS ARMSTRONG, ZILNER T. RANDOLPH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

jenmovies

This is fantastic!

More Versions