Grandpa
The Judds Lyrics


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Grandpa, tell me 'bout the good old days
Sometimes it feels like this world's gone crazy
Grandpa, take me back to yesterday
When the line between right and wrong
Didn't seem so hazy

Did lovers really fall in love to stay
And stand beside each other, come what may?
Was a promise really something people kept
Not just something they would say
Did families really bow their heads to pray?
Did daddies really never go away?
Whoa, whoa, grandpa, tell me 'bout the good old days

Grandpa, everything is changing fast
We call it progress, but I just don't know
And grandpa, let's wander back into the past
Then paint me the picture of long ago

Did lovers really fall in love to stay
And stand beside each other, come what may?
Was a promise really something people kept
Not just something they would say and then forget
Did families really bow their heads to pray?
Did daddies really never go away?
Whoa, whoa, grandpa, tell me 'bout the good old days
Whoa, whoa, grandpa, tell me 'bout the good old days

Mm
Mm





Did families really bow their heads to pray?
Did daddies really never go away?

Overall Meaning

The Judds' song "Grandpa" is a heartfelt tribute to the values and traditions of the past, as seen through the eyes of a young person seeking guidance and wisdom from their elder. The song opens with the plea: "Grandpa, tell me 'bout the good old days / Sometimes it feels like this world's gone crazy." The singer is looking for reassurance and comfort in the face of the challenges and uncertainties of the present. They long for a time when the line between right and wrong was clearer, when people kept their promises and families prayed together.


The chorus repeats the refrain: "Did lovers really fall in love to stay / And stand beside each other, come what may? / Was a promise really something people kept / Not just something they would say / Did families really bow their heads to pray? / Did daddies really never go away? / Whoa, whoa, grandpa, tell me 'bout the good old days." These questions capture the nostalgia and idealism that often accompanies a collective longing for a simpler, more wholesome past. The singer wonders if the world they imagine ever really existed or if it is just a romanticized memory.


The song's final verse shifts the focus to the present: "Grandpa, everything is changing fast / We call it progress, but I just don't know / And grandpa, let's wander back into the past / Then paint me the picture of long ago." The singer acknowledges the inevitability of change and the complexity of modern life, but still seeks solace and grounding in the stories and traditions of their ancestors.


Line by Line Meaning

Grandpa, tell me 'bout the good old days
The singer yearns for a time when things seemed simpler and when life seemed less complicated.


Sometimes it feels like this world's gone crazy
The world and its current state of affairs feel overwhelming and confusing.


Grandpa, take me back to yesterday
The singer desires to revisit a time in the past when things felt certain and secure.


When the line between right and wrong / Didn't seem so hazy
The singer longs for a time when it was easier to differentiate between what was right and wrong.


Did lovers really fall in love to stay / And stand beside each other, come what may?
The singer questions whether old-fashioned, traditional values surrounding love and commitment still hold true today.


Was a promise really something people kept / Not just something they would say
The singer doubts whether people still take promises and commitments as seriously as they did in the past.


Did families really bow their heads to pray?
The singer wonders if the act of prayer and religious devotion within families has diminished over time.


Did daddies really never go away?
The singer questions whether fathers were more involved and present in the upbringing of their children in the past.


Grandpa, everything is changing fast / We call it progress, but I just don't know
The singer acknowledges that change is happening quickly, but is unsure whether it is for the better or worse.


And grandpa, let's wander back into the past / Then paint me the picture of long ago
The singer wants to be transported to a simpler time and asks the grandfather figure to paint a nostalgic picture of that time.


Did lovers really fall in love to stay / And stand beside each other, come what may?
The singer reiterates the earlier question about the validity of traditional love and commitment.


Was a promise really something people kept / Not just something they would say and then forget
The singer further underscores the importance of keeping promises and commitments.


Did families really bow their heads to pray?
Once again, the singer wonders if religious devotion within families has decreased over time.


Did daddies really never go away?
The singer repeats the question about the role of fathers in the past, suggesting that it is a source of nostalgia.


Whoa, whoa, grandpa, tell me 'bout the good old days
The repeated refrain conveys a sense of yearning for a simpler time.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jamie O'hara

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@elainej.goodrich3974

This song is a very beautiful and a reminder of when things used to be
respected and not rejected .
I have watched the Judds ever since they started performing on TV.
They are a brilliant Mother and Daughter team.
When I was young my grandpa would as my mother to sing with my 2 sisters and my brother for him.
Which we did and he would pick the song for us to sing . Those were the good ole days indeed.
Now it's the new generation that DOSENT even know how to play outside , the games that we used to play. Like kick the can or tag you're it .
Just anything to be out doors and have fun . But , most of the time
it's not safe anymore. Things have changed alot since way back when .
Thank you to my best friend for this beautiful video and song of the JUDDS. GOD BLESS THEM AND GOD BLESS EVERYONE IN THIS WORLD.
MY LOVE TO ALL
HAVE A GOOD NIGHT !
LOVE , PEACE AND JOY TO ALL
GOD BE WITH YOU ALL TOO



All comments from YouTube:

@denisefarmer366

Being in my 70's i can say from experience the difference between "the good old days" and today is astounding.❤Judds

@MarcosBryant-gk1jv

What do you admire most about the Judds

@noneya-wf8wq

you got that right i miss them man i wish they would hurry up with that time machine

@DavidZakrzewski-hx4pd

​@@MarcosBryant-gk1jv3:32 3:33

@magx1

There was a real generation gap between my grandparent’s generation and my own generation. That was a good thing. My grandparents didn’t try to fit in with my generation. Today, I’m not sure the generation gap between older and younger adults is as distinct as it was 30 or 40 years ago.

@brodyboyd5143

Being in my 20's in this current world, I wish that I was born about 20 or 30 years earlier than I was. Not that I was older, but I experienced just enough of what was left of the good old days before technology brought us to where we are.

6 More Replies...

@barbaraaly6186

I don't know what my grandpa would think of the world today. Hes been gone since 1995. I miss him and his house, and the big garden he grew every summer.

@MarcosBryant-mr7jw

What do you admire most about the Judds

@OSAS726

I was wondering the same thing about my grandpa. He’s been gone since 1988. He was born in 1916 and he raised my sister and I. I know he would not be happy in light of the fact that he served this nation in World War II in Germany. My dad’s dad was born in 1922 and died in 1999.. he, too, was a World War II veteran who served as a platoon sergeant in the Philippines. He was a lifelong Democrat, and I know for a fact that he would not be one today. Especially the way the Democratic Party has gone headlong into communism. Both of my grandpa’s were very patriotic and loved this country. I’m 51 years old and I still love and miss them both so very much.

@ChrisTyra8

Man I miss these days, no cell phones no social media. When you wanted to see someone you drove over and sat and talked on the porch or just visited. Sunday dinners was the best! These ol songs take me back! She will be missed so much!

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