DESCRIPTION:
This Old House 1954

Composer/songwriter : Stuart Hamblen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"This Old House" (or sometimes written "This Ole House") is a popular song by Stuart Hamblen published in 1954. It describes a house in a state of disrepair after its owner's death, and was inspired by a real-life house found by Hamblen and his friends while on a fishing trip. Despite its subject matter, the song is normally performed in an upbeat style. Hamblen intended this to symbolize the joy of the man's going to Heaven.

This old house once knew my children
This old house once knew my wife
This old house was home and comfort
As we fought the storms of life
This old house once rang with laughter
This old house heard many shouts
Now she trembles in the darkness
When the lightnin' walks about

[Chorus]
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer
Ain't a-gonna need this house no more
Ain't got time to fix the shingles
Ain't got time to fix the floor
Ain't got time to oil the hinges
Nor to mend the window-pane
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer
I'm a-gettin' ready to meet the saints

This old house is a-gettin' shaky
This old house is a-gettin' old
This old house lets in the rain
This old house lets in the cold
Oh my knees are-a gettin' chilly
But I feel no fear or pain
'Cause I see an angel peekin'
Through a broken window-pane

[Chorus]
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer
Ain't a-gonna need this house no more
Ain't got time to fix the shingles
Ain't got time to fix the floor
Ain't got time to oil the hinges
Nor to mend the window-pane
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer
I'm a-gettin' ready to meet the saints

Now this old house is afraid of thunder
This old house is afraid of storms
This old house just groans and trembles
When the night wind flings its arms
This old house is a-gettin' feeble
This old house is a-needin' paint
Just like me it's tuckered out
But I'm a-gettin' ready to meet the saints

[Chorus]
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer
Ain't a-gonna need this house no more
Ain't got time to fix the shingles
Ain't got time to fix the floor
Ain't got time to oil the hinges
Nor to mend the window-pane
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer
I'm a-gettin' ready to meet the saints

Now my old hound dog lies a-sleepin'
He don't know I'm gonna leave
Else he'd wake up by the fireplace
And he'd sit there and howl and grieve
But my huntin' days are over
Ain't gonna hunt the coon no more
Gabriel done brought in my chariot
When the wind blew down the door

[Chorus]
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer
Ain't a-gonna need this house no more
Ain't got time to fix the shingles
Ain't got time to fix the floor
Ain't got time to oil the hinges
Nor to mend the window-pane
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer
I'm a-gettin' ready to meet the saints
Ready to meet the saints
.
For more information about Stuart Hamblen go to
https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fhafq

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Hamblen
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Ole_House

About Stuart writing this song on a paper sack:
http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=85619
Subject: DT Correction: This Old House
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Oct 05 - 05:14 PM

Ayup, sounds like you got the story right, Roger. Here's the quote from Stuart Hamblen (note spelling), from Dorothy Horstman's Sing Your Heart Out, Country Boy:

This song was written one cold wintry day in the High Sierra mountain range when I was on a hunting trip. With a hunting companion, I had gone hack into a remote section of the country. We were at least twenty miles from the nearest road when we came upon an old prospector's cabin. Although there was snow on the ground, there was no smoke coming from the chimney but I knew the master was at home because a large hound dog was lying on the front porch. Upon entering, we found an old man dead in a back room. I can't say how long he had been dead, for he looked like he was just asleep, but because of the severe weather it might have been some time, and the old hound was nearly starved. 'This Ole House' was the old prospector's epitaph." —Stuart Hamblen-

IT Is Thurl Ravenscroft (voice of Tony the Tiger) doing the bass singing on the choruses of both this, and Rosemary Clooney's recordings. He also did You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch

NEW: NEWER - Videos
This 'Ole House - The Story Behind The Song Told By Stuart Hamblen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNzcGxl5nk8

Stuart Hamblen This Old House
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CfQt6Z_VbA
.