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I wandered on the day's long path, up the hill I strayed,
I sat along that very stone where oft times we played;
I gazed on it one moment, 'twas the very stone I seen,
Just as it were in days gone by when we were sweet sixteen.
And I long for those bright days to come again once more,
But come again they never will for I am sixty-four.
It's past, it's past, oh, yes it is, the dawn of day is o'er,
And I'm in hopes to meet again upon that far off shore;
And when we meet we never shall part and blessed we both shall reign,
We'll talk about those happy days when we were sweet sixteen.
And I long for those bright days to come again once more,
But come again they never will for I am sixty-four.
That little trout swims in the brook it murmurs down below,
It swims on still and forever will as it did in years ago;
And the little meadow by its side was just as fresh and green,
As what it were in days gone by when we were sweet sixteen.
And I long for those bright days to come again once more,
But come again they never will for I am sixty-four.
Sung by Jim Rice (1879-1958) of Cape Broyle, NL, and published in MacEdward Leach And The Songs Of Atlantic Canada © 2004 Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA). Recorded by Harry Hibbs, see The Very Best of Harry Hibbs, Vol 1, 1978; Remastered, CBC, 2001. Dick Nolan also recorded an arrangement on his CD Newfoundland Good Times, 1999, Condor HCD 4499.
GEST is of the opinion that When We Were Sweet Sixteen and Now I'm Sixty-Four are both derivatives of Maurice Hogan's Song.
