the old gray/grey mare, She ain't what she used to be

[Paul M. Johnson]

OGM first time as hit song sept.15,1917; from 1858 song "Down in
Alabam, in 1860 was used in lincoln's campaign as "Old Abe Lincoln" No
one knows who wrote the words, music by Frank Panella

"Prof. R. Sussex" wrote:
>
> I am checking on the spread of "ain't", including its revival in
> Australia. Does anyone know whether the song "The old gray/grey mare,
> She ain't what she used to be" is American in origin? Several
> colleagues here have indicated that this is their first remembered
> hearing of "ain't" outside North America.
>
> Roly Sussex
> The University of Queensland
> --
> **********************************************************
>
> Roly Sussex
> Professor of Applied Language Studies
> Department of French, German, Russian, Spanish and Applied Linguistics
> School of Languages and Comparative Cultural Studies
> The University of Queensland
> Brisbane
> Queensland 4072
> AUSTRALIA
>
> Office: Forgan-Smith Tower 403
> Phone:  +61 7 3365 6896
> Fax:    +61 7 3365 2798
> Email:  r.sussex at mailbox.uq.edu.au
> Web:    http://www.arts.uq.edu.au/slccs/Staff/sussex.html
> School's website:
>         http://www.arts.uq.edu.au/slccs/
>
> Language Talkback ABC radio:
> Web:    http://www.cltr.uq.edu.au/languagetalkback/
>
> **********************************************************