終於找到cheers樂隊所唱〈十年約會〉的原曲了。歌曲原名是grandfather's clock，是一首美國民歌，在1876年，由Henry Clay Work作曲和填詞。台灣譯〈爺爺的大時鐘〉，可惜未能在台灣樂韻悠揚。
但在六十年代傳到日本後，卻十分流行，當時每個小朋友都會唱這首歌，視這首歌為日本的童謠，日本稱〈古老的大鐘〉。後來平井堅重唱這首童謠，他的唱腔充滿了日本獨有的哀愁民謠風，根本很難察覺原曲是美國童謠。
平井堅以有別於傳統的抒情唱法，給歌曲注入新的生命，歌聲彷彿教我們重新反省光陰、歲月以至生命的面貌。童謠之所以常感人熱淚，正因為碰觸了人的心裡那最單純，最容易隨時光而模糊，甚至封閉的部份。
中國童謠盡力避免把死亡思想放入童謠的歌詞中，通常是歡欣愉快。〈古老的大鐘〉透過伴隨爺爺一生的老時鐘故事，帶領孩子回顧祖父由誕生，結婚至老死的一生， 曲子在嘀答嘀答的鐘擺節奏中進行，好像由佇立家中的大時鐘娓娓道述生命的悲喜與起落；而老時鐘最後亦在老人百年歸老後停擺了，歌詞哀傷感人。
以下歌詞由潘宇文譯。
My grandfather's clock was too large for the shelf,so it stood ninety years on the floor;
我爺爺的時鐘比書架還要大，所以它在地板上佇立了九十年。
It was taller by half than the old man himself,thought it weighed not a penny weight more.
它比爺爺身長的一半還要高，雖然它只有一個硬幣的重量。
It was bought on the morn of the day that he was born, And was always his treasure and pride.
它在爺爺出生的那天早晨被買回，是爺爺這輩子最驕傲的寶物。
* But it stopped short, never to go again, When the old man died.
* 但是當爺爺一去世，大時鐘就停止擺動再也不走了。
Ninety years without slumbering, Tick, Tock, His life seconds numbering, Tick, Tock,
九十年未曾休息過，滴答滴答的響，它的一生都在計算時間。
It stopped short , never to go again, When the old man died.
但是當爺爺一去世，它就停止擺動，再也不走了。
In watching its pendulum swing to and fro, Many hours had he spent while a boy;
在注視著鐘擺的來回擺盪中，爺爺度過了他的童年；
And in childhood and manhood the clock seemed to know, And to share both his grief and his joy.
且在爺爺的幼年和壯年時期，大時鐘分享了他的悲傷與喜悅。
For it struck twenty-four when he entered the door, With a blooming and beautiful bride.
當爺爺娶進了青春美麗的新娘時，大時鐘敲了24響聲歡迎他們。
My grandfather said, that of those he could hire, Not a servant so faithful he found;
爺爺說他曾聘僱過許多人，但沒有任何一個僕人像它一樣忠實
For it wasted no time, and had but one desire, At the close of each week to be wound.
它從不浪費時間，且只有一個心願，希望在每個週末被轉緊發條。
And it kept in its place, not a frown upon its face, And its hands never hung by its side.
它堅守自己的崗位從不會皺起眉頭，也不會停止搖擺垂頭喪氣。
It rang an alarm in the dead of the night, An alarm that for years had been dumb; And we knew that his spirit was pluming its flight, That his hour of departure had come.
它在寂靜的深夜裡響起，然而這鐘響聲已經消失很久了；我們知道爺爺的靈魂已隨鐘聲飛逝。
Still the clock kept the time, With a soft and muffled chime, As we silently stood by his side.
此時距爺爺大去的時刻已不遠了。大時鐘仍然以微弱的聲音在計時，當我們靜靜地站在爺爺的身邊時...
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