When I think of my grandpa I get all warm and sappy
And though I was feeling low, suddenly I'm happy
Remembering the melody of his jolly chuckle
As he'd invite me to tug on his extended knuckle

"Pull my finger!" He would say
He never gave the game away
I was young and so unwise
He always caught me by surprise

"Come on, young fellow," grandpa said,
"don't stand there and fidget."
So I threw caution to the wind
And grabbed his up-raised digit

That's the day that I found out
That my grandpa was linked to
The wisdom of the ancient Sphinx,
Through his ancient sphincter

"Pull my finger!" Is what he said,
"don't be shy - go ahead."
I pulled his finger, and I found
It's wind that makes the world go round

When grandpa was very old
And not for long would linger
He called me to his side and held
Up a trembling finger

No medicines could keep him here
No concoctions herbal
I had a feeling his last words
Would probably be non-verbal

I pulled his finger one last time
And I heard the choir sublime
Just before grandpa was gone
He passed gas and then passed on

Some folks think it is a shame
At this new millennium
There are so few traditions left
We can't remember any of 'em

Every family really needs
To have a firm foundation
And finger pulling is a way
To span the generations

Pull my finger when you're down
You will hear a joyful sound
It's something that each man tries
To teach his son before he dies

Pull my finger, don't be squirming, can you say it now in German?
Ziehe an mein finger!
Pull my finger, why don't you
Say it like the Russians do?
potyani menya za palyets
Pull my finger, won't you please
Say it now in Japanese?
Kono-o yubi-o kudesai
Pull my finger