There was a man like you and me, as simple as a man could ever be; And he was happy as a king, except for one peculiar thing He had a clock that worked all right It worked all right, but not exactly quite; Instead of going "tick, tock, tick" The crazy clock went "tock, tick, tock" The poor old man just raved and raved, because nobody could say Why his silly clock behaved that hickory dickory way But now a famous man is he He owns a public curiosity; From far and wide the people flock To hear the syncopated clock Tick-a-tock, tick-a-tock
There's a zing in the swing of that clock Tock-a-tick, tock-a-tick Don't you think it's a marvelous trick? Ting-a-ling, ting-a-ling There's a zong in the bong of that ring Ling-a-ting, ling-a-ting Don't you think it's a wonderful thing? The experts came to hear and see But none of them could solve the mystery They called Professor Einstein too He said "There's nothing I can do" But soon the fickle human race will find another freak to take its place And one fine day the man will hock the poor old syncopated clock