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