...
That Mr McArthur s looked all over town,
But he won t find me now for I m off coastward bound.
And I m trading the smog for some fresh salt sea air
....
And he ll never catch on that I m there.
I once was his apprentice, in the clock-making trade,
And the miser made me work for every penny of my wage.
Til he found he could replace me with a clockwork machine,
And he threw me right out on the street.
I m not the kind who would grovel and pray
F#add4
That he deign to recant and permit to stay,
F#madd4
So I cursed him and left and I solemnly swore that he d pay.
Now Mr McArthur has very poor eyes,
And he never did see me when he left work at night.
And once in a while he would forget to check
....
That his workshop back window was closed.
No I m not a burglar and I m no vandal nor.
The old man had to suffer, but I wanted something more:
I wanted him to feel it and know it was me,
And I knew that his clocks were the key.
I sat in his workshop, my thoughts running wild,
F#add4
Then it suddenly hit me, and I looked up and I smiled
F#madd4
For I knew that I d have him and I knew that I d do it in style.
....
I tell you that clockwork s a powerful thing;
There s a terrible strength in those tightly wound springs.
And a gentleman s pocketwatch stays by his heart,
....
And that s where the damage can start.
Now I m no machine but I can work when I choose,
With hands good as any when I ve something to prove.
So I stayed up all night among cogs, springs and screws,
....
And I didn t stop till I was through.
I rigged up a watch to do more than just chime ,
F#add4
And I didn t baulk once at the depth of my crime -
F#madd4
A most perfect invention that still kept impeccable time.
....
....
....
....
....
The next week a young man stopped by in the shop,
Took a shine to a timepiece and paid on the spot.
He wound it, and wore it, and at 6 on the dot
He came to a messy and permanent stop.
Now Mr McArthur s got blood on his hands,
And he barely made bail, he s a ruined man,
And surely he knows who his downfall was planned by,
It s all worked out like clockwork.