I sit here wondering when the gramophone lost its horn
And when the big clock in the hall, big clock in the hall lost its big hand
Yes, and if we want this whole town to blow
We've got to make a tic-a-tic-toc tic-a-tic-toc of our own
I sit here wondering when the microphone lost its cord
And when the big clock in the hall, big clock in the hall got so forlorn

'Cause if we want rolling thunder
To throw these tides asunder
If we want lashing bows and purple clouds we'd best start calling it by its name
The microphone put up a stand
The megaphone lent her a hand
And that's how the riot was born
The newspapers knew how it began

But no one there could explain the ensuing storm
There were people throwing rocks
You could hear the bass for blocks
Yes girls took off their tops
And that's when someone called the cops
There were hands a'clapping and feet a'stomping
And through it all came the rising call