[Verse 1]
Once again I have roamed thro' the old-fashioned house
Where my grandfather spent his ninety years
There are strangers in charge and the change they have wrought
Oh! it saddens me even to tears.
Dear old clock, when they found you were speechless from grief,
Then they went and swapped you off, case and all.
For that vain, stuck-up thing,
For that vain, stuck-up thing,
For that vain, stuck-up thing on the wall.

[Chorus]
Grandfather sleeps in his grave
Strange steps resound in the hall
And there's that vain, stuck-up thing,
There's that vain, stuck-up thing,
There's that vain, stuck-up thing on the wall.

[Verse 2]
While we talked of the old clock they all ran it down,
Tho' they claimed that it couldn't be made to run
It was useless they said, it was quite out of style;
Built no doubt, just about the Year One.
And the words echoed round, with a faint mocking sound
As if someone gave assent to it all
'Twas that vain, stuck-up thing,
'Twas that vain, stuck-up thing,
'Twas that vain, stuck-up thing on the wall.

[Chorus]

[Verse 3]
From the clock-peddler's cart to the junk shop it went,
Where it's cogwheels were sundered one by one;
And the brass-founder joked as they writhed in the flames,
"Melt 'em up," says he, "then they will run"
There is grief in my heart, there are tears in my eyes,
Yet indignantly the sight I recall
Of that vain, stuck-up thing,
Of that vain, stuck-up thing,
Of that vain, stuck-up thing on the wall.

[Chorus]

[Verse 4]
"And extremely hard case!" said the junk-dealer's wife,
As she carried it for kindling wood inside.
That mahogany case, with it's faint, figured face,
Which so long was my grandfather's pride.
"There is hope for the small; there's a chance for us all;
For the mighty ones of Time, they must fall!"
Says that vain, stuck-up thing,
Says that vain, stuck-up thing,
Says that vain, stuck-up thing on the wall.

[Chorus]