A German clockwinder to Manchester came
And Peter Von Gherkin was the old German's name
All up our street with his little brass bell
"Some clocks for to wind," this old German would yell

I toodalum I toodalum, I toodalum I ay
I toodalum, I toodalum in the old fashioned way
I toodalum, I toodalum, I toodalum I ay
Well, I winds 'em by night and I mends 'em by day
Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong, ding dong

He's met a young woman in Stephenson Square
She said as her clock was in need of repair
She took him upstairs and he followed with delight
In less than ten minutes, he'd set her clock right

I toodalum I toodalum, I toodalum I ay
I toodalum, I toodalum in the old fashioned way
I toodalum, I toodalum, I toodalum I ay
Well, I winds 'em by night and I mends 'em by day
Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong, ding dong

Now this old German was the ladies' delight
He often went to 'em by day and by night
And some went too fast-like, others went too slow
But nine out o' ten, he could make 'em all go

I toodalum I toodalum, I toodalum I ay
I toodalum, I toodalum in the old fashioned way
I toodalum, I toodalum, I toodalum I ay
Well, I winds 'em by night and I mends 'em by day
Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong, ding dong

Now while they were busy at what they was at
All of a sudden there came a rat-tat
And in came her hubby who got such a shock
To see this old German winding up his wife's clock

I toodalum I toodalum, I toodalum I ay
I toodalum, I toodalum in the old fashioned way
I toodalum, I toodalum, I toodalum I ay
Well, I winds 'em by night and I mends 'em by day
Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong, ding dong

Our clock it was bent and knocked out of repair
Well, that poor old German, he got such a scare
That never, oh never, for the rest of his life
Would he wind up the clock of another man's wife

I toodalum I toodalum, I toodalum I ay
I toodalum, I toodalum in the old fashioned way
I toodalum, I toodalum, I toodalum I ay
Well, I winds 'em by night and I mends 'em by day
Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong, ding dong
Well, I winds 'em by night and I mends 'em by day