From the film “Second Fiddle”, 1939
Words and music by Irving Berlin
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
Listen to the song of the metronome
Tick – tock, tick – tock
Simple little song of the metronome
Tick – tock, tick – tock
Listen to it telling you that life is sublime
Life is sublime if you just take your time
Just keep in time with the song of the metronome
Listen to it tick-tock an even beat
Tick – tock, tick – tock
Beating out a warning to anxious feet
Tick – tock, tick – tock
Telling you a turtle had a race with a hare
And at the finish the turtle was there
Keeping in time with the song of the metronome
Tick – tock, tick – tock
You may be passed
Tick – tock, tick – tock
But you will last
Better to be late than to not arrive
Tick – tock, tick – tock
Four o’clock is gone but you still have five
Tick – tock, tick – tock
When your day is over you’ll be up on the shelf
So, brother, don’t run away with yourself
Don’t run away from the song of the metronome