A popular song from 1923.
Words by Jack Yellen.
Music by Milton Ager.
Sheet music provided by Laurence Rubenstein:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- On a mantel-piece beside a Dresden clock they stand
Loving hearts inprison’d in porcelain
While he bravely reaches for her dainty little hand
Tender eyes are asking, “Is this in vain?”
When the night is at the witching hour
Faithful little friend in need
Comes a fairy from her woodland bow’r
And the fettered hearts are freed
While the Dresden clock is idly ticking up above
He can hear them singing their quaint little song of love
Refrain
Tick! Tock! Ev’ry little tick-tock ticks a moment away
Tick! Tock! Wearily the big clock ticks through all the day
But whenever we meet, speedily the hands ’round the dial seems to glide
And the moments quickly fly by when they find you by my side
Tick! Tock! There’s a heart that tick-tocks for you all of the time
Tick! Tock! Blissful little tick-tocks till the twelve o’clock chime
When the hour of love ends for you and me, lonely without you then
I’ll be counting little tick-tocks till we meet here again
- In each others arms the lovers gaily laugh and stay
Ev’ry moment bringing a dream of bliss
And the Dresden clock keeps ticking “Hurry, don’t delay
Ev’ry mortal hour is not like this”
Suddenly the clock begins to chime
Mournfully the lovers sigh
Twelve o’clock has come; it’s parting time
And they sadly say goodbye
To the mantle piece they mend their weary way again
Tearful are the voices that whisper so faintly then
Sung here by Fred Feild: