The Old Alarm Clock - The Dubliners

When first I came to London in the year of 39

The city looked so wonderful and the girls were so divine

But the coppers got suspicious and they soon gave me the knock

I was charged with being the owner of an old alarm clock

Well, next morning down by Marlborough Street I caused no little stir

The I.R.A were busy and a telephone did burr

Says the judge, «I'm going to charge you, with the possession of this machine

And I’m also going to charge you, with the wearing of the Green»

Now, says I to him, «Your honour, if you give me half a chance

I’ll show you how me small machine can make the peelers dance

It ticks away politely till you get an awful shock

And it ticks away the gelignite of me old alarm clock»

Said the judge, «Now, listen here listen here, my man, and I’ll tell you of a

plan

For you and all your countrymen I do not give a damn

The only time you’ll take is mine: ten years in Dartmoor dock

And you can count it by the ticking of your old alarm clock

Now, this lonely Dartmoor city would put many in the jigs

The cell, it isn’t pretty and it isn’t very big

Sure, I’d long ago have left the place if I had only got

Ah, me couple of sticks of gelignite and me old alarm clock