Lyrks
Lyrks
Cover Art

The Watchmaker’s Apprentice Lyrics by The Clockwork Quartet

2012

That Mister MacArthur's looked all over town
But he won't find me now, for I'm offcoastward bound
I'm trading the smog for some fresh salt sea air
And he'll never catch on that I'm there

I once was his apprentice in the clockmaking trade
And the miser made me work for every penny of my wage
'Til he found he could replace me with a clockwork machine
And he threw me right out on the street

I'm not the kind who would grovel and pray
That he dared to recant and permit me to stay
So I cursed him and left and I solemnly swore that he'd pay

Now Mister MacArthur has very poor eyes
And he never did see me when he left work at night
And once in a while he would forget to check
That his workshop back window was closed

Now, I'm not a burglar, and am no vandal nor
The old man had to suffer, but I wanted something more
I wanted him to feel it and know it was me
And I knew that his clocks were the key

I sat in his workshop, my thoughts running wild
And it suddenly hit me and I looked up and smiled
For I knew that I'd have him
And I knew that I'd do it in style

I tell you that clockwork's a powerful thing
There's a terrible strength in those tightly-wound springs
And a gentleman's pocket-watch stays by his heart
And that's where the damage can start

Now, I'm no machine but I can work when I choose
With hands good as any when I've something to prove
So I stayed up all night among cogs, springs, and screws
And I didn't stop 'til I was through

I rigged up a watch to do more than just chime
And I didn't balk once at the depth of my crime!
The most perfect invention
That still kept impeccable time!

Last week, a young man stopped by in the shop
Took a shine to a timepiece and paid on the spot
He wound it and wore it, and at six on the dot
He came to a messy and permanent stop

Now Mister MacArthur's got blood on his hands
And he barely made bail, he's a ruined man
And surely he knows who his downfall was planned by
It's all worked out like clockwork
Credits
The Clockwork Quartet

The Clockwork Quartet

About “The Watchmaker’s Apprentice” by The Clockwork Quartet

Read the complete lyrics to "The Watchmaker’s Apprentice" by The Clockwork Quartet in 2012. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop.

"The Watchmaker’s Apprentice" is performed by The Clockwork Quartet. in 2012 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "The Watchmaker’s Apprentice", explore more songs by The Clockwork Quartet using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for The Clockwork Quartet · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"The Watchmaker’s Apprentice" is credited to The Clockwork Quartet. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

Album information for "The Watchmaker’s Apprentice" is not available in our database yet. You can still read the full lyrics on this page.

Visit the The Clockwork Quartet artist page at /artist/the-clockwork-quartet for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.

Closer
The Doctor’s Wife
Lyrks
Lyrks

Your gateway to the world of music lyrics.

Product

Features

Company

About

Artists

Trending

Legal

Privacy

Terms

Copyright

Support

Contact

Features

Charts

© 2026 Lyrks. All rights reserved.