When I was just a wee little lad   Full of health and joy   My father homeward came one night   And gave to me a toy      A wonder to behold it was   With many colors bright   And the moment I laid eyes on it   It became my heart's delight      It went "Zip" when it moved   And "Bop" when it stopped   And "Whirrr" when it stood still   I never knew just what it was and I guess I never will      The first time that I picked it up   I had a big surprise   'Cause right on the bottom were two big buttons   That looked like big green eyes      I first pushed one and then the other   Then I twisted its lid   And when I set it down again   Here is what it did      It went "Zip" when it moved   And "Bop" when it stopped   And "Whirrr" when it stood still   I never knew just what it was and I guess I never will      It first marched left and then marched right   Then marched under a chair   And when I looked where it had gone   It wasn't even there      I started to cry, but my daddy laughed   'Cause he knew that I would find   When I turned around my marvelous toy   Would be chugging from behind      "Zip" when it moved   And "Bop" when it stopped   And "Whirrr" when it stood still   I never knew just what it was and I guess I never will      Whirr, whirr, whirr      The years have gone by too quickly it seems   I have my own little boy   And yesterday I gave to him   My marvelous little toy      His eyes nearly popped right out of his head   And he gave a squeal of glee   Neither one of us knows just what it is   But he loves it just like me      It still goes "Zip" when it moves   And "Bop" when it stops   And "Whirrr" when it standsstill   I never knew just what it was and I guess I never will