Whether you wish it or no,
You must dance when he comes,
To the tune of the panpipes, cymbals and drums
Sounded by Jingl-Hat Joe.
Bells on his head, bells on his toes,
Jingling he comes, jingling he goes.
Wedding or wake, market or fair,
Jingle-Hat Joe’s sure to be there,

Whether you wish it or no,
You must dance when he comes,
To the tune of the panpipes, cymbals and drums
Sounded by Jingl-Hat Joe.
Hornpipe or jig or saraband,
Played by the skill of the one-man band,
Now it’s a waltz, lilting and low,
Now a gavotte, stately and slow,
And now it’s a round or a reel
Or a mad tarantella,
Not a lad in the land can play it as well.

So whether you wish it or no,
You’ve all got to dance when he comes,
To the tune of the panpipes, cymbals and drums
When they’re played by the one-man band!