"Clap! Snap! The black crack!", also known as "Down, Down to Goblin Town" is a song/poem from J.R.R. Tolkien's 1937 fantasy novel The Hobbit. It is sung by the Goblins when they capture Bilbo Baggins, Thorin and the other dwarves.
The song appeared later in the two movie adaptations of the novel: first in the Rankin and Bass 1977 animated film also named The Hobbit and later in Peter Jackson's 2012 live action film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, which featured a short version performed by the Great Goblin, a longer version was made for this film too but ended being deleted from the final product
The 1977 version was performed by which was performed by a chorus as the goblins, while the 2012 version was performed by the Great Goblin's voice actor Barry Humphries (and accompanied also by a chorus as the rest of the goblins in the deleted version).
Lyrics
Clap! Snap! the black crack!
Grip, grab! Pinch, nab!
And down down to Goblin-town
You go, my lad!
Clash, crash! Crush, smash!
Hammer and tongs! Knocker and gongs!
Pound, pound, far underground!
Ho, ho! my lad!
Swish, smack! Whip crack!
Batter and beat! Yammer and bleat!
Work, work! Nor dare to shirk,
While Goblins quaff, and Goblins laugh,
Round and round far underground
Below, my lad!
Crush, smack! Whip crack!
Smash, grab! Pinch, nab!
You go, my lad!
Ho, ho! my lad!
The black crack! the black crack!
The black crack! the black crack!
Down down to Goblin-town
Down down to Goblin-town
Down down to Goblin-town
You go, my lad!
Ho, ho! my lad!
Goblins quaff, and Goblins beat
Goblins laugh, and Goblins bleat
Batter, jabber, whip and hammer hoooooo!
You go, my lad!
Ho, ho! my lad!
Below, my lad!
Ho, ho! my lad!
The black crack! the black crack!
The black crack! the black crack!
Down, down to Goblin-town
Down, down to Goblin-town
Down, down to Goblin-town
You go, my lad!
Ho, ho! my lad!
Bones will be shattered, necks will be wrung!
You'll be beaten and battered, from racks you'll be hung!
You will die down here and never be found!
Down in the deep of Goblin-town!
Clap, snap, the black crack
Grip, grab, pinch, and nab
Batter and beat
Make ‘em stammer and squeak!
Pound pound, far underground
Down, down, down in Goblin Town
With a swish and smack
And a whip and a crack
Everybody talks when they’re on my rack
Pound pound, far underground
Down, down, down in Goblin Town
Hammer and tongs, get out your knockers and gongs
You won't last long on the end of my prongs
Clash, crash, crush and smish
Bang, break, shiver and shake
You can yammer and yelp
But there ain't no help
Pound pound, far underground
Down, down, down in Goblin Town
Other Appearances
- The 1977 film version was featured in the film's soundtrack album The Hobbit: Original Soundtrack Songs.
- The deleted version of the 2012 one was featured in the film's extended edition.