The movers eventually give up after dismantling the piece of furniture and partially demolishing the building – including removing a door, a wall, and the ceiling – and taking numerous tea breaks.

[6] The lyrics do not specify whether Fred recovers from "half a ton of rubble on the top of his dome" (slang for head) prior to the others having a final tea break and going home.

Dicks said that he was inspired to write the song by events that transpired when he employed movers to move a grand piano he had bought.

Made in black and white for television using stop motion animation, it depicts the three workmen as puppets with egg-shaped bodies, not unlike gonks.

That version was produced by Brian Epstein and backed by Ian Whitcomb, Jimmy Page, and the Blue Flames.