► DIRE STRAITS

► MARK KNOPFLER

► THE NOTTING HILLBILLIES

► FILM MUSIC

► MAJOR COLLABORATIONS

► VARIOUS (NON) ALBUM TRACKS

DIRE STRAITS

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MARK KNOPFLER

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THE NOTTING HILLBILLIES

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FILM MUSIC

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MAJOR COLLABORATIONS

Neck and neck (1990)	► Poor boy blues		All the roadrunning (2006)	► Beachcombing
	► Sweet dreams			► I dug up a diamond
	► There'll be some changes made			► This is us
	► Just one time			► Red staggerwing
	► So soft, your goodbye			► Rollin' on
	► Yakety axe			► Love and happiness
	► Tears			► Right now
	► Tahitian skies			► Donkey town
	► I'll see you in my dreams			► Belle starr
	► The next time I'm in town			► Beyond my wildest dreams
				► All the roadrunning
				► If this is goodbye

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VARIOUS (NON ALBUM) TRACKS

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►  DOWN TO THE WATERLINE

(released on 'Dire Straits', written by Mark Knopfler)

Sweet surrender on the quayside
You remember we used to run and hide
In the shadow of the cargoes I take you one time
And we're counting all the numbers down to the waterline

Well, near misses on the dogleap stairways
French kisses in the darkened doorways
A foghorn blowing out wild and cold
A policeman shines a light upon my shoulder

Up comes a coaster fast and silent in the night
Over my shoulder all you can see are the pilot lights
No money in our jackets and our jeans are torn
Your hands are cold but your lips are warm

She can see him on the jetty where they used to go
She can feel him in the places where the sailors go
When she's walking by the river and the railway line
She can still hear him whisper
Let's go down to the waterline
Come on


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►  EASTBOUND TRAIN

(released on the B-side of the single 'Sultans of swing', written by Mark Knopfler)

It was New Cross Station, I was going on home
Saw you get your ticket, standing on your own
Here come the train about 02:44
I couldn't get a smoker, you took another car

Yeah, the end of the line, we both had to change
And you're standing right behind me
I'm a feeling kinda strange
We got to Mile End Road, my heart skipped a beat
Standing right behind me, I'm a shakin' in my seat
3-4 minutes and the train comes through
I'm ridin' on the Central, I'm a-lookin' at you

Woman on the eastbound train
Sometimes I wanna see you again

Now I couldn't read a paper, you couldn't read a book
Kept on taking me another look
You got off the train, you never looked behind
I tried, but I can't get you out of my mind

Woman on the eastbound train
Sometimes I wanna see you again

Well I got one more thing I wanna say before I go
If you get the message on the radio
You can write a letter, get in touch with me
Leave your number with the company, yeah

Woman on the eastbound train
Sometimes I wanna see you again

Woman on the eastbound train
Sometimes I wanna see you again

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►  IN THE GALLERY

(released on 'Dire Straits', written by Mark Knopfler)

Harry made a bareback rider proud and free upon a horse
And a fine coalminer for the NBC that was
A fallen angel and Jesus on the cross
A skating ballerina you should have seen her do the skater's waltz

Some people have got to paint and draw
Harry had to work in clay and stone
Like the waves coming to the shore
It was in his blood and in his bones
He was ignored by all the trendy boys in London yes and in Leeds
He might as well have been making toys or strings of beads
He could not be, no he couldn't be in the gallery
No, no in the gallery

And then you get an artist says he doesn't want to paint at all
He takes an empty canvas and sticks it on the wall
The birds of a feather all the phonies and all of the fakes
While the dealers they get together
And they decide who gets the breaks
And who's going to be, yeah who's going to be in the gallery
Oh yeah in the gallery

No lies he wouldn't compromise
No junk no string
And all the lies are subsidise
That just don't mean a thing
I've got to say he passed away in obscurity
And now all the vultures are coming down from the tree
So he's going to be, yeah he's going to be in the galle-galle-galle-gallery
Yeah, in the gallery
Harry made a bareback rider, made a bareback rider

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►  LIONS

(released on 'Dire Straits', written by Mark Knopfler)

Red sun go down way over dirty town
Starling are sweeping around crazy shoals
Yes and a girl is there high heeling across the square
Wind blows around in her hair and the flags upon the poles
Waiting in the crowd to cross at the light
She looks around to find a face she can like

Church bell clinging on just a trying to get a crowd for Evensong
Nobody cares to depend upon the chime it plays
They're all in the station praying for trains
Congregation late again
It's getting darker all the time these flagpole days
Drunk old soldier he gives her a fright
He's a crazy lion howling for a fight

Strap hanging gunshot sound
Doors slamming on the overground
Starlings are tough but the lions are made of stone
Her evening paper is horror torn
But there's hope later for Capricorns
Her lucky stars give her just enough to get her home
Then she's reading about a swing to the right
But she's thinking about a stranger in the night
I'm thinking about the lions, think about the lions
What happened to the lions tonight, tonight, tonight
Thinking 'bout the lions
Thinking 'bout the lions


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►  SETTING ME UP

(released on 'Dire Straits', written by Mark Knopfler)

You say I'm the greatest bound for glory
Well the word is out and I learned
I got the latest side of the story
You're pulling out before you get burned

Well your hands are squeezing me down to the bone
I never saw you breaking no law
Stands to reason I've got to leave you alone
What you taking me for

You're setting me up to put me down
You're just making me out to be your clown
You're setting me up now to put me down
You better give it up, yeah give it up
Quit your messing around

You think I care about your reaction
You think I don't understand
All you wanted was a piece of the action
Now you talk about another man

You're setting me up to put me down
You're just making me out to be your clown
You're setting me up now to put me down
You better give it up, give it up
Quit your messing around

Yeah, yeah
 

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►  SIX BLADE KNIFE

(released on 'Dire Straits', written by Mark Knopfler)

Your six blade knife can do anything for you
Anything you want it to
One blade for breaking my heart
One blade for tearing me apart
Your six blade knife do anything for you

You can take away my mind like you take away the top of a tin
When you come up from behind and lay it down cold on my skin
Took a stone from my soul when I was lame
Just so you could make me tame
Yeah six blade knife - you take away the top of a tin

I'd like to be free of it babe I don't want it no more
I'd like to be free of it now hmm, I don't want it no more

Everybody got a knife it can be just what they want it to be
A needle a wife or something that you just can't see

Six blade knife - you know it keeps you strong
Yes and it'll do me wrong
Your six blade knife do anything for you
Do anything, anything for you
Anything

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►  SOUTHBOUND AGAIN

(released on 'Dire Straits', written by Mark Knopfler)

Southbound again I don't know if I'm going or leaving home
Southbound again I don't know if I'm going or leaving home
Boy got to be moving
Seems like the boy is bound to roam

Every single time I roll across the rolling River Tyne
Every single time I roll across the rolling River Tyne
I get the same old feeling
Every time I'm moving down the line

Southbound again last night I felt like crying
Southbound again last night I felt like crying
Right now I'm sick of living
But I'm going to keep on trying, keep on trying

Note:

In the official CD booklet, an extra verse is printed, which comes after the first verse of the lyrics above:

Southbound again got no money I've got no place to go
That woman's with her lover boy
Never want to see her face no more

This is actually not released on the record, but can be heard om some early Dire Straits live performances.


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►  SULTANS OF SWING

(released on 'Dire Straits', written by Mark Knopfler)

You get a shiver in the dark
It's raining in the park but meantime
South of the river you stop and you hold everything
A band is blowing Dixie double four time
You feel alright when you hear that music ring

Well now you step inside but you don't see too many faces
Coming in out of the rain to hear the jazz go down
Competition in other places
Ah but the horns they're blowing that sound
Way on downsouth way on downsouth London town

You check out Guitar George he knows all the chords
Mind he's strictly rhythm he doesn't want to make it cry or sing
Yes and an old guitar is all he can afford
When he gets up under the lights to play his thing

And Harry doesn't mind if he doesn't make the scene
He's got a daytime job he's doing alright
He can play honky tonk just like anything
Saving it up for Friday night
With the Sultans with the Sultans of Swing

And a crowd of young boys they're fooling around in the corner
Drunk and dressed in their best brown baggies and their platform soles
They don't give a damn about any trumpet playing band
It ain't what they call rock and roll
And the Sultans, yeah the Sultans played Creole, Creole

And then the man he steps right up to the microphone
And says at last just as the time bell rings
'Goodnight now it's time to go home'
And he makes it fast with one more thing
'We are the Sultans, we are the Sultans of Swing'

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►  WATER OF LOVE

(released on 'Dire Straits', written by Mark Knopfler)

High and dry in the long hot day
Lost and lonely every way
Got the flats all around me sky up above
Yes I need a little water of love

I've been too long lonely and my heart feels pain
Crying out for some soothing rain
I believe I have taken enough
Yes I need a little water of love

Water of love deep in the ground
But there ain't no water here to be found
Some day baby when the river runs free
It's gonna carry that water of love to me

There's a bird up in a tree sitting up high
Up high, up high
Just a-waiting for me to die
If I don't get some water soon
I'll be dead and gone in the afternoon

Water of love deep in the ground
But there ain't no water here to be found
Some day baby when the river runs free
It's gonna carry that water of love to me

Once I had a woman I could call my own
Once I had a woman now my woman she gone
Once there was a river now there's a stone
You know it's evil when you're living alone

Water of love deep in the ground
But there ain't no water here to be found
Some day baby when the river runs free
It's gonna carry that water of love to me
Carry that

Water of love deep in the ground
But there ain't no water here to be found
Some day baby when the river runs free
It's gonna carry that water of love to me

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►  WILD WEST END

(released on 'Dire Straits', written by Mark Knopfler)

Stepping out to Angellucci's for my coffee beans
Checking out the movies and the magazines
Waitress she watches me crossing from the Barocco Bar
I'm getting a pickup for my steel guitar
I saw you walking out Shaftesbury Avenue
Excuse me talking I wanna marry you
This is the seventh heaven street to me
Don't you seem so proud
You're just another angel in the crowd

And I'm walking in the wild west end
Walking in the wild west end
Walking with your wild best friend

Now my conductress on the number nineteen
She was a honey
Pink toenails and hands all dirty with money
Greasy, greasy, greasy hair easy smile
She made me feel nineteen for a while
And I went down to Chinatown
In the backroom it's a man's world
All the money go down
Duck inside the doorway gotta duck to eat
Just ain't no way
You and me we can't beat

Walking in the wild west end
Walking in the wild west end
Walking with your wild best friend

Now a gogo dancing girl yes I saw her
The deejay he say here's Mandy for ya
I feel alright
To see her do that stuff
She's dancing high I move on by
The close ups can get rough

When you're walking in the wild west end
Walking, walking
Walking in the wild west end
Walking, walking
Walking with your wild best friend
Walking, walking

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►  ANGEL OF MERCY

(released on 'Communiqué', written by Mark Knopfler)

Well there's a Peter Pan moon, shepherd's delight
I got the dragon at noon, yes and I won the fight
Now I want my reward in heaven tonight, just like you promised
Angel of mercy you'll come to no harm
Angel of mercy, there's no need for alarm
The knight in his armour wants a night in your arms
You now he's honest

Angel of mercy, angel delight, give me my reward in heaven tonight
And if I give up my sword, won't you give me the right
Sweet angel

Well now it's too late for talkin', we can talk later on
Let the saxophone play us till the chorus of dawn
And I need is a little oblivion, you don't need protection
Well now here comes the moonlight down on your bed
Angel of mercy let your heart rule your head
I don't want your money, I want you instead
Don't need rejection yeah

Angel of mercy, angel delight, give me my reward in heaven tonight
And if I give up my sword, won't you give me the right
Angel of mercy, give me heaven tonight
Well, if you cross your heart
And spit and swear upon the grave of your mother
You gotta get into it, you gotta tell me that I'm more than a lover

Yeah angel of mercy, angel delight
A-give me my reward in heaven tonight
And if I give up my sword, won't you give me the right
Angel of mercy, give me heaven tonight

Yeah angel of mercy, angel delight
A-give me my reward in heaven tonight
And if I give up my sword, won't you give me the right
Angel of mercy, give me heaven tonight

Yeah angel of mercy, angel delight
A-give me my reward in heaven tonight
And if I give up my sword, won't you give me the right
Angel of mercy, give me heaven tonight

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►  COMMUNIQUÉ

(released on 'Communiqué', written by Mark Knopfler)

They wanna get a statement for Jesus' sake
It's like a talking to the wall
He's incommunicado
No comment to make
He's saying nothing at all

Yeah but in the communique you know he's gonna come clean
Think what he say
Say what he means
Maybe on a Monday he got something to say

Communication
Communique
Communique

Maybe he could talk about the tricks of the trade
Maybe he could talk about himself
Maybe he could talk about the money that he made
Maybe he be saying something else

But in the communique you know he's gonna come clean
Think what he say
Say what he means
Maybe on a Monday he got something to say

Communication
Communique
Communique

Well now the rumours are flying
Speculation rife
They say that he's been trying someone else's wife
Somebody at the airport
Somebody on the phone
Says he's at the station and he's coming home alone
Then we get the story
The serious piece
And a photograph a taken in the hall
And you don't have to worry with the previous release
Right now he's saying nothing at all

But in the communique you know he's gonna come clean
Think what he say
Say what he means
Maybe on a Monday he'll have something to say

Communication
Communique
Communique

Communication

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►  FOLLOW ME HOME

(released on 'Communiqué', written by Mark Knopfler)

Oh well the sun go down
Celebration in the town tonight
All day long
They been slaughtering upon the stone
Share out the meat
Yeah, you really like to eat
Come on woman, come follow me home

Well the priest he cries
Virgin ascending to the skies tonight
All day long
I have passed my time alone
And when the church bell rung
I stayed out on the tower
In a dying sun
Now come on woman, come follow me home

Well I don't need no priest
But I love all of the people
Yes I share the feast
So drink up my wine
Yes and the song in my bones
I know the way
I can see by the moonlight
Clear as the day
Now come on woman, come follow me home

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►  LADY WRITER

(released on 'Communiqué', written by Mark Knopfler)

Lady Writer on the t.v.
Talk about the Virgin Mary
Reminded me of you
Expectations left to come up to yeah

Lady writer on the t.v.
Yeah, she had another quality
The way you used to look
And I know you never read a book

Just the way that her hair fell down around her face
Then I recall my fall from grace
Another time, another place

Lady writer on the t.v.
She had all the brains and the beauty
The picture does not fit
You talked to me when you felt like it.

Just the way that her hair fell down around her face
Then I recall my fall from grace
Another time, another place

Yes and your rich old man
You know he'd call her a dead ringer
You got the same command
Plus your mother was a jazz singer

Just the way that her hair fell down around her face
Then I recall my fall from grace
Oh yeah, another time, another place

Lady writer on the t.v.
She knew all about a history
You couldn't hardly write your name
I think I want you just the same as the

Lady writer on the t.v.
Talking about the Virgin Mary
Yeah you know I'm talking about you and me
And the lady writer on the t.v.
Lady writer on the t.v.
Talking about the Virgin Mary
Yeah you know I'm talking about you and me
And the lady writer on the t.v.

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►  NEWS

(released on 'Communiqué', written by Mark Knopfler)

He sticks to his guns
He take the road as it comes
It take the shine off his shoes
He says it's a shame
You know it may be a game
Ah but I won't play to lose

He's burning the grass
He take up a glass
He swallow it neat
He crosses the floor
He open the door
He take a sniff of the street

And she tell him that he's crazy
She's a-saying hey baby
I'm your wife
Yeah she tell him that he's crazy
For gambling a-with his life

But he climbs on his horse
You know he feel no remorse
He just kicks it alive
His motor is fine
He take it over the line
Until he's ready to dive

And she tell him that he's crazy
Yes she's saying listen baby
I'm your wife
Yeah she's tell him that he's crazy
For gambling with his life

He sticks to his guns
He take the road as it comes
It take the shine off his shoes
He says it's a shame
You know it may be a game
Ah but I won't play to lose

He sticks to his guns
He take the road as it comes
It take the shine off his shoes
He's too fast to stop
He take it over the top
He make a line in the news

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►  ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST

(released on 'Communiqué', written by Mark Knopfler)

Some people get a cheap laugh breaking up the speed limit
Scaring the pedestrians for a minute
Crossing up the progress driving on the grass
Leaving just enough room to pass
Sunday driver never took a test
Oh yeah, once upon a time in the west

Yes it's no use saying that you don't know nothing
It's still gonna get you if you don't do something
Sitting on a fence that's a dangerous course
You could even catch a bullet from the peace-keeping force
Even the hero gets a bullet in the chest
Oh yeah, once upon a time in the west

Mother Mary your children are slaughtered
Some of you mothers ought to lock up your daughters
Who's protecting the innocenti
Heap big trouble in the land of plenty
Tell me how we're gonna do what's best
You guess once upon a time in the west

Oh yeah, once upon a time in the west
Oh yeah, once upon a time in the west
Oh yeah, once upon a time in the west

Once upon a time in the west
Once upon a time in the west

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►  PORTOBELLO BELLE

(released on 'Communiqué', written by Mark Knopfler)

Bella donna's on the highstreet
Her breasts upon the off beat
And the stalls are just the side shows
Victoriana's old clothes
And yes her jeans are tight now
She gotta travel light now
She's gotta tear up all her roots now
She got a turn up for the boots now

Yeah she thinks she's tough
She ain't no English rose
But the blind singer
He's seen enough and he knows
Yes and he do a song
About a long gone Irish girl
Ah but I got one for you Portobello Belle

She sees a man upon his back there
Escaping from a sack there
And bella donna lingers
Her gloves they got no fingers
Yeah, the blind man singing Irish
He get his money in a tin dish
Just a corner serenader
Upon a time he could have made her, made her

Yeah, she thinks she's tough
She ain't no English rose
Ah, but the blind singer
He's seen enough and he knows
Yes and do a song
About a long gone Irish girl
Ah but I got one for you Portobello Belle

Yes and the barrow boys are hawking
And the parakeet is squawking
Upon a truck there is a rhino
She get the crying of the wino
And then she hear the reggae rumble
Bella donna's in the jungle
But she is no garden flower
There is no distress in the tower

Oh, bella donna walks
Bella donna taking a stroll
But she don't care about your window box
Or your button hole
Yes and she sing a song about a long gone Irish girl
Ah but I got one for you Portobello Belle

Portobello Belle

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►  SINGLE-HANDED SAILOR

(released on 'Communiqué', written by Mark Knopfler)

Two in the morning dry dock town
The river rolls away in the night
Little gypsy moth she's all tied down
She quiver in the wind down the light

Yeah and a sailing ship just held down in chains
From the lazy days of sail
She's just a lying there in silent pain
He lean on the tourist rail

A mother and her baby and the college of war
In the concrete graves
You never wanna fight against the river law
Nobody rules the waves
Yeah and on a night when the lazy wind is a wailing
Around the Cutty Sark
The single handed sailor goes sailing
Sailing away in the dark

He's upon the bridge on the self same night
The mariner of dry dock land
Two in the morning but there's one green light
And a man on a barge of sand

She's a gonna slip away below him
Away from the things he's done
But he just shouts "hey man what you call this thing"
He could have said "Pride of London"
On a night when the lazy wind is a wailing
Around the Cutty Sark
Yeah the single handed sailor goes sailing
Sailing away in the dark

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►  WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?

(released on 'Communiqué', written by Mark Knopfler)

Where d'ya think you're going
Don't you know it's dark outside
Where d'ya think you're going
Don't you care about my pride
Where d'ya think you're going
I think a you don't know
You got no way of knowing
There's really no place you can go

I understand your changes
A-long before you reach the door
I know where you think you're going
I know what you came here for
And now I'm sick of joking
You know I like you to be free
A-where d'ya think ya going
I think you better go with me girl

You say there is no reason
But you still find cause to doubt me
If you ain't with me girl
You're gonna be without me, yeah

Where d'ya think you're going
Don't you know it's dark outside
Where d'ya think you're going
I wish I didn't care about my pride
And now I'm sick of joking
You know I like you to be free
A-where d'ya think you're going
I think you'd better go with me girl

Come on

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►  TUNNEL OF LOVE

(released on 'Making movies', written Mark Knopfler)

Getting crazy on the waltzers but it's the life that I choose
Yeah sing about the sixblade sing about the switchback and a torture tattoo
And I been riding on a ghost train where the cars they scream and slam
And I don't know where I'll be tonight but I'd always tell you where I am

In a screaming ring of faces I seen her standing in the light
She had a ticket for the races yeah just like me she was a victim of the night
I put my hand upon the lever said let it rock and let it roll
I had the one arm bandit fever there was an arrow through my heart and my soul

And the big wheel keep on turning neon burning up above
And I'm just high on the world
Come on and take a low ride with me girl
On the tunnel of love, yeah love, love

It's just the danger when you're riding at your own risk
She said you are the perfect stranger she said baby let's keep it like this
It's just a cakewalk twisting baby step right up and say
Hey mister give me two give me two now 'cos any two can play

And the big wheel keep on turning neon burning up above
And I'm just high on the world
Come on and take a low ride with me girl
On the tunnel of love, ooh love, love

Well it's been money for muscle another whirligig
Money for muscle and a another girl I dig
Another hustle just to, just to make it big
And rockaway rockaway, ooh rockaway rockaway

And girl it looks so pretty to me like it always did
Oh like the Spanish City to me when we were kids
Yeah girl it looks so pretty to me just like it always did
Oh like the Spanish City to me when we were kids
Ola, check it out

She took off a silver locket she said remember me by this
She put her hand in my pocket I got a keepsake and a kiss
And in the roar of the dust and diesel I stood and watched her walk away
I could have caught up with her easy enough but something must have made me stay

And the big wheel keep on turning neon burning up above
And I'm just high on this world
Come on and take a low ride with me girl
On the tunnel of love, yeah love, love
On the tunnel of love, ooh love, love

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►  ROMEO AND JULIET

(released on 'Making movies', written by Mark Knopfler)

A lovestruck Romeo sings a streetsuss serenade
Laying everybody low with a lovesong that he made
Finds the streetlight steps out of the shade
Says something like you and me babe how about it?

Juliet says hey it's Romeo you nearly gimme a heart attack
He's underneath the window she's singing hey la my boyfriend's back
You shouldn't come around here singing up at people like that
Anyway what you gonna do about it?

Juliet the dice was loaded from the start
And I bet and you exploded in my heart
And I forget I forget the movie song
When you gonna realise it was just that the time was wrong Juliet?

Come up on different streets they both were streets of shame
Both dirty both mean yes and the dream was just the same
And I dreamed your dream for you and now your dream is real
How can you look at me as if I was just another one of your deals?

When you can fall for chains of silver you can fall for chains of gold
You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold
You promised me everything you promised me thick and thin yeah
Now you just say oh Romeo yeah you know I used to have a scene with him

Juliet when we made love you used to cry
You said I love you like the stars above I'll love you till I die
There's a place for us you know the movie song
When you gonna realise it was just that the time was wrong Juliet?

I can't do the talk like they talk on tv
And I can't do a love song like the way it's meant to be
I can't do everything but I'd do anything for you
I can't do anything except be in love with you

And all I do is miss you and the way we used to be
All I do is keep the beat and bad company
All I do is kiss you through the bars of a rhyme
Juliet I'd do the stars with you any time

Juliet when we made love you used to cry
You said I love you like the stars above I'll love you till I die
And there's a place for us you know the movie song
When you gonna realise it was just that the time was wrong Juliet?

And a lovestruck romeo sings a streetsuss serenade
Laying everybody low with a lovesong that he made
Finds a convenient streetlight steps out of the shade
Says something like you and me babe how about it?

You and me babe how about it?

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►  SKATEAWAY

(released on 'Making movies', written by Mark Knopfler)

I seen a girl on a one way corridor
Stealing down a wrong way street
For all the world like an urban toreador
She had wheels on on her feet
Well the cars do the usual dances
Same old cruise and the kerbside crawl
But the rollergirl she's taking chances
They just love to see her take them all

No fears alone at night she's sailing through the crowd
In her ears the phones are tight and the music's playing loud

Hallelujah here she comes queen rollerball
Enchante what can I say don't care at all
You know she used to have to wait around
She used to be the lonely one
But now that she can skate around town
She's the only, only one

No fears alone at night she's sailing through the crowd
In her ears the phones are tight and the music's playing loud

She gets rock n roll a rock n roll station
And a rock n roll dream
She's making movies on location
She don't know what it means
But the music make her wanna be the story
And the story was whatever was the song what it was
Rollergirl don't worry
D.J. play the movies all night long, all night long

She tortures taxi drivers just for fun
She like to read their lips
Says toro toro taxi see ya tomorrow my son
I swear she let a big truck graze her hip
She got her own world in the city
You can't intrude on her no, no no
She got her own world in the city
'Cos the city's been so rude to her

No fears alone at night she's sailing through the crowd
In her ears the phones are tight and the music's playing loud

She gets rock n roll a rock n roll station
And a rock n roll dream
She's making movies on location
She don't know what it means
But the music make her wanna be the story
And the story was whatever was the song what it was
Rollergirl don't worry
D.J. play the movies all night long, all night long


Come slippin' and a slidin'
Yeah life's a rollerball
Slippin' and a slidin'
Skateaway that's all
Skateaway

Shala shalay hey hey skateaway
Now shala skalay hey hey
She's singing shala shalay hey hey skateaway
Oh shala shalay

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►  EXPRESSO LOVE

(released on 'Making movies', written by Mark Knopfler)

She gets the sun in the daytime
Perfume in the dusk
And she comes out in the night time
With the honeysuckle musk
Because she smells just like a rose
And she tastes just like a peach
She got me walking where the wildlife goes
I'd do anything to reach her

And she was made in heaven
Heaven's in the world
Oh she was made in heaven
Heaven's in the world
Is this just expresso love
You know I'm crazy for the girl
Just crazy for the girl

She call me just to talk
She's my lover she's a friend of mine
She says hey mister you wanna take a walk
In the wild west end sometime
And I get trouble with my breathing
When she says boys don't know anything
But I know what I want
Yes I want everything

'Cos she was made in heaven
And heaven's in the world
Oh she was made in heaven
Yes heaven's in the world
Is this just expresso love
You see I'm crazy for the girl
Just crazy for the girl

Well you know I feel so good 'cos I feel so good
And I feel so good 'cos it feels so right
I was made to go with my girl
Just like a saxophone was made to go with the night

And she can raise one eyebrow
Put her hand on my hip
And I close one eye now
Sweat on her lip
Oh and I surrender to the fever
And I surrender to the will of the night
She love me so tender I got to believe her
Love? Huh, expresso love's alright

'Cos she was made in heaven
And heaven's in the world
Oh she was made in heaven
Heaven's in the world
Is this expresso love
You know I'm crazy for the girl
Just crazy for that girl

No I don't want no sugar in it
No thank you very, very, very much
All wired up on it, all fired up on it
Expresso touch
Hey maestro expresso now
Hey maestro she says expresso now
It's just another one just like the other one
Is this another one just like the other one
Hey maestro expresso now

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►  HAND IN HAND

(released on 'Making movies', written by Mark Knopfler)

The sky is crying the streets are full of tears
Rain come down wash away my fears
And all this writing on the wall
Oh I can read between the lines
Rain come down forgive this dirty town
Rain come down and give this dirty town
A drink of water, a drink of wine

If I been hard on you I never chose to be
I never wanted no one else
I tried my best to be somebody you'd be close to
Hand in hand like lovers are supposed to

As you'd sleep I'd think my heart would break in two
I'd kiss your cheek I'd stop myself from waking you
But in the dark you'd speak my name
You'd say baby what's wrong?
Oh here I am baby I'm coming back for more
I'm like a wave that's got to roll into the shore
Yes and if my love's in vain how come my love is so strong?

If I been hard on you I never chose to be
I never wanted no one else
I tried my best to be somebody you'd be close to
Hand in hand like lovers are supposed to, supposed to do

Now you and me go parallel together and apart
And you keep your perfect distance and it's tearing at my heart
Did you never feel the distance
Did you never tried to cross no line
'Cos it's another dirty river and another dirty scar
And I don't know who's kissing and I don't know where you are
So far from home, don't you think of me sometime

If I been hard on you I never chose to be
I never wanted no one else
I tried my best to be somebody you'd be close to
Hand in hand like lovers are supposed to

If I been hard on you I never chose to be
I never wanted no one else
I tried my best to be somebody you'd be close to
Hand in hand like lovers are supposed to

Well the sky is crying see the streets are full of tears
Rain coming down to wash away my fears
And all this writing on the wall
Oh I can read between the lines

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►  SOLID ROCK

(released on 'Making movies', written by Mark Knopfler)

Well now take a look at that
I made a castle in the sand
Saying this is where it's at you know
Couldn't understand now
If I realised that the chances were slim
How come I'm so surprised when the tide rolled in yeah

I'm gonna live on solid rock
I'm gonna live on solid rock
I wanna give I don't wanna be blocked
I'm gonna live on solid rock

Well I'm sick of potential
I'm sick of vanity now
I'm sticking to essential reality now
I don't know what's worse
Try to make a silk purse
Living an illusion living in confusion

I'm gonna live on solid rock
I wanna live on solid rock
I'm gonna live I don't wanna be blocked
I'm gonna live on solid rock

You know a house of cards
Was never built for shock
You could blow it down in any kind of weather
Now you take two solid rocks two solid blocks
You know they're gonna stick
Yeah they're gonna stick together

Yeah because the heart that you break
That's the one that you rely on
The bed that you make
That's the one you gotta lie on
When you point your finger 'cos your plan fell through
You got three more fingers pointing back at you yeah

I wanna live on solid rock
I'm gonna live on solid rock
I wanna give I don't wanna be blocked
I'm gonna live on solid rock

Rock, rock solid rock
Rock, rock solid rock
I wanna give I don't wanna be blocked
I'm gonna live on solid rock
Rock, rock solid rock
Rock, rock solid rock

I wanna give I don't wanna be blocked
I'm gonna live on solid solid solid solid rock
Solid rock Solid rock

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►  LES BOYS

(released on 'Making movies', written by Mark Knopfler)

Les boys do cabaret
Les boys are glad to be gay
They're not afraid now
Disco bar in Germany
Les boys are glad to be
Upon parade now

Les boys got leather straps
Les boys got SS caps
But they got no gun now
Get dressed up get a little risque
Got to do a little s & m these days
It's all in fun now

Les boys come on again
For the high class whores
And the businessmen
Who drive in their Mercedes Benz
To a disco bar in old Munchen

Well now, they get the jokes that the D.J. makes
They get nervous and they make mistakes
They're bad for business
Some tourist take a photograph
Les boys don't get one laugh
He says they're useless

Les boys come on again
For the high class whores
And the businessmen
Who drive in their Mercedes Benz
To a disco bar in old Munchen

Late at night when they've gone away
Les boys dream of Jean Genet
High heel shoes and a black beret
And the posters on the wall that say
Les boys do cabaret
Les boys are glad to be gay

Les boys do cabaret
Les boys are glad to be gay
Les boys do cabaret
Les boys are glad to be gay
Les boys do cabaret
Les boys are glad to be gay

Les boys do cabaret
Les boys are glad to be gay
Les boys do cabaret
Les boys are glad to be gay
Les boys do cabaret
Les boys do cabaret

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►  TELEGRAPH ROAD

(released on 'Love over gold', written by Mark Knopfler)

A long time ago came a man on a track
Walking thirty miles with a sack on his back
And he put down his load where he thought it was the best
He made a home in the wilderness
He built a cabin and a winter store
And he ploughed up the ground by the cold lake shore
And the other travellers came walking down the track
And they never went further no they never went back
Then came the churches then came the schools
Then came the lawyers then came the rules
Then came the trains and the trucks with their loads
And the dirty old track was the telegraph road

Yeah, then came the mines then came the ore
Then there was the hard times then there was a war
Telegraph sang a song about the world outside
Telegraph road got so deep and so wide
Like a rolling river. . .

And my radio says tonight it's gonna freeze
People driving home from the factories
There's six lanes of traffic
Three lanes moving slow. . .

I used to like to go to work but they shut it down
I've got a right to go to work but there's no work here to be found
Yes and they say we're gonna have to pay what's owed
We're gonna have to reap from some seed that's been sowed
And the birds up on the wires and the telegraph poles
They can always fly away from this rain and this cold
You can here them singing out their telegraph code
All the way down the telegraph road

Well I'd sooner forget but I remember those nights
Yeah life was just a bet on a race between the lights
You had your head on my shoulder you had your hand in my hair
Now you act a little colder like you don't seem to care...
But just believe in me baby and I'll take you away
From out of this darkness and into the day
From these rivers of headlights these rivers of rain
From the anger that lives on the streets with these names
'Cos I've run every red light on memory lane
I've seen desperation explode into flames
And I don't want to see it again. . .

From all of these signs saying sorry but we're closed
All the way down the telegraph road

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►  PRIVATE INVESTIGATIONS

(released on 'Love over gold', written by Mark Knopfler)

It's a mystery to me the game commences
For the usual fee plus expenses
Confidential information it's in a diary
This is my investigation - it's not a public inquiry

I go checking out the reports digging up the dirt
You get to meet all sorts in this line of work
Treachery and treason there's always an excuse for it
And when I find the reason I still can't get used to it

And what have you got at the end of the day?
What have you got to take away?
A bottle of whisky and a new set of lies
Blinds on the window and a pain behind the eyes

Scarred for life no compensation
Private investigations

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►  INDUSTRIAL DISEASE

(released on 'Love over gold', written by Mark Knopfler)

Now warning lights are flashing down at Quality Control
Somebody threw a spanner and they threw him in the hole
There's rumors in the loading bay and anger in the town
Somebody blew the wistle and the walls came down
There's a meeting in the boardroom they're trying to trace the smell
There's a leaking in the washroom there's a sneak in personnel
Somewhere in the corridors someone was heard to sneeze
'Goodness me could this be Industrial Disease ?'

The caretaker was crucified for sleeping at his post
They're refusing to be pacified it's him they blame the most
The watchdog's got rabies the foreman's got the fleas
And everyone's concerned about Industrial Disease
There's panic on the switchboard tongues are ties in knots
Some come out in sympathy some come out in spots
Some blame the management some the employees
And everybody knows it's the Industrial Disease

Yeah now the work force is disgusted downs tools and walks
Innocence is injured experience just talks
Everyone seeks damages and everyone agrees
That these are 'classic symtoms of a monetary squeeze'
On ITV and BBC they talk about the curse
Philosophy is useless theology is worse
History boils over there's an economics freeze
Sociologists invent words that mean 'Industrial Disease'

Doctor Parkinson declared 'I'm not surprised to see you here
You've got smokers cough from smoking brewer's droop from drinking beer
I don't know how you came to get the Bette Davis knees
But worst of all young man you've got Industrial Disease'
He wrote me a prescription he said 'you are depressed
But I'm glad you came to see me to get this off your chest
Come back and see me later - next patient please
Send in another victim of Industrial Disease'
Ha, ha
Ha, send him in

I go down to Speaker's Corner I'm thunderstruck
They got free speech, tourists, police in trucks
Two men say they're Jesus one of them must be wrong
There's a protest singer he's singing a protest song - he says
'They wanna have a war to keep their factories
They wanna have a war to keep us on our knees
They wanna have a war to stop us buying Japanese
They wanna have a war to stop Industrial Disease
They're pointing out the enemy to keep you deaf and blind
They wanna sap your energy incarcerate your mind
They give you Rule Brittania, gassy beer, page three
Two weeks in Espana and Sunday striptease'


Meanwhile the first Jesus says 'I'd cure it soon
Abolish monday mornings and friday afternoons'
The other one's out on hunger strike he's dying by degrees
How come Jesus gets Industrial Disease
I'm off, I'm sick

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►  LOVE OVER GOLD

(released on 'Love over gold', written by Mark Knopfler)

You walk out on the high wire
You're a dancer on thin ice
You pay no heed to the danger
And less to advice
Your footsteps are forbidden
But with knowledge of your sin
You throw your love to all the strangers
And caution to the wind

And you go dancing through doorways
Just to see what you will find
Leaving nothing to interfere
With the crazy balance of your mind
And when you finally reappear
At the place where you came in
You've thrown your love to all the strangers
And caution to the wind

It takes love over gold
And mind over matter
To do what you do that you must
When the things that you hold
Can fall and be shattered
Or run through your fingers like dust

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►  IT NEVER RAINS

(released on 'Love over gold', written by Mark Knopfler)

I hear the Seven Deadly Sins
And the Terrible Twins came to call on you
The bigger they are babe
The harder they fall on you
And you you're always the same you persevere
On the same old pleasure ground
Oh and it never rains around here
It just comes pouring down

You had no more volunteers
So you got profiteers for to help you out
Well with friends like that babe
Good friends you had to do without
And now they've taken the chains and the gears
From off your merry-go-round
Oh and it never rains around here
It just comes pouring down

Now, and your new Romeo
Was just a gigolo when he let you down
See the faster they are babe
The faster they get out of town
Leaving make up stains and the tears
Of a clown
Yes and it never rains around here
It just comes pouring down

Oh you were just a roller coaster memory
I don't know why I was even passing through
I saw you making a date with Destiny
When he came around here asking after you
In the shadow of the Wheel Of Fortune
You're busy trying to clear your name
You say 'I may be guilty yeah that may be true
But I'd be lying if I said I was to blame
See we could have been major contenders
We never got no money no breaks'
You've got a list of all the major offenders
You got a list of all their major mistakes
And he's just standing in the shadow
Yes and you smile that come-on smile
Oh I can still hear you say as clear as the day
'I'd like to make it worth your while'

Ah but it's a sad reminder
When your organ grinder has to come to you for rent
And all you've got to give him
Is the use of your side-show tent
Yes and that's all that remains of the years
Spent doing the rounds
And it never rains around here
Well it just comes pouring down

Now you know what they say about beggars babe
You can't complain about the rules
You know what they say about beggars babe
You know who's the first to blame his tools
You never gave a damn about who you pick up
And leave laying bleeding on the ground
You screw people over on your way up
Because you thought that you were never coming down
And he takes you out in Vaudeville Valley
With his hand up smothering your screams
And he screws you down in Tin Pan Alley
In the city of a billion dreams

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►  TWISTING BY THE POOL

(released on 'Extendedanceplay' EP, written by Mark Knopfler)

We're going on a holiday now
Gonna take a villa, a small chalet
On the Costa del Magnifico
Where the cost of living is so low
Yeah, we're gonna be so neat
Dance to the Eurobeat
Yeah, we're gonna be so cool
Twisting by the, twisting by the, by the pool
Twisting by the pool

Sitting in a small cafe now
Swing, swing, swinging to the cabaret
You wanna see a movie, take in a show now
Meet new people at the disco
Yeah, we're gonna be so neat
Dance to the Eurobeat
Yeah we're gonna be so cool
Twisting by the, by the pool
Twisting by the pool
Twisting by the, yeah twisting, twisting by the pool

And we can still get information
Reading all about inflation
And you're ever gonna be out of reach
There's a call box on the beach
A-one, a-two, a-one, a-two, three...
Alright

Twisting by the pool
I'm a twisting fool
You got me twisting by the pool
Yeah twisting, twisting by the pool

Mmm, you gonna look so cute
Sunglasses and a bathing suit
Be the baby of my dreams
Like the ladies in the magazines
Yeah, we're gonna be so neat
Dance to the Eurobeat
Oh yeah, we're gonna be so cool
Twisting by the, twisting by the, by the pool
Twisting by the pool
I'm a twisting fool
Just twisting, yeah twisting
Twisting by the pool
We're gonna do the twist, twist

I'm a twisting fool, you got me twisting by the pool
Ohooh twisting, twisting by the pool get on

I'm a twisting fool, you got me twisting by the pool
Ohooh twisting, twisting by the pool

I'm a twisting fool
You got me twisting by the pool
Yeah twisting, twisting by the pool

Come on twisting by the pool
Twisting by the pool
I'm a twisting fool
Just twisting, ohooh twisting, twisting by the pool

▲ TOP



►  TWO YOUNG LOVERS

(released on 'Extendedanceplay' EP, written by Mark Knopfler)

It was the last day of summer
It was the first of a new romance
He walked into her on a corner
And she said "I don't dance"
He said 'Baby let me teach you"
And she said "OK when?"
He said "How can I reach you baby
I'd really like to see you again"

He picked her up on a Friday night
He took her for a bite to eat
His heart was a-beating and his hands were shaking
And she thought he was sweet
And he stood on her shoes on the dancefloor
When they were doing it cheek to cheek
And he walked here home and he kissed her
And he was walking on air all week

Well they couldn't stand to be apart
They couldn't leave one another alone
Her mama used to say 'It's getting late, sweetheart
It's time that the boy went home"
And upstairs papa kissed mama
And she give him a sweet caress
And said "Here's to the two young lovers
Let's wish them every happiness"

It was the last day of summer
They came a-walking home hand in hand
They went and her told her mama
And showed him a wedding band
Mama cried and poured the wine
Papa just said "God bless -
Now here's to the two young lovers
Let's wish them every happiness

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►  IF I HAD YOU

(released on 'Extendedanceplay' EP, written by Mark Knopfler)

Oooh, if I had you
Yeah the things that I could do
Honey if I had you

Now I could sing like an angel, fly just like a bird
Sing you the best lovesong you ever heard
I could be a poët like Mohammed Ali
Float like a butterfly, sting just like a, just like a bee

Hmm baby, if I had you
Ah the things that I could do
If I had you

Now I'd go get your name tattooed on my chest
Well it'd just say " my baby, my baby - she's the best "
I could be your Superman, you could be my Loïs Lane
I could be your Tarzan, you could be my sweet Jane
If you wanted to

Hmm if I had you
Ah the things that I could do
If I had you

One more time
Oh if I had you, if I only had you
Yeah the things that I could do
Oh boy if I had you

So come on dance with me baby, don't let me go
Yeah dance with me baby, don't let me go

Baby don't let me, don't let me, don't let me go, oh no
Don't let me, don't let me, don't let me go, don't let me go now

Come on dance with me baby, don't let me go
Yeah dance with me baby, don't let me go

Baby don't let me, baby don't let me go, oh no
Don't let me go, baby don't let me go
Don't let me go now, don't wanna go now

Baby don't let me, baby don't let me go
Baby don't let me, oh baby don't let me go
Baby don't let me go now
Come on

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►  BADGES, POSTERS, STICKERS, T-SHIRTS

(first released on the B-side of the single 'Private investigations', written by Mark Knopfler)

Yeah
Me and my mate, we think you're great
There's some we like, and some we hate
I know him, I've seen him on the adverts
Got any badges, posters, stickers or t-shirts?

It were bloody great last time you come
I thought my head was stuck in bassdrum
It were bloody loud, my bloody head hurts
Got any badges, posters, stickers or t-shirts?

Yeah, so how did you get a start in showbiz?
My mate is as good on drums as he is
My mate thinks I'm bloody cracked
Will you sign my jacket on the back?

Are them badges made of plastic?
I think they're great, just fantastic
I'm unemployed, he's still at school
He gets annoyed 'cos I'm such a fool
You don't have sweat a lot up there
Haven't you got showers in here
It were bloody great, my bloody head hurts
Got any badges, posters, stickers or t-shirts?

Yeah, me and my mate like AC/DC
Hot and sweaty, loud and greasy
My mam says we're a pair of perverts
Got any badges, posters, stickers or t-shirts?

Come on mister...

Well we hitch-hiked here, it were pourin' rain
Now we've missed the flamin' train

Hey...
Can I have one of them lagers?
Mmmmm
Thanks very much
Great
Can he have one?

A-one, a-two, a-one, two, three, four...

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►  SO FAR AWAY

(released on 'Brothers in arms', written by Mark Knopfler)

Here I am again in this mean old town
And you're so far away from me
And where are you when the sun goes down
You're so far away from me

So far away from me
So far I just can't see
So far away from me
You're so far away from me, alright

I'm tired of being in love and being all alone
When you're so far away from me
I'm tired of making out on the telephone
'Cos you're so far away from me

You're so far away from me
So far I just can't see
So far away from me
You're so far away from me, alright

And I get so tired when I have to explain
When you're so far away from me
See you've been in the sun and I've been in the rain
And you're so far away from me

You're so far away from me
So far I just can't see
So far away from me
You're so far away from me
Check it out

So far away from me
So far away from me
Oh you're so far away from me
Yeah you're so far away from me, so far away from me
And you're so far away from me

So far away from me
So far away from me
You're so far away now, so far away from me
So far away
So far away from me
Yeah, so far away from me

Alright
You're so far away from me

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►  MONEY FOR NOTHING

(released on 'Brothers in arms', written by Mark Knopfler and Sting)

Huh, now look at them yo yo's that's the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Money for nothin' and chicks for free
Now that ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Lemme tell ya them guys ain't dumb
Maybe get a blister on your little finger
Maybe get a blister on your thumb

We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these colour TV's

See the little faggot with the earring and the makeup
Yeah buddy that's his own hair
That little faggot got his own jet airplane
That little faggot he's a millionaire

We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these colour TV's

Oegamoenga, huh

Gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these colour TV's
Look a-here, look

I shoulda learned to play the guitar
I shoulda learned to play them drums
Look at that mama, she got it stickin' in the camera
Man we could have some fun
And he's up there, what's that? Hawaiian noises?
You're bangin' on the bongoes like a chimpanzee
Oh, that ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Get your money for nothin' get your chicks for free

We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these colour TV's, Lord

Listen here
Now that ain't workin' that's the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Money for nothin' and your chicks for free

Money for nothin' and chicks for free
Money for nothin' and chicks for free
Money for nothin' and chicks for free

Money for nothin' and chicks for free
Money money money for nothin' and chicks for free
Money for nothin' and chicks for free

What's that?

Look at that, look at that

Ah, money for nothin'
Easy easy money, easy easy chicks for free
Easy easy money for nothin'

That ain't workin'

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►  WALK OF LIFE

(released on 'Brothers in arms', written Mark Knopfler)

Here comes Johnny singing oldies, goldies
Be Bop A Lula, baby what I say
Here comes Johnny singing I gotta woman
Down in the tunnels, trying to make it pay
He got the action, he got the motion
Oh yeah the boy can play
Dedication devotion
Turning all the night time into the day

He do the song about the sweet lovin' woman
He do the song about the knife
He do the walk, he do the walk of life
Yeah he do the walk of life

Here comes Johnny and he'll tell you the story
Hand me down my walkin' shoes
Here comes Johnny with the power and the glory
Backbeat the talkin' blues
He got the action, he got the motion
Oh yeah the boy can play
Dedication devotion
Turning all the night time into the day

He do the song about the sweet lovin' woman
He do the song about the knife
Then he do the walk, do the walk of life
Yeah he do the walk of life

Here comes Johnny singing oldies, goldies
Be Bop A Lula, baby what I say
Here comes Johnny singing I gotta woman
Down in the tunnels, trying to make it pay
He got the action, he got the motion
Oh yeah the boy can play
Dedication devotion
Turning all the night time into the day

And after all the violence and double talk
There's just a song in all the trouble and the strife
You do the walk, yeah you do the walk of life
Hmm, you do the walk of life

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►  YOUR LATEST TRICK

(released on 'Brothers in arms' , written by Mark Knopfler)

All the late night bargains have been struck
Between the satin beaus and their belles
Prehistoric garbage trucks
Have the city to themselves
Echoes roars dinosaurs
They're all doing the monster mash
And most of the taxis, most of the whores
Are only taking calls for cash

Mmm, I don't know how it happened
It all took place so quick
But all I can do is hand it to you
And your latest trick

Well now my door was standing open
Security was laid back and lax
But it was only my heart got broken
You must have had a pass key made out of wax
You played robbery with insolence
And I played the blues in twelve bars down Lover's Lane
And you never did have the intelligence to use
The twelve keys hanging off my chain

Mmm, I don't know how it happened
It all took place so quick
But all I can do is hand it to you
And your latest trick

Now it's past last call for alcohol
Past recall has been here and gone
The landlord he finally paid us all
The satin jazzmen have put away their horns
And we're standing outside of this wonderland
Looking so bereaved and so bereft
Like a Bowery bum when he finally understands
The bottle's empty and there's nothing left

Mmm, I don't know how it happened
It was faster than the eye could flick
But all I can do is hand it to you
And your latest trick

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►  WHY WORRY

(released on 'Brothers in arms', written by Mark Knopfler)

Baby I see this world has made you sad
Some people can be bad
The things they do, the things they say
But baby I'll wipe away those bitter tears
I'll chase away those restless fears
That turn your blue skies into grey

Why worry, there should be laughter after pain
There should be sunshine after rain
These things have always been the same
So why worry now, why worry now

Baby when I get down I turn to you
And you make sense of what I do
I know it isn't hard to say
But baby just when this world seems mean and cold
Our love comes shining red and gold
And all the rest is by the way

Why worry, there should be laughter after pain
There should be sunshine after rain
These things have always been the same
So why worry now, why worry now

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►  RIDE ACROSS THE RIVER

(released on 'Brothers in arms', written by Mark Knopfler)

I'm a soldier of freedom in the army of man
We are the chosen, we're the partisan alright
Well the cause it is noble and the cause it is just
We are ready to pay with our lives if we must

Gonna ride across the river deep and wide
Ride across the river to the other side

I'm a soldier of fortune, I'm a dog of war yeah
And we don't give a damn who the killing is for
It's the same old story with a different name
Death or glory, it's the killing game

Gonna ride across the river deep and wide
Ride across the river to the other side

Oh nothing gonna stop them as the day follows the night
Right becomes wrong and the left becomes the right
And they sing as they march with their flags unfurled
Today in the mountains, tomorrow the world

Gonna ride across the river deep and wide
Ride across the river to the other side

Gonna ride across the river deep and wide
Ride across the river to the other side

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►  THE MAN'S TOO STRONG

(released on 'Brothers in arms', written by Mark Knopfler)

I'm just an ageing drummer boy
And in the wars I used to play
And I've called the tune
To many a torture session
Now they say I am a war criminal
And I'm fading away
Father please hear my confession

I have legalised robbery
Called it belief
I have run with the money
I have it hid like a thief
I have re written history
With my armies and my crooks
Invented memories
I did burn all the books
And I can still hear his laughter
And I can still hear his song
The man's too big
The man's too strong

Well I have tried to be meek
And I have tried to be mild
But I spat like a woman
And sulked like a child
I have lived behind walls
That have made me alone
Striven for peace
Which I never have known
And I can still hear his laughter
And I can still hear his song
The man's too big
The man's too strong

Well the sun rose on the courtyard
And they all did hear him say
'You always were a Judas
But I got you anyway
You may have got your silver
But I swear upon my life
Your sister gave me diamonds
And I gave them to your wife'
Oh father please help me
For I have done wrong
The man's too big
The man's too strong

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►  ONE WORLD

(released on 'Brothers in arms', written Mark Knopfler)

Can't get no sleeves for my records
Can't get no laces for my shoes
Can't get no fancy notes
On my blue guitar
I can't get no antidote for blues
Oh yeah blues

Can't find the reasons for your actions
Or I don't much like the reasoning you use
Somehow your motives are impure
Or somehow I can't find the cure
Can't find no antidote for blues
Oh yeah blues

They say it's mostly vanity
That writes the plays we act
They tell me that's what everybody knows
There's no such thing as sanity
And that's the sanest fact
That's the way the story goes
Oh yeah, oh yeah blues

Can't get no remedy on my TV
There's nothing but the same old news
They can't find a way to be
One world in harmony
Can't get no antidote for blues
Oh yeah blues
Blues, oh yeah blues
Alright

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►  BROTHERS IN ARMS

(released on 'Brothers in arms', written by Mark Knopfler)

These mist covered mountains
Are a home now for me
But my home is the lowlands
And always will be
Some day you'll return to
Your valleys and your farms
And you'll no longer burn
To be brothers in arms

Through these fields of destruction
Baptisms of fire
I've watched all your suffering
As the battles raged higher
And though they did hurt me so bad
In the fear and alarm
You did not desert me
My brothers in arms

There's so many different worlds
So many different suns
And we have just one world
But we live in different ones

Now the sun's gone to hell
And the moon's riding high
Let me bid you farewell
Every man has to die
But it's written in the starlight
And every line on your palm
We're fools to make war
On our brothers in arms

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►  CALLING ELVIS

(released on 'On every street', written by Mark Knopfler)

Calling Elvis - is anybody home
Calling Elvis - I'm here all alone
Did he leave the building
Or can he come to the phone
Calling Elvis - I'm here all alone

Well tell him I was calling just to wish him well
Let me leave my number - heartbreak hotel
Oh love me tender - baby don't be cruel
Return to sender - treat me like a fool

Calling Elvis - is anybody home
Calling Elvis - I'm here all alone
Did he leave the building
Can he come to the phone
Calling Elvis - I'm here all alone

Why don't you go get him - I'm his biggest fan
You gotta tell him - he's still the man
Long distance baby - so far from home
Don't you think maybe you could put him on

Well tell him I was calling just to wish him well
Let me leave my number - heartbreak hotel
Oh love me tender - baby don't be cruel
Return to sender - treat me like a fool

Calling Elvis - is anybody home
Calling Elvis - I'm here all alone
Did he leave the building
Can he come to the phone
Calling Elvis - I'm here all alone

Calling Elvis - is anybody home
Calling Elvis - I'm here all alone
Did he leave the building
Can he come to the phone
Calling Elvis - I'm here all alone
Alright

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►  ON EVERY STREET

(released on 'On every street', written by Mark Knopfler)

There's gotta be a record of you someplace
You gotta be on somebody's books
The lowdown a picture of your face
Your injured looks
The sacred and profane
The pleasure and the pain
Somewhere your fingerprints remain concrete
And it's your face I'm looking for on every street

A ladykiller regulation tattoo
Silver spurs on his heels
Says what can I tell you, as I'm standing next to you
She threw herself under my wheels
Oh it's a dangerous road
And a hazerdous load
And the fireworks over liberty explode in the heat
And it's your face I'm looking for on every street

A three chord symphony crashes into space
The moon is hanging upside down
I don't know why it is I'm still on the case
It's a ravenous town
And you still refuse to be traced
Seems to me such a waste
And every victory has a taste that's bittersweet
And it's your face I'm looking for on every street
Yeah it's your face I'm looking for on every street

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►  WHEN IT COMES TO YOU

(released on 'On every street', written by Mark Knopfler)

If we can't get along we oughtta be apart
And I'm wondering where'd you get that cold, cold heart
Set me free sign my release
I'm tired of being the villain of the piece

You been givin' me a bad time
Tell me what'd I do
How come I always get a hard time
Honey when it comes to you
Sayin' things that you didn't have to
How come I always get a hard time
Honey when it comes to you

You only get one life this I know
I wanna get my licks in now before I go
The fire of love is dead and cold
I gotta satisfy the hunger in my soul

You been givin' me a bad time
Tell me what'd I do
How come I always get a hard time
Honey when it comes to you
Sayin' things that you didn't have to
How come I always get a hard time
Honey when it comes to you

If we can't get along we oughtta be apart
And I'm wondering where'd you get that cold, cold heart
Set me free sign my release
I'm tired of being the villain of the piece

You been givin' me a bad time
Tell me what'd I do
How come I always get a hard time
Honey when it comes to you
Sayin' things that you didn't have to
How come I always get a hard time
Honey when it comes to you

How come I always get a hard time
Honey when it comes to you

How come I always get a hard time
Honey when it comes to you

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►  FADE TO BLACK

(released on 'On every street', written by Mark Knopfler)

Well I wonder where you are tonight
You're probably on the rampage somewhere
You have been known to take delight
In gettin' in somebody's hair
And you, you always had the knack
Fade to black

I bet you already made a pass
I see a darkened room somewhere
You run your finger round the rim of his glass
You run your fingers through his hair
They scratch across his back
Fade to black

Well maybe it's all for the best
But I wish I'd never been lassooed
Maybe it's some kind of test
But I wish I'd never been tattooed
Or been to hell and back
Fade to black

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►  THE BUG

(released on 'On every street', written by Mark Knopfler)

Well it's a strange old game you learn it slow
One step forward and it's back to go
You're standing on the throttle
You're standing on the breaks
In the groove 'til you make a mistake

Sometimes you're the windshield
Sometimes you're the bug
Sometimes it all comes together baby
Sometimes you're a fool in love
Sometimes you're the louisville slugger baby
Sometimes you're the ball
Sometimes it all comes together baby
Sometimes you're going to lose it all, groovin'

You gotta know happy you gotta know glad
Because you're gonna know lonely
And you're gonna know bad
When you're rippin' and a ridin' and you're coming on strong
You start slippin' and a slidin' and it all goes wrong because

Sometimes you're the windshield
Sometimes you're the bug
Sometimes it all comes together baby
Sometimes you're a fool in love
Ssometimes you're the louisville slugger baby
Sometimes you're the ball
Sometimes it all comes together baby
Sometimes you're going to lose it all, groovin'

And again groovin'
Breakdown

One day you got the glory
Then you got none
One day you're a diamond
And then you're a stone
Everything can change
In the blink of an eye
So let the good times roll
Before we say goodbye

Sometimes you're the windshield
Sometimes you're the bug yeah
Sometimes it all comes together baby
Sometimes you're a fool in love
Sometimes you're the louisville slugger baby
Sometimes you're the ball
Sometimes it all comes together baby
Sometimes you're going to lose it all

Sometimes you're the windshield
Sometimes you're the bug
Sometimes it all comes together baby
Sometimes you're a fool in love
Sometimes you're the louisville slugger baby
Sometimes you're the ball
Sometimes it all comes together baby
Sometimes you're going to lose it all, groovin'

Do the bug
Do the bug

The bug

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►  YOU AND YOUR FRIEND

(released on 'On every street' , written by Mark Knopfler)

Will you and your friend come around
Are you and your friend gonna get on down
Will you and your friend come around
Or are you and your friend gonna let me down

If you talk to one another
I'm a hungry man
Let me know one way or the other
So I can make my plans

Will you and your friend come around
Or are you and your friend gonna get on down
Will you and your friend come around
Or are you and your friend gonna get on down

I relive the situation
Still see it in in my mind
You got my imagination
Working overtime
Baby, baby

▲ TOP



►  HEAVY FUEL

(released on 'On every street', written by Mark Knopfler)

Last time I was sober, man I felt bad
Worst hangover that I ever had
It took six hamburgers and scotch all night
Nicotine for breakfast just to put me right
'Cos if you wanna run cool
If you wanna run cool
If you wanna run cool, you got to run
On heavy, heavy fuel
Heavy, heavy fuel
Heavy, heavy fuel

My life makes perfect sense
Lust and food and violence
Sex and money are my major kicks
Get me in a fight I like the dirty tricks
'Cos if you wanna run cool
If you wanna run cool
Yes if you wanna run cool, you got to run
On heavy, heavy fuel
Heavy, heavy fuel
Heavy, heavy fuel

My chick loves a man who's strong
The things she'll do to turn me on
I love the babes, don't get me wrong
Hey, that's why I wrote this song
Yeah

I don't care if my liver is hanging by a thread
Don't care if my doctor says I ought to be dead
When my ugly big car won't climb this hill
I'll write a suicide note on a hundred dollar bill
'Cos if you wanna run cool
If you wanna run cool
Yes if you wanna run cool, you got to run
On heavy, heavy fuel
Heavy, heavy fuel
Heavy, heavy fuel

Heavy, heavy fuel
Heavy, heavy fuel
Yeah

Heavy, heavy fuel
Heavy, heavy fuel
Heavy, heavy fuel
Heavy, heavy fuel
Heavy, heavy fuel

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►  IRON HAND

(released on 'On every street', written by Mark Knopfler)

With all the clarity of dream
The sky so blue, the grass so green
The rank and file and the navy blue
The deep and strong, the straight and true

The blue line they got the given sign
The belts and boots march forward in time
The wood and leather the club and shield
Swept like a wave across the battlefield

Now with all the clarity of dream
The blood so red, the grass so green
The gleam of spur on chestnut flank
The cavalry did burst upon the ranks

Oh the iron will and the iron hand
In england's green and pleasant land
No music for the shameful scene
That night they said it had even shocked the queen

Well alas we've seen it all before
Knights in armour, days of yore
The same old fears and the same old crimes
We haven't changed since ancient times

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►  TICKET TO HEAVEN

(released on 'On every street', written Mark Knopfler)

I can see what you're looking to find
In the smile on my face
In my peace of mind
In my state of grace
I send what I can
To the man from the ministry
He's a part of heaven's plan
And he talks to me

Now I send what I can to the man
With the diamond ring
He's a part of heaven's plan
Yeah and he sure can sing
Now it's all I can afford
But the lord has sent me eternity
It's to save the little children
In a poor country

I got my ticket to heaven
And everlasting life
I got a ride all the way to paradise
I got my ticket to heaven
And everlasting life
All the way to paradise

Now there's nothing left for luxuries
Nothing left to pay my heating bill
But the good lord will provide
I know he will
So send what you can
To the man with the diamond ring
They're tuning in across the land
To hear him sing

I got my ticket to heaven
And everlasting life
I got a ride all the way to paradise
I got my ticket to heaven
And everlasting life
All the way to paradise
All the way to paradise

▲ TOP



►  MY PARTIES

(released on 'On every street', written by Mark Knopfler)

Well this is my back yard my back gate
I hate to start my parties late
Here's the party cart ain't that great?
That ain't the best part baby just wait
That's a genuine weathervane it moves with the breeze
Portable hammock honey who needs trees
It's casual entertaining we aim to please
At my parties, alright aahah

Check out the shingles it's brand new
Excuse me while I mingle hi, how are you
Hey everybody let me give you a toast
This one's for me the host with the most

It's getting a trifle colder step inside my home
That's a brass toilet tissue holder with its own telephone
That's a musical doorbell it don't ring, I ain't kiddin'
It plays america the beautiful and tie a yellow ribbon

Boy, this punch is a trip it's o.k. in my book
Here, take a sip maybe a little heavy on the fruit
Ah, here comes the dip you may kiss the cook
Let me show you honey it's easy look
You take a fork and you spike 'em say, did you try these?
So glad you like 'em the secret's in the cheese
It's casual entertaining we aim to please
At my parties, alright aahah
Yeah at my parties, alright aahah

Now don't talk to me about the polar bear
Don't talk to me about the ozone layer
Ain't so much of anything these days, even the air
They're running out of rhinos what do I care?
Let's hear it for the dolphin let's hear it for the trees
Ain't running out of nothin' in my deep freeze
It's casual entertaining we aim to please
At my parties, alright aahah
Do what you please

At my parties, alright aahah
Yeah at my parties, alright aahah
You do what you please
Oh yeah at my parties, alright aahah
Oh yes at my parties
Yeah I told you like that

Hmm, that's nice

At my parties, alright aahah
Yeah at my parties, alright aahah

Oh yeah at my parties, alright aahah
You do what you please
At my parties, alright aahah

▲ TOP



►  PLANET OF NEW ORLEANS

(released on 'On every street', written Mark Knopfler)

Standin' on the corner
Of toulouse and dauphine
Waitin' on marie ondine
I'm tryin' to place a tune
Under a louisiana moonbeam
On the planet of New Orleans

In a bar they call the saturn
And in her eyes of green
And somethin' that she said in a dream
Inside of my suit I got my mojo root
And a true love figurine
For the planet of New Orleans

New Orleans
With other life upon it
And everythin' that's shakin' in between
If you should ever land upon it
You better know what's on it
The planet of New Orleans

Now I'm tryin' to find my way
Through the rain and the steam
I'm lookin' straight ahead through the screen
And then I heard her say
Somethin' in the limousine
'Bout taking a ride across the planet of New Orleans

If she was an ace
And I was just a jack
And the cards were never seen
We could have been the king and the queen
But she took me back to her courtyard
Where magnolia perfume screams
Behind the gates and the granite
Of the planet of New Orleans

New Orleans
With other life upon it
And everythin' that's shakin' in between
If you should ever land upon it
Well, you better know what's on it
The planet of New Orleans
With other life upon it
And everythin' that's shakin' in between
If you should ever land upon it
Well, you better know what's on it
The planet of New Orleans

Planet of New Orleans

▲ TOP



►  HOW LONG

(released on 'On every street', written by Mark Knopfler)

How long, how long baby
How long has it been
How long you gonna keep me wondering
How long before you see
Stallin' me was wrong - how long

How long, how long you gonna keep
Slappin' my hands away
How long you gonna keep my love at bay
How long before you're sure
My love is strong - how long

How long, how long you gonna keep
Tellin' me you like me fine
How long until I'm gonna make you mine
How long before you wake up
And find your good man gone - how long
Gone, how long
Gone, how long

▲ TOP



►  MILLIONAIRE BLUES

(released on the B-side of the single 'Calling Elvis', written by Mark Knopfler)

I woke up this morning
My jacuzzi wouldn't work
Then the butler quit on me, man
Can you believe it - jerk
Must've been my artistic temperament he couldn't take
How come nobody wants to give me a break
I got the blues right there - mean and low
I'm as low as the heels of my alligator shoes
You should know how it feels
To have these millionaire blues, millionaire blues

Well I found one of my bathrooms
And I, I made it to the sink
I called one of my managers up
And I poured myself a drink
Oh, I swear I'd kill that little weasel if I could
Checked myself in the mirror
My hair was looking good, but
I had the blues right there mean, mean, and mean and low
I'm as low as the heels of my alligator shoes
You should know how it feels
To have these millionaire blues, millionaire blues

Get down

Well so much for breakfast - I couldn't face lunch
I thought I'd raise my spirits
With a champagne brunch
I take the Lamborghini
The flunkey parks the car
Can you believe it man, this other monkey
Won't let me in the bar
I said - don't you know who I am, man -
And he says - no -
No! Can you believe it?
I'm as low as the heels of these alligator shoes
You should know how it feels
To have these millionaire blues, millionaire blues
To have these millionaire blues, millionaire blues

That's bad, that's bad that's bad
So hard, it's hard sometimes for a boy

I like that, that's good
Get down

You're making a very big mistake, man
Oh yeah, you'll never work in this town again
Alright

▲ TOP



►  KINGDOM COME

(released on the B-side of the single 'Heavy fuel', written by Mark Knopfler)

I'll tell you what
They don't mess with me, I'm a wild man, son
I've got me my very own anti tank gun
I got a jack rabbit with it, guess he was a mean one
Yeah, I've always been a sportsman

Now, there weren't much left when I got to them
Them big old shells didn't just go through him
Just lumps and fur, and that was it
Guess you could say he sure took a hit, alright

Yeah, you want to see my fire power, see my collection
Cause that's my thing, man, perfection
Now, I'm talking power in the barrel of a gun
I blow anything I want to kingdom come

Ba ba boom
Ba ba ba ba bomb
And I blow anything I want to kingdom come

Now, all you got to do is squeeze on the trigger
And a little bitty human get a hole lot bigger
Cause there's a time for talking and a time to shoot them down
And this Mama Jama don't pussy foot around, alright

Yeah, let them laugh, let them see we're strange
Me and my buddies on the rifle range
But you won't be laughing when it hits the fan
You're going to want to be a survivor, man

Yeah, you got to see my fire power, see my collection
Cause that's my thing, man, perfection
Now, I'm talking power in the barrel of a gun
I blow anything I want to kingdom come

Ba ba boom
Ba ba ba ba bomb
And I blow anything I want to kingdom come

Ba ba boom
I say we ought to drop the bomb
Yes, and I blow anything I want to kingdom come

I blow anything I want to kingdom come
I blow anything I want to kingdom come
I blow anything I want to kingdom come

▲ TOP



►  WHAT'S THE MATTER BABY?

(released on 'Live at the BBC' , written by David Knopfler and Mark Knopfler)

There's a shadow hanging over the valley
Total eclipse of the moon
Closing up the gates of the city
The wind plays a wild tune
Don't you put the lock upon the window
Don't you put the bar on the door
Don't you cry for the rain in the sky
You've seen a storm before

Yeah now what's the matter with you baby
Baby what's the matter now
What's the matter
You're running in the shadows
Everytime you hear the wild wind howl
Come on tell me, what's the matter with you baby
Baby what's the matter now
What's the matter
You're running in shadows
Everytime you hear the wild wind howl

Well lightning gonna strike at midnight
Thunder gonna shake the ground
Don't you flinch, don't give an inch
Just a-let the flood come now
Come on tell me, what's the matter with you baby
Baby what's the matter now
Tell me what's the matter
You're running in the shadows
Everytime you hear the wild wind howl

Come on tell me, what's the matter with you baby
Baby what's the matter now
What's the matter
You're running in the shadows
Everytime you hear the wild wind howl

▲ TOP



►  DARLING PRETTY

(released on 'Golden Heart', written by Mark Knopfler)

It's time to come away, my darling pretty
It's time to come away on the changing tide
Time to come away, darling pretty
And I need you darling by my side

Heal me with a smile, darling pretty
Heal me with a smile and a heart of gold
Carry me awhile, my darling pretty
Heal my aching heart and soul

Just like a castaway
Lost upon an endless sea
I saw you far away
Come to rescue me

Cast away the chains, darling pretty
Cast away the chains away behind
Take away my pain, my darling pretty
And the chains that once were yours and mine

There will come a day, darling pretty
There will come a day when hearts can fly
Love will find a way, my darling pretty
Find a heaven for you and I
Love will find a way, my darling pretty
Find a heaven for you and I

▲ TOP



►  IMELDA

(released on 'Golden Heart', written by Mark Knopfler)

She's going shopping shopping for shoes
She wants them in magenta and Caribbean blue
Platinum and buttercup lilac and black
They fill a bucket up and laugh behind her back
Imelda baby Imelda baby what to do
All the poor people saying that they gotta quit paying for you

In New York and Paris on the Champs Elysée
They see her coming from a long long way
Yeah they clap their hands together when they get her in the store
She's gonna wanna get more more more and more and more
Imelda baby Imelda baby what to do
All the poor people saying that they gotta quit paying for you

Everyone's gone Jackie O
She was a regular here
We thought Madame would like to know
We've got the blood red rouge right here

Now we've got all of Madame's requisites and all in Madame's size
Madame's taste is truly exquisite she must accessorise
Yeah the belts are alligator the bags are kangaroo
Enchanté may I say the jade was made for you
Imelda baby Imelda baby what to do
All the poor people saying that they gotta quit paying for you
Yeah all the poor people saying they gotta quit paying for you

Imelda baby Imelda baby what to do
All the poor people saying that they gotta quit paying for you
All the poor people saying that they gotta quit paying for you
Yeah

▲ TOP



►  GOLDEN HEART

(released on 'Golden Heart', written by Mark Knopfler)

She was swinging by the bangles in a main street store
A while before we met
The most dangerous angles that you ever saw
She spied her amulet
And she took a loop of leather for around her neck
And that was then the start
The most dangerous lady on her quarter deck
She found her golden heart
You found your golden heart

Then we swirled around each other and the thread was spun
To some Arcadian band
I would stop it from swinging like a pendulum
Just to hold time in my hand
And you shot me with a cannonball of history
And long forgotten art
I'd be turning it over as our words ran free
I'd hold your golden heart
I'd hold your golden heart

Nothing in the world prepared me for your heart, your heart
Nothing in the world that I love more your heart, your heart
Your golden heart

Your golden heart
Your golden heart
Your golden heart
Golden heart, golden heart

And every time I'm thinking of you from a distant shore
And all the time I sleep
I will have a reminder that my baby wore
A part of you to keep
And I'll send you all my promises across the sea
And while we are apart
I will carry the wonder that you gave to me
I'll wear your golden heart
I'll wear your golden heart

Nothing in the world prepared me for your heart, your heart
Nothing in the world that I love more your heart, your heart
Your golden heart

Your golden heart
Your golden heart
Your golden heart
Golden heart, golden heart

Golden heart, your golden heart
Your golden heart

▲ TOP



►  NO CAN DO

(released on 'Golden Heart', written by Mark Knopfler)

Skint in a material world
I did a warehouse stint for Southsea Girl
It was Hong Kong clothes for cash
Everybody got treated worse than trash
Punch the card in the company clock
Load the trolleys and the company trucks
And around and around the whole day through
And you couldn't sit down when there was nothing to do

Well they had beaten up people from every land
Fools like me trying to be in bands
A little French girl so good to me
But I couldn't love her back so lonely
A backpacker travelling through
A lumberjack with the travelling blues
We had worn out shoes and worn out cuffs
And big ideas that were never big enough

He said the man wants you go wash his car
Hey you I'm talking to you
I said me, not me uh uh
No can do

No can can do no can
No can can do no can

Now some were grown up unlike me
And were dealing with reality
I was spittin' sulkin' smokin' shirkin'
While a lady from Jamaica was singing and working
I had everyone but me to blame
And every day was just the same
Well nobody ever said it was a righteous world
But if they did they never said it at Southsea Girl

He said the man wants you go wash his car
Hey you I'm talking to you
I said me, not me uh uh
No can do

No can can do no can
No can can do no can

Well I've made my bed on people's floors
Opened up and closed some doors
Dreamed that if my dreams came true
Then I wouldn't do what I didn't want to
Walking through the gates to the outside
To dream some dreams that never died
And I walked the streets of London town
Looking for place to put my head down

He said the man wants you go wash his car
Hey you I'm talking to you
I said me, not me uh uh
No can do

No can can do no can
No can can do no can

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►  VIC AND RAY

(released on 'Golden Heart', written by Mark Knopfler)

A dirty motor with London plates
Sitting in the gutter outside your silent gates
Vic and Ray, Vic and Ray
Vic and Ray, Vic and Ray

Come to daddy baby, what is it worth
Come to daddy, the scum of the crying earth
Vic and Ray, Vic and Ray
Vic and Ray, Vic and Ray

Laughing at each other's pain
They run the heater in the morning rain
This'll pay the rent around the world
Wanna buy a picture of a girl

Christmas morning, there they are
Two rent boys wishing on a shining star
Vic and Ray, Vic and Ray
Vic and Ray, Vic and Ray

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►  DON'T YOU GET IT

(released on 'Golden Heart', written by Mark Knopfler)

Don't you get it I don't want to buy your car
Don't you get it I don't want to buy it
Don't you get it I don't want to buy your car
Don't you get it I don't want to buy your car

Cause I gotta be a free man to run
I gotta be a free man to ride
I gotta be a free man to run
Cause I gotta be a free man to ride
I gotta be a free man to run
I gotta be a free man to ride
I gotta be a free man to run
Cause I gotta be a free man to ride

Now don't you get it I don't want to dream your dream
Don't you get it I don't want to dream it
Don't you get it I don't want to dream your dream
Don't you get it I don't want to dream your dream

Cause I gotta be a free man to run
I gotta be a free man to ride
I gotta be a free man to run
Cause I gotta be a free man to ride
I gotta be a free man to run
I gotta be a free man to ride
I gotta be a free man to run
Cause I gotta be a free man to ride

Don't you get it I don't want to buy your car
Don't you get it I don't want to buy it
Don't you get it I don't want to buy your car
Don't you get it I don't want to buy your car

Cause I gotta be a free man to run
I gotta be a free man to ride
I gotta be a free man to run
Cause I gotta be a free man to ride
I gotta be a free man to run
I gotta be a free man to ride
I gotta be a free man to run
Cause I gotta be a free man to ride

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►  A NIGHT IN SUMMER LONG AGO

(released on 'Golden Heart', written by Mark Knopfler)

My lady may I have this dance
Forgive a knight who knows no shame
My lady may I have this dance
And lady may I know your name
You danced upon a soldier's arm
And I felt the blade of love so keen
And when you smiled you did me harm
And I was drawn to you, my queen

Now these boots may take me where they will
Though they may never shine like his
There is no knight I would not kill
To have my lady's hand to kiss
Yes and they did take me through the hall
To leave me not one breath from you
And they fell silent one and all
And you could see my heart was true
Alright

Then I did lead you from the hall
And we did ride upon the hill
Away beyond the city wall
And sure you are my lady still
A night in summer long ago
The stars were falling from the sky
And still, my heart, I have to know
Why do you love me, lady, why?
Alright

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►  CANNIBALS

(released on 'Golden Heart', written by Mark Knopfler)

Well he's daddy's little boy he plays with his toys
He holds on to his daddy's hand
His daddy says sonny you're a big strong boy
You're gonna be a big strong man
And they go play catch they go play ball
They go take a walk along the sand
Big strong daddy and a big strong boy
Living in a big strong land

Daddy is he a goodie or a baddie
Daddy can I have a dinosaur
Once upon a time there were cannibals
Now there are no cannibals any more
Yeah

Way down in Louisiana there's a hurricane coming
The little boy climbs the stairs
And all along the levee all the people come running
And the little boy saying his prayers
And a sleepy little laddie smiles up at his daddy
And he's asking for his G.I.Joe
And daddy tucks him in with a kiss upon the chin
And says my little one I love you so

Daddy is he a goodie or a baddie
Leave a light outside the door
Once upon a time there were cannibals
Now there are no cannibals any more
Yeah

Lay down your head now don't get out bed
Don't you let bedbugs bite
It's time to go to sleep now not another peep
And I'll see you in the morning light
And then the radio was playing and the weatherman was saying
The hurricane had blown away
And daddy's little boy was jumping up for joy
And he was singing at the break of day

Daddy is he a goodie or a baddie
Daddy can I be a warrior
Once upon a time there were cannibals
Now there are no cannibals any more

Yeah, daddy is he a goodie or a baddie
Daddy why do people go to war
Once upon a time there were cannibals
Now there are no cannibals any more

Yeah, yeah

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►  I'M THE FOOL

(released on 'Golden Heart', written by Mark Knopfler)

I never thought I'd be the one
To be the raging bull
There'd always be a smoking gun
Who'd up and lose his cool
I never thought I'd have to say
I'm sorry, my love, because
I'm the fool I never
Fool I never thought I was

I left my dreams with broken strings
It's time I learnt to talk
Stop falling over things
Teach myself to walk
I'm not a Superman
Or Mr. Wonderful, because
I'm the fool I never
Fool I never thought I was

I'm the know it all
Trying to mend his broken heart
But I don't know who to call
And I don't know where to start

Now if you should lose your faith in me
I don't know where I'd run
I hope you'll always let me be
Your only one
Am I your one true love
Or am I too late for your applause
I'm the fool I never
Fool I never thought I was
Darling, I'm the fool I never
Fool I never thought I was

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►  JE SUIS DÉSOLÉ

(released on 'Golden Heart', written by Mark Knopfler)

We are leaving, leaving
Leaving on the tide
Come and stand beside me love
The water is so wide
You can hear the sailors calling
At the dawning of the day
Yesterday is falling, love
And je suis désolé, je suis désolé

Je suis désolé, mais je n'ai pas le choix
Je suis désolé, mais la vie me demande ça
Je suis désolé, mais je n'ai pas le choix
Je suis désolé, mais la vie me demande ça

I am turning, turning
From a land that I loved well
Look ahead my darling one
Across the rolling swell
And you can hear the seagulls crying
As we're slipping out of the bay
Yesterday is dying, love
And je suis désolé, je suis désolé

Je suis désolé, mais je n'ai pas le choix
Je suis désolé, mais la vie me demande ça
Je suis désolé, mais je n'ai pas le choix
Je suis désolé, mais la vie me demande ça

We are sailing, sailing
For a land that's proud and free
I had no more endurance
For what had become of me
And I will do that which I must do, love
And now we're under way
All that I can say to you
Is je suis désolé

Je suis désolé, mais je n'ai pas le choix
Je suis désolé, mais la vie me demande ça
Je suis désolé, mais je n'ai pas le choix
Je suis désolé, mais la vie me demande ça

Je suis désolé, mais je n'ai pas le choix
Je suis désolé, mais la vie me demande ça
Je suis désolé, mais je n'ai pas le choix
Je suis désolé, mais la vie me demande ça

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►  RÜDIGER

(released on 'Golden Heart', written by Mark Knopfler)

Rüdiger stands in the rain and the snow
Collector of autographs
Names upon photographs
Faces of people who everone knows

Rüdiger lives in a place on his own
Briefcase and spectacles
Strange and respectable
He knows the meaning of being alone

Oooh, Rüdiger
Rüdiger
Rüdi, ooh Rüdiger

Rüdiger works as a clerk in the town
Music or politics
Rüdiger gets his kicks
He gets information then he comes around

Oooh, Rüdiger
Rüdiger
Rüdi, ooh Rüdiger

Rüdiger waits in the hall in Berlin
He waits there all night
Security's tight
They know who he is but they don't let him in

Rüdiger waits in the dark by the stair
His fingers are shaking
His feet they are aching
But your name's in the paper so Rüdiger's there

Oooh, Rüdiger
Rüdiger
Rüdi, ooh Rüdiger

Rüdiger
Rüdiger
Rüdi, ooh Rüdiger

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►  NOBODY'S GOT THE GUN

(released on 'Golden Heart', written by Mark Knopfler)

Nobody's got the gun
Nobody's trying to get the drop on anyone
Nobody's standing out on Main Street
With the sun blazing down
Saying "There's only room for one of us
in this here town"
Nobody's got to be the number one
Nobody's got to be the number one
Nobody's got to be the number one
Nobody's got the gun
Nobody's got the gun

She may not understand
And she may want you eating from her hand
If she's got you in a corner
And you can smell the smoke and flame
You reach for revolver
To do the same
You'll blow your love away forever, number one
You'll blow your love away forever, number one
You'll blow your love away forever, number one
Nobody's got the gun
Nobody's got the gun

You may think love is hard enough
You may never get to rehearse
And you can do without this stuff
Making everything worse

She's just the same as you
She needs your love just like you want her to
You can't go playing poker
With a pistol in your sleeve
You can't make somebody love you
By threatening to leave
If you want a love forever, number one
If you want a love forever, number one
If you want a love forever, number one
Nobody's got the gun
Nobody's got the gun

Yeah, if you want a love forever, number one
If you want a love forever, number one
If you want a love forever, number one
Nobody's got the gun
Nobody's got the gun

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►  DONE WITH BONAPARTE

(released on 'Golden Heart', written by Mark Knopfler)

We've paid in hell since Moscow burned
As Cossacks tear us piece by piece
Our dead are strewn a hundred leagues
Though death would be a sweet release
And our grande armée is dressed in rags
A frozen starving begger band
Like rats we steal each other's scraps
Fall fighting hand to hand

Save my soul from evil, Lord
And heal this soldier's heart
I'll trust in Thee to keep me, Lord
I'm done with Bonaparte

What dreams he made for us to dream
Spanish skies, Egyptian sands
The world was ours, we marched upon
Our little corporal's command
And I lost an eye at Austerlitz
The sabre slash yet gives me pain
My one true love awaits me still
The flower of the aquitaine

Save my soul from evil, Lord
And heal this soldier's heart
I'll trust in Thee to keep me, Lord
I'm done with Bonaparte

I pray for her who prays for me
A safe return to my belle France
We prayed these wars would end all wars
In war we know is no romance
And I pray our child will never see
A little corporal again
Point toward a foreign shore
Captivate the hearts of men

Save my soul from evil, Lord
And heal this soldier's heart
I'll trust in Thee to keep me, Lord
I'm done with Bonaparte

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►  ARE WE IN TROUBLE NOW

(released on 'Golden Heart', written by Mark Knopfler)

It wasn't just the music
It wasn't just the wine
Some other kind of magic
Was sending shivers up my spine
Then I was falling
And I fell for you, and how
Darling, are we trouble now

They say we're grown up
But we've been searching all this time
I wouldn't own up
Never would admit to flying blind
But in the darkness
We found each other anyhow
Darling, are we in trouble now

When we'd talk it over
Love was a cry from a distant shore
Then we found each other
And all that we'd been searching for

And I'm done denying
I guess by now you know
I'm through with trying
Can't bring myself to let you go
And all of these feelings
We said we never would allow
Darling, are we in trouble now
Darling, are we in trouble now

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►  GRAVY TRAIN

(originally released on the B-side of the single 'Darling pretty' and in October 2021 released again in the 11LP & 6CD box set, written by Mark Knopfler)


Well they fly past the ghettos and the factories
Riding on the gravy train
All of the places that they really ought to be
Riding on the gravy train
Past the coal mines black and scarred
The slaughterhouses and the loading yards
On the gravy train, on the gravy train

There's the lucky little mothers in the luxury cars
Riding on the gravy train
Never thank each other or their lucky stars
Riding on the gravy train
What's worse than ingratitude
Worse than a piss poor attitude
On the gravy train, on the gravy train

Ah the ganger-uppers and the hangers-on
Riding on the gravy train
Champagne suppers with the daggers all drawn
Riding on the gravy train
Some act tough, some act rude
Some bit of fluff complains about the food
You want to see a body getting really crude
Get on the gravy train, gravy train

Well the golden goose is clattering down the track
And they're gonna be riding in an old caboose
Coming back

There's the soldiers of fashion on the hit parade
Ridin' on the gravy train
Tongue lashing with the bitch brigade
Riding on the gravy train
A freeloader licks my boot
Tells me how he digs my suit
You got lucky son, don't get cute
Get on the gravy train

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►  MY CLAIM TO FAME

(originally released on the B-side of the single 'Darling pretty' and in October 2021 released again in the 11LP & 6CD box set, written by Mark Knopfler)

Well he's a big star now
But I've been a fan of his for years
The way he sings and plays guitar
Still brings me to tears
I wouldn't want to be a big deal
I wouldn't want to be a celebrity
I spent my life building ships of steel
That's all there ever was for me

I'd take a hammer to the sea valves
Punch out my name
And they sail the seas as free as the breeze
That's my claim to fame

He spends his life in the studio
Jet planes and big black cars
They play his records on the radio
In all of the clubs and in all of the bars
In my day he didn't have a choice
You had to take a trade
You had no money and you had no voice
That's the life I made

I'd take a hammer to the sea valves
Punch out my name
And they sail the seas as free as the breeze
That's my claim to fame
That's my claim to fame, boys
That's my claim to fame
To sail the seas as free as a breeze
And that's my claim to fame

La La La La La
La La La
La La La La La La La

Well a song can live forever and a day
An old ship goes to the breaker's yard
In a hundred years they're gonna hear him play
They won't remember me for working hard

Now they've all gone away, all the boys and the girls
The yard is a grave where the river runs through
We used to build the ships for the whole wide world
Now we couldn't if we wanted to

I'd take a hammer to the sea valves
Punch out my name
And they sail the seas as free as the breeze
That's my claim to fame
I'd take a hammer to the sea valves
Punch out my name
And they sail the seas as free as the breeze
That's my claim to fame


That's my claim to fame, boys
That's my claim to fame
They sail the seas as free as the breeze
That's my claim to fame

La La La La La
La La La
La La La La La-La

La La La La La
La La La
La La La La La-La

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►  TALL ORDER BABY

(originally released on the B-side of single 'Cannibals' and in October 2021 released again in the 11LP & 6CD box set, written by Mark Knopfler)

Well gimme a little loving in the morning
I want a little loving while I say
But you want to get a loving in the evening
When I want to get some loving in the day
I tell her that I'm working in the morning
I tell her that I gotta get my rest
She tell me she's a working on her loving
And she tell me that my loving is the best

Well it's a tall order baby
And it's a tall order now
Well it's a tall order baby
But we gotta get our loving somehow, yeah

Well I don't want to go to sleep on you baby
I don't want to go to sleep on you now
But if I'm going to go to sleep on you baby
Well you're gonna do it any old how
Well, don't you turn your back on me darling
Don't you know I'd like to stay up and play
But if I turn my back on you darling
You're going to do it some other way

Well it's a tall order baby
And it's a tall order now
Well it's a tall order baby
But we gotta get our loving somehow
It's a tall order baby
Well it's a tall order now
Well it's a tall order baby
But we gotta get our loving somehow

Well, I don't want to go to sleep on you baby
I don't want to go to sleep on you now
But if I'm going to go to sleep on you baby
Well you're gonna do it any old how
Well, don't you turn your back on me darling
Don't you know I'd like to stay up and play
But if I turn my back on you darling
You're going to do it some other way

Well it's a tall order baby
It's a tall order now
Well it's a tall order baby
But we got to get our loving somehow
Well it's a tall order baby
And it's a tall order now
It's a tall order baby
But we gotta get our loving somehow

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►  WHAT HAVE I GOT TO DO

(originally released on the B-side of single 'Cannibals' and in October 2021 released again in the 11LP & 6CD box set, written by Mark Knopfler)

Now if I was to sing for you
A song you never heard
And give to you my finest treasure
Would you look at what I bring to you
Turn without a word
Leave me at your gate
Keep me waiting at your pleasure

What have I
What have I got
What have I got to do
To win your love
Maybe never
What have I
What have I got
What have I got to do
To win your love forever

I'll beat a lion heart tattoo
I'll bring you pipes and drums
I'll bring you boots of burnished leather
I'll set to sea in ships for you
Brave a thousand runs
Ride a hurricane
Laugh at any stormy weather

What have I
What have I got
What have I got to do
To win your love
Maybe never
What have I
What have I got
What have I got to do
To win your love forever

You set no store by gems and gold
You scorn my weather chart
You're unconcerned with men's advances
I want you more a hundred-fold
When you lift my heart
I'll burn no other flame
Bear no one else's lances

What have I
What have I got
What have I got to do
To win your love
Maybe never
What have I
What have I got
What have I got to do
To win your love forever

To win your love forever

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►  WHAT IT IS

(released on 'Sailing to Philadelphia', written by Mark Knopfler. The song was also released on a Mexican promo single which included an extra verse)

The drinking dens are spilling out
There's staggering in the square
There's lads and lasses falling about
And a crackling in the air
Down around the dungeon doors
The shelters in the queues
Everybody's looking for
Somebody's arms to fall into
And it's what it is
It's what it is now

There's frost on the graves and the monuments
But the taverns are warm in town
People curse the government
And shovel hot food down
The lights are out in city hall
The castle and the keep
The moon shines down upon it all
The legless and asleep

And it's cold on a tollgate
With the wagons creeping through
Cold on a tollgate
God knows what I could do with you
And It's what it is
It's what it is now

The garrison sleeps and the citadel
With the ghosts and the ancient stones
High up on the parapet
A Scottish piper stands alone
And high on the wind
The highland drums begin to roll
And something from the past just comes
And stares into my soul

And it's cold on a tollgate
Where the Caledonian blues
Cold on a tollgate
God knows what I could do with you
And It's what it is
It's what it is now
What it is
It's what it is now

There's a chink of light
There's a burning wick
There's a lantern in the tower
Wee Willie Winkie with a candlestick
Still writing songs in the wee wee hours
On Charlotte Street I take
A walking stick from my hotel
The ghost of Dirty Dick
Is still in search of Little Nell
And it's what it is
It's what it is now
Oh it's what it is
What it is now

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►  SAILING TO PHILADELPHIA

(released on 'Sailing to Philadelphia', written by Mark Knopfler)

I am Jeremiah Dixon
I am a Geordie boy
A glass of wine with you, sir
And the ladies I'll enjoy
All Durham and Northumberland
Is measured up by my own hand
It was my fate from birth
To make my mark upon the earth...

He calls me Charlie Mason
A stargazer am I
It seems that I was born
To chart the evening sky
They'd cut me out for baking bread
But I had other dreams instead
This baker's boy from the west country
Would join the Royal Society...

We are sailing to Philadelphia
A world away from the coaly Tyne
Sailing to Philadelphia
To draw the line
A Mason-Dixon Line

Now you're a good surveyor, Dixon
But I swear you'll make me mad
The West will kill us both
You gullible Geordie lad
You talk of liberty
How can America be free
A Geordie and a baker's boy
In the forests of the Iroquois...

Now hold your head up, Mason
See America lies there
The morning tide has raised
The capes of Delaware
Come up and feel the sun
A new morning has begun
Another day will make it clear
Why your stars should guide us here...

We are sailing to Philadelphia
A world away from the coaly Tyne
Sailing to Philadelphia
To draw the line
A Mason-Dixon Line

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►  WHO'S YOUR BABY NOW

(released on 'Sailing to Philadelphia', written by Mark Knopfler)

The rock you stood upon
Is broken up and gone
Hey baby, who's your baby now
On the slipway of your dream
Stands someone else's scheme
Hey baby, who's your baby now

Your baby now, baby now
Your baby now, your baby now

The ancient trade you ply
Ain't enough to get you by
Hey baby, who's your baby now
The yard is locked and closed
The old guard has been deposed
Hey baby, who's your baby now

Your baby now, baby now
Your baby now, your baby now

You always had to be the kind
To have to say what's on your mind
And hey, you really showed 'em how
You used to laugh about
How you used to dish it out
But hey, who's laughing now

'Cos the rock you stood upon
Is broken up and gone
Hey baby, who's your baby now
Yeh the rock you stood upon
Is broken up and gone
Hey baby, who's your baby now

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►  BALONEY AGAIN

(released on 'Sailing to Philadelphia', written by Mark Knopfler)

We don't eat in no white restaurant
We're eatin' in the car
Baloney again, baloney again
We don't sleep in no white hotel bed
We're sleepin' in the car, baloney again
You don't strut around in these country towns
You best stay in the car
Look on ahead don't stare around
You best stay where you are
You're a long way from home, boy
Don't push your luck too far
Baloney again

Twenty-two years we've sung the word
since nineteen thirty-one
Amen, I say amen
Now the young folk want to praise the Lord
With guitar, bass and drums, amen
Well I'll never get tired of Jesus
But it's been a heavy load
Carrying His precious love
Down a long dirt road
We're a long way from home
Just let's pay the man and go
Baloney again

The Lord is my shepherd
He leadeth me in pastures green
He gave us this day
Our daily bread and gasoline
Go under the willow
Park her up beside the stream
Shoulders for pillows
Lay down your head and dream
Shoulders for pillows
Lay down your head and dream
Your comments here

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►  THE LAST LAUGH

(released on 'Sailing to Philadelphia', written by Mark Knopfler)

Don't you love the sound
Of the last laugh my friend
Don't you love the sound
Of the last laugh at the end
Down in the gutter with the mad old soldiers
Down in the scuppers with the drunken sailors
Down in the gutter with the mad old soldiers
But the last laugh, baby is yours
And don't you love the sound
Of the last laugh going down

Games you thought you'd learned
You neither lost nor won
Dreams have crashed and burned
But you're still going on
Out on the highway with the road gang working
Up on the mountain with the cold wind blowing
Out on the highway with the road gang working
But the last laugh, baby is yours
And don't you love the sound
Of the last laugh going down

They had you crying but you came up smiling
They had you crawling and you came up flying
They had you crying and you came up smiling
And the last laugh, baby is yours
And don't you love the sound
Of the last laugh going down
Yeh don't you love the sound
Of the last laugh going down

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►  DO AMERICA

(released on 'Sailing to Philadelphia', written by Mark Knopfler)

Well I've been it every since I was a kid at school
Now they love me in Newcastle and in Liverpool
I'm as hard as a pistol I can do no wrong
I've been in Birmingham and Bristol to play my song

Take the 777 to the USA
Gonna party all night I'm gonna sleep all day
See New York City 'cos I've never been
New York City in a limousine

Gonna do America do do America
Do America do do America now

Take the 777 over to LA
Gonna party all night I'm gonna sleep all day
Wake up and drive around
Get the coolest girl in town

Do America do do America
Do America do do America now

Now the people go na na
Another people go ra ra
And all the people go ga ga when I
Do America do do America

Do America do do America
Do America do do America
Do America do do America now

Backstage passes for the food and booze
Sunglasses for my interviews
Statue of Liberty
Everybody looking at me

Do America do do America
Do America do do America now

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►  SILVERTOWN BLUES

(released on 'Sailing to Philadelphia', written by Mark Knopfler)

On Silvertown Way, the cranes stand high
Quiet and gray against the still of the sky
They won't quit and lay down though the action has died
They watch the new game in town on the Blackwall side

From the poisinous drains a vision appears
New circle of cranes, a new reason to be here
A big silver dome rising up into the dawn
Above the church and the homes were all the silver is gone

If I'd a bucket of gold, what would I do
I'd leave the story untold Silvertown blues
Going down Silvertown
Down in Silverdown
Going down Silvertown
Down in Silverdown

A silver dawn steals over the docks
A truck with no weels up on cinderblocks
Men with no dreams around a fire in a drum
Scrap metal schemes are rusted over and done

If I'd a bucket of gold, silver would do
I'd leave the story untold Silvertown blues
Going down Silvertown
Down in Silverdown
Going down Silvertown
Down in Silverdown

When you're standing on thin and dangerous ice
You can knock and walk in for citizens' advice
They'll tell you the where you can turn, where you can go
There's nothing they can tell me I don't already know

If I'd a bucket of gold, silver would do
I'd leave the story untold Silvertown blues
Going down Silvertown
Down in Silverdown
Going down Silvertown
Down in Silverdown

From the Caning Town train I see a billboard high
There's a big silverplane raising up into the sky
And I can make out the words 'seven flights every day'
Says six of those birds are bound for JFK

If I'd a bucket of gold, silver would do
I'd leave the story untold Silvertown blues
And I'm going down in Silvertown
Down in Silverdown
Going down Silvertown
Down in Silverdown

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►  EL MACHO

(released on 'Sailing to Philadelphia', written by Mark Knopfler)

Your date has gone home
Now you're left on your own sweet own
Your tough-talkin' friend
Split on you in the bitter end
And you look like a fine thing Jerry
Yeh you look like a fine thing Jerry

They say you're a star
That's what the boys all say you are
I don't see much TV
So you don't mean shit to me
But you look like a fine thing Jerry
Yeh you look like a fine thing Jerry

They got a name for people like you
Yeh they do
And they got a name for people like me too
El Macho, El Macho

Now they want you to sing
Don't get shy or anything
The boys are all here
Gonna buy you another beer
'Cos you look like a fine thing Jerry
Yeh you look like a fine thing Jerry
El Macho, El Macho

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►  PRAIRIE WEDDING

(released on 'Sailing to Philadelphia', written by Mark Knopfler)

We only knew each other by letter
I went to meet her off the train
When the smoke had cleared and the dust was still
She was standing there and speaking my name
I guarantee she looked like an angel
I couldn't think of what I should say
But when Adam saw Eve in the garden
I believe he felt the selfsame way

I handed her up on the wagon
And I loaded up her trunk behind
She was sitting up there with the gold in her hair
And I tried to get a hold of my mind

Do you think that you could love me Mary
Do you think we got a chance of a life
Do you think that you could love me Mary
Now you are to be my wife

We finally headed out of the station
And we drove up the home trail
And when we came on the farm she laid a hand on my arm
I thought my resolution would fail
And I froze as she stepped in the doorway
Stood there as still as could be
I said I know it ain't much, it needs a woman's touch
Lord she turned around and looked at me

Do you think that you could love me Mary
Do you think we got a chance of a life
Do you think that you could love me Mary
Now you are to be my wife

We had a prairie wedding
There was a preacher and a neighbor or two
I gave my golden thing a gold wedding ring
And the both of us said I do
When the sun's going down on the prairie
And the gold in her hair is aflame
I say do you really love me Mary
And I hold her and I whisper her name

Do you think that you could love me Mary
Do you think we got a chance of a life
Do you think that you could love me Mary
Now you are to be my wife

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►  WANDERLUST

(released on 'Sailing to Philadelphia', written by Mark Knopfler)

Big black cloud
On a yellow plain
Sure enough it
Looks like rain
Packin' up all our
Faith and trust
Me and the wanderlust

Open window
Empty bed and chair
Who's that callin'
Ain't nobody there
I look behind me
And I see there's just
Me and the wanderlust

Dead of night
I had a dream
Sky was bright yes and the
Fields were green
I was down the road
In a cloud of dust
Me and the wanderlust

And I'm on the egde
Of an endless fall
Sure enough
He's come to call
Got to go now
Get on that bus
Me and the wanderlust

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►  SPEEDWAY AT NAZARETH

(released on 'Sailing to Philadelphia', written by Mark Knopfler)

After two thousand came two thousand and one
To be the new champions, we were there for to run
From springtime in Arizona, 'til the fall in Monterey
And the raceways were the battlefields and we fought 'em all the way

Was at Phoenix in the morning, I had a wake-up call
She went around without a warning put me in the wall
I drove Long Beach, California with three cracked vertebrae
And we went on to Indianapolis, Indiana in May

Well the Brickyard's there to crucify anyone who will not learn
I climbed a mountain to qualify I went flat throught the turns
But I was down in the might-have-beens and an old pal good as died
And I sat down in Gasoline Alley and I cried

Well we were in at the kill again on the Milwaukee Mile
And in June up in Michigan we were robbed at Belle Isle
Then it was on to Portland Oregon for the G.I. Joe
And I'd blown off almost everyone when I my motor let go

New England, Ontario we died in the dirt
Those walls from mid-Ohio to Toronto they hurt
So we came to Road America where we burned up at the lake
But at the speedway at Nazareth I made no mistake

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►  JUNKIE DOLL

(released on 'Sailing to Philadelphia', written by Mark Knopfler)

Turnpike Lane, Turnpike Lane
You spiked my arm
But you missed the vein
Now it's all gone
But the scars remain
Junkie doll, I was stuck on you
My junkie doll

Turnham green, Turnham green
You took me high
As I've ever been
Now it's all gone
And now I'm clean
Junkie doll, I was stuck on you
My junkie doll

And a little bit of this'd get you up
And a little bit of that'd get you down
A little bit of this'd get you up
And a little bit of that'd get you down
And a little bit of this'd get you up
A little bit of that'd get you down
A little bit of this'd get you up
A little bit of that'd get you down

Turnpike Lane, Turnpike Lane
You took my heart
Pan American
Now rain or shine
It's all the same
Junkie doll, I was stuck on you
My junkie doll

And a little bit of this'd get you up
A little bit of that'd get you down
A little bit of this'd get you up
A little bit of that'd get you down
And a little bit of this'd get you up
A little bit of that'd get you down
A little bit of this'd get you up
A little bit of that'd get you down

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►  SANDS OF NEVADA

(released on 'Sailing to Philadelphia', written by Mark Knopfler)

These tables are haunted
By the ghost of Las Vegas
Their chips were once mountains
But they came here to play
They could take me if they wanted
But I have nothing worth counting
And like the sands of Nevada
They go drifting away

Lady luck's still a mystery
With her head on my shoulder
And I dont know why
I still want her to dance
I guess that's all history
What it is is a I'm older
And I'm still a fool
For a one-way romance

Her dice were red rubies
They rolled and they tumbled
And I never saw time
Running out with my roll
And in the wasteland of cut glass
My dreams were crumbled
And I've paid with whatever
I had left for a soul

Now the dawn's broken even
On a empty horizon
No reason for folding
No reason to stay
It's too soon to be leaving
Too late for criticising
And the sands of Nevada
They go drifting away

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►  ONE MORE MATINEE

(released on 'Sailing to Philadelphia', written by Mark Knopfler)

Here's one of the two of us
In 1954 don't laugh
I keep all of the pictures
Are you going to take a photograph
Here's something nice for you
A dear old thing came to a show
Last time here we did
An interview on local radio

Make yourself at home my darling
Come on in
Hand me down that jar love
Can I offer you a gin

We're proud to be the oldest
Ugly sisters in variety
There's not the glamour now you see
What happened to society
There's another light bulb gone
They don't all answer to the switch
I don't know how we carry on
And her she couldn't care the bitch

But in a while the old boys
In the band began to play
And in a while the houselights
And the curtains slide away

And something's going to happen
To make your whole life better
Your whole life better one day
Something's going to happen
To make your whole life better
Your whole life better one day

Now the landlady's all squared away
It's just a temporary deal
I'm afraid tonight it's take-away
You see there is no evening meal
Don't worry dear you shall go to the ball
I think the fairy said
These suitcases have seen it all
From under someone else's bed

You want to smile those tears away
Now don't you cry
You want to know what I say
I say never say die

'Cos something's going to happen
To make your whole life better
Your whole life better one day
Something's going to happen
To make your whole life better
Your whole life better one day

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►  LET'S SEE YOU

(originally released on the B-side of the single 'What it is' and in October 2021 released again in the 11LP & 6CD box set, written by Mark Knopfler)

Tonight we pushed the boat out just a little too far for comfort
I'd thought I'd get my order in
Seeing as you asked and seeing as we're talking

You never had a way with words
So it's something of a drag to hear you
Like a wind up bird
Telling all and sundry how come nothing's good
How you are misunderstood

You never had a lot upstairs
So it is something of a drag to see you
A legend in your own armchair
Telling all and sundry how things ought to be
What's wrong with the industry

And then it all comes back to you
You wanna know what you should do

Shut up and deal
Let's see you do better
Shut up and deal,
Let's see you get it on
Shut up and deal
And put it all together
Let's see you do it all

You say, 'well, it's all right for him
I got more talent in my little finger
And what about that game she's in
How can she call herself a singer?
All the same, she knows how to play the game'

I know what it's leading to
You want to know what you should do

Shut up and deal
Let's see you do better
Shut up and deal,
Let's see you get it on
Shut up and deal
And put it all together
Let's see you
Let's see you
Let's see you do it all