Mark Knopfler

[fox69]

"Gravy Train"

"Gravy Train"


Well they fly past the ghettos and the factories
Ridin' on the Gravy Train
Leaving all the places that they really ought to be
Ridin' on the Gravy Train
Past the coal mines black and scarred
Starter houses in the loading yard
On the Gravy Train, On the Gravy Train

There's the lucky little mothers in their luxury cars
Ridin' on the Gravy Train
Never thank each other or their lucky stars
Ridin' on the Gravy Train
That's worse than ingratitude
Worse than a piss poor attitude

On the Gravy Train, Gravy Train

Well the hanger-uppers and the hangers-on
Ridin' on the Gravy Train
Champagne suppers with their daggers all drawn
Ridin' on the Gravy Train
Some act tough, some act rude
Some bit of fluff complain about the food
You wanna see somebody getting really rude
Get on the Gravy Train, Gravy Train

Well the golden goose is clattering-a-down the track,
And they're gonna be ridin' 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
Ridin' on the Gravy Train
Freeloader licks my boots
Tells me how he digs my suit
You got lucky son, don't get cute
Get on the Gravy Train

 

[fox69]

"Hard Shoulder"

"Hard Shoulder"


I've got latches for windows
Handles for doors
Grinders and scrapers
And sanders for floors

Rake for the gravel
Chains for the snow
Always got the shovel
You never know
I never thought you'd go

Man's broken down
Man's broken down
On the slip road
Got a slip load
And it's a hard
Shoulder to cry on

Hacksaws and hammers
Brushes and mop
And I've got the ladders
Up on the top

If something needs doing
I always say
You want it done
The proper way
I need you to stay

Man's broken down
Man's broken down
On the slip road
Got a slip load
And it's a hard
Shoulder to cry on

Give me a minute
We'll be going again
Sound as a bell
Right as rain
Right as rain

And it's a hard
Shoulder to cry on
To cry on

 

[fox69]

"Haul Away"

"Haul Away"


It was a windless night when you left the ship
You never were a steady bold one
I gave my hand, ah, but you did slip
I'm a living man and you're a cold one
Haul away, haul away for home

My love's as fair as a girl can be
My wedding ring is a heavy gold one
Now you lie alone in the deep dark sea
I'm a living man and you're a cold one
Haul away, haul away for home

The morning brings, Lord, a fresh young breeze
To fill our sails and end the doldrums
Our lucky ship speeds across the sea
I'm a living man and you're a cold one
Haul away, haul away for home

 

[fox69]

"Heart Full Of Holes"

"Heart Full Of Holes"


You can tell me your troubles
I'll listen for free
My regulars trust me, it seems
You can come and see Uncle
To get through the week
Leave your pledges with me to redeem
Some folk sell their bodies
For ten bob a go
Politicians go pawning their souls
Which doesn't make me
Look too bad, don't you know
Me, with my heart full of holes
All my yesterdays broken
A watch with no face
All battered and old
Bits of the movement
All over the place
And a heart full of holes
A heart full of holes
A heart full of holes

Brass knuckles and banjos
Are out on the town
At the knees-up
In Teddy Boys' Row
The gold block and tackle
Tells the time upside down
Rock n' roll - well, I don't know
Dead people's wedding gifts
Walk out the door
A clarinet squeals to be free
Accordions hop
From the shelves to the floor -
Start playing their polkas to me

There's a ringing of bells
A dunderhead's curse
Fingers are pointing at you
And you take work in hell
And be glad it's not worse
And you get to the back of the queue
Handcuffs and hunting knives
Clang on the bars
Air pistols shoot out the lights
I've a whole Wailing Wall
Of electric guitars
Could shatter the windows
Down Brick Lane tonight

If one of us dies, love
I think I'll retire
See my boys and my beautiful girls
A Garden of Eden
No gates or barbed wire
Who knows, maybe gates made of pearls
Well, if we go to heaven
And some say we don't
But if there's a reckoning day
Please God, I'll see you
And maybe I won't
I've a bag packed to go either way

Redeeming your pledge, dear
I'll keep it for you
It's not going to go anywhere
But your soul, your soul
That is not what I do
There's not a lot I can do there
I remember the officer's watch
In my hand:
'Repair it or die' I was told
It's a wonder to me -
I still don't understand
Why I ever survived to be old
With a heart full of holes
A heart full of holes
A heart full of holes

 

[fox69]

"Heart Of Oak"

"Heart Of Oak"


And how he used to thrill the crowd
The ready eye with bat and ball
The village fighter, heavy browed
The Englishman who had it all
A mighty shoulder to the wheel
To join in battle with the best
The iron arm, the will of steel
And heart of oak to mourn the rest

A power harnessed to the game
Once yoked and tempered fades away
The willing arm, the steady aim
The youth and fire that won the day
As twilight shadows dim the field
The ageing fighter stands bereft
With just the will to never yield
And heart of oak to mourn what’s left

 

[fox69]

"Hill Farmer's Blues"

"Hill Farmer's Blues"


I'm going into Tow Law
For what I need
Chain for the ripsaw
Killer for the weed
The dog's at the back door
Leave him be
Don't feed him jack
And don't wait up for me

Going into Tow Law
To fuel my fire
Shells for the twelve
And razor wire
The dog's at the back door
Leave him be
Don't do jack
And don't wait up for me

So bad so bad
So bad so bad

I'm going into Tow Law
To have my fun
Don't get me wrong
You were the only one
Behind my back lord
You made a fool of me
Don't do jack
And don't wait up for me

So bad so bad
So bad so bad

 

[fox69]

"Home Boy"

"Home Boy"


Oh, Homeboy
Not exactly on a roll, boy
Just growing on, here
Homeboy

Oh, homeboy
You've not been catching many waves
Not been catching many trains
Out of here
Homeboy

Never one to wander
Never one to dream
Happy with a game of darts and the team
Can't tear yourself away
Even for a holiday
Homeboy

And you know every bend in every road
That takes you back to town
It your homeground.

Never one to wander
Never one to dream
Happy with a game of darts and the team
Can't tear yourself away even for a holiday
Homeboy

 

[fox69]

"Hot Or What"

"Hot Or What"


She came on the river
With a gift for me
I'm in way deep
That's how it has to be
It's hot in the desert
But I'm cool in the zone
People call me lucky
But I say you make your own

I'm on a roll
Yeah, I'm on a roll
I'm runnin' hot
Baby, am I hot or what?

This is outrageous
I got all kinds of stuff
Can I dodge bullets
And can I bluff
Hot shots keep on a' coming
Looking for a fight
But the names are going down
To the left and to the right

And I'm on a roll
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm on a roll
I'm runnin' hot
Baby, am I hot or what?

It gets dark at night
That's how it goes
It gets cold in winter
Don't be surprised if it snows
You wanna play Hold'em
With my friend Mr Chan
If you lose your stack, well
You sure can't blame the man

Ha! ha! ha!
Ha! ha! ha!
I'm runnin' hot
Baby, am I hot or what?

They play with me a while
I'll read 'em like a book
Let's go have a drink or two
And talk about the scalps I took
I got a big old stack
I had me a big old day
Tomorrow I go back
Gonna take it all the way

'Cos I'm on a roll
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm on a roll
I'm runnin' hot
Baby, am I hot or what?
I said I'm runnin' hot, baby
Baby, am I hot or what?

 

[fox69]

"I Dug Up A Diamond"
(feat. Emmylou Harris)

"I Dug Up A Diamond"
(feat. Emmylou Harris)



I dug up a diamond
Rare and fine
I dug up a diamond
In a deep dark mine
If only I could cling to
My beautiful find
I dug up a diamond
In a deep dark mine

My gem is special
Beyond all worth
As strong as any metal
Or stone in the earth
Sharp as any razor
Or blade you can buy
Bright as any laser
Or any star in the sky

Maybe once in a lifetime
You'll hold one in your hand
Once in a lifetime
In this land
Where the journey ends
In a worthless claim
Time and again
In the mining game

I dug up a diamond
Rare and fine
I dug up a diamond
In a deep dark mine
Down in the darkness
In the dirt and the grime
I dug up a diamond
In a deep dark mine

 

[fox69]

"I Think I Love You Too Much"
(feat. Eric Clapton)

"I Think I Love You Too Much"
(feat. Eric Clapton)



I'm not alone sitting right there
How come I get the feeling you'd vanish into the air
I love you more than anybody else, babe
Can't you tell I'm an easy touch.
Baby, baby, I think I love you too much

If I picked you up, oh you'd slip right away
If I locked you up, you'd find a way to make me pay.
You're gonna hurt me more than anybody else babe
Can't you tell I'm an easy touch
Baby, baby, I think I love you too much.

Guess I'm gonna get you what you want
Cuz I'm so into you
You don't even give an inch to me baby
Though I've been giving you a mile or two

I'm not alone sitting right there
How come I get the feeling you'd vanish into the air
I love you more than anybody else, babe
Can't you tell I'm an easy touch.
Baby, baby, I think I love you too much

Baby, baby, I think I love you too much [repeat]