Mark Knopfler

[fox69]

"Let It All Go"

"Let It All Go"


When it's pop goes the weasel
Let go of the easel
You don't want
This rickety rackety life
It's seat of the trousers
It's all sink or swim, son
I'd kill to get crimson
On this palette knife
And I'd steal in a minute
I'm up to here in it
You here behaving
As though I'm a saint
Get a job with a pension
Don't ever mention
You once had a craving
For the brushes and paint

So go, forget it, let it all go
Let it all go
Go, forget it, let it all go
Go, forget it, let it all go
Let it all go
Go, forget it, let it all go
Let it all go

A hack writer judges
My swipes and my smudges
He doesn't like pictures
With blotches and blots
The drawing room tea set
Wants horses, sunsets
Sweet nothings -
The seaside with yachts
Here's the end of the thirties
No time for arties
Over in Poland
A right old to-do
So go join the navy
The air force or the army
They'll all be enrolling
Young fellows like you

So go, forget it, let it all go
Let it all go
Go, forget it, let it all go
Go, forget it, let it all go
Let it all go
Go, forget it, let it all go
Let it all go

These are not my decisions
Flaming visions
Ringing expressions
The clamouring voice
It's volcanic desire
The unquenchable fire
It isn't a question
Of having the choice
Anyway, now I'm old
But if you won't be told
If you've been created
To answer the call
All passion and lust
Is going to end in the dust
But you'll hang on some
Government gallery wall

You must go, forget it
Let it all go, let it all go
Go, forget it, let it all go
Go, forget it
Let it all go, let it all go
Go, forget it, let it all go
Let it all go

 

[fox69]

"Lights Of Taormina"

"Lights Of Taormina"


There’s laughter in the darkness
Music floating in across the bay
He’s half listening and wondering
How he could have let her slip away
So long ago but still he wants to know
If anyone has seen her
And he’s sitting out in the night
Looking down upon the lights of Taormina

They were young and love was shining
Like the colours of the rainbow
Desire felt like choking
Love was smoking under the volcano
He can still taste her kisses
Sweet as the red wine from Messina
Now he’s sitting out in the night
Looking down upon the lights of Taormina

Seems like another lifetime
When they rambled along the shore
Seems like another lifetime
She used to call him her sweet senor
Maybe in another lifetime
On a pathway to the sea
Maybe there they’ll be

The crowd calls for the emperor
Raise their hands to hail another king
But he’s been so long a wanderer
Another crowd can never mean a thing
He came, he saw, he conquered
Ten thousand voices roared in the arena
Now he’s sitting out in the night
Looking down upon the lights of Taormina

He hears the chimes of history
Myths of gods and men forever ringing
Ancient dreams in all their mystery
Wars for Sicily and Spartan women
In the mists of antiquity
Ships of war set sail from Carthagina
Now he’s sitting out in the night
Looking down upon the lights of Taormina
Sitting out in the night
Looking down upon the lights of Taormina

 

[fox69]

"Long Cool Girl"

"Long Cool Girl"


All I do is think of you
As I go around the world
All I do is think of you
Long, cool girl

Long, cool girl
I like to say her name
Long, cool girl
With a showgirl frame

You took a look at me
I took a look at you
Now I just can’t see
What a man’s supposed to do

Long, cool girl
I like to say her name
Long, cool girl
With a showgirl frame

Me and you we’re 3 and 2
Something’s gonna happen now, it has to
Me and you we’re 3 and 2
Something’s gonna happen now, it has to

Pressure drop and weather change
All around the world
You got me at point blank range
Long, cool girl

Long, cool girl
I like to say her name
Long, cool girl
With a showgirl frame

All I do is think of you
As I go around the world
All I do is think of you
Long, cool girl

 

[fox69]

"Lost On The River"
(feat. Emmylou Harris)
(originally by Hank Williams)

"Lost On The River"
(feat. Emmylou Harris)
(originally by Hank Williams)



Lost on the river, dark is the night
Just like the blind, praying for site
Drifting alone, heart filled with fright
I'm lost on the river the river of life

Once dear I thought I knew the way
That was before old sad yesterday
Words that you said cut like a knife
I'm lost on the river, the river of life

Out on this river where sorrow's free
Thinking of you how my heart pleads
Tomorrow you'll be another man's wife
I'm lost on the river, the river of life

 

[fox69]

"Love And Happiness"
(feat. Emmylou Harris)

"Love And Happiness"
(feat. Emmylou Harris)



Here's a wishing well
Here's a penny for
Any thought it is
That makes you smile
Every diamond dream
Everything that brings
Love and happiness
To your life

Here's a rabbit's foot
Take it when you go
So you'll always know
You're safe from harm
Wear your ruby shoes
When you're far away
So you'll always stay
Home in your heart

You will always have a lucky star
That shines because of what you are
Even in the deepest dark
Because your aim is true
And if I could only have one wish
Darling, then it would be this
Love and happiness for you

Here's a spinning wheel
Use it once you've learned
There's a way to turn
The straw to gold
Here's a rosary
Count on every bead
With a prayer to keep
The hope you hold

You will always have a lucky star
That shines because of what you are
Even in the deepest dark
Because your aim is true
And if I could only have one wish
Darling, then it would be this
Love and happiness for you
And if I could only have one wish
Darling, then it would be this
Love and happiness for you

 

[fox69]

"Madame Geneva's"

"Madame Geneva's"


I'm a maker of ballads right pretty
I write theme right here in the street
You can buy theme all over the city
Yours for a penny a sheet
I'm a word pecker out of the printers
Out of the dens of Gin Lane
I'll write up a scene on a counter
– confessions and sins in the main
Boys confession and sins in the main

Then you'll find me in Madame Geneva's
Keeping the demons at bay
There's nothing like gin for drowning them in
But they'll always be back on a hanging day

They come rattling over the cobbles
They sit on their coffins of black
Some are struck dumb, some gabble
Top-heavy on brandy or sack
The pews are all full of fine fellows
And the hawker has set up her shop
As they're turning them at the gallows
She'll be selling right under the drop
Boys selling right under the drop

Then you'll find me in Madame Geneva's
Keeping the demons at bay
There's nothing like gin for drowning them in
But they'll always be back on a hanging day

 

[fox69]

"Marbletown"

"Marbletown"


Roll out here mister
If you need a lttle rest
Lay me down in marbletown
A bone yard is the best

There was a bad bull on the railroad
Tried to put me off his train
Lay me down in marbletown
'Til the coast is clear again

I can hear them a- hollerin'
'We got a man down here
We got a man down'

I'm gonna flip me a cannonball
That won't stop for anyone
Lay me down in marbletown
Wait 'til morning comes

I'm gonna roll out here in the tombstones
Wait here on my train
Lay me down in marbletown
I hope that it don't rain

And I can still hear them hollerin
''We got a man down here
We got a man down'

Roll out here mister
If you need a little rest
Lay me down in marbletown
A bone yard is the best

 

[fox69]

"Metroland"

"Metroland"


Yearning we were yearning
Green light blinding on the rail
Burning we were burning
And the line unwinding to the Holy Grail
To the future gleaming on a blue horizon
And a golden girl on golden sand
Dreaming fantasizing
In another world from Metroland

I've danced in rain and I've been Django
And I've got laid
I've been a rolling stone
I've been Verlaine
And I've been Rimbaud
Not afraid to walk alone
And now I take my midnight ramble
Do I fold or play what's in my hand
What's at stake and what's the gamble
Do I stay in Metroland

Dreams yesterday's laughter
Ghosts and lovers come back to play
But dreams have a morning after
And run for cover
In the light of day
I got something real worth holding on to
I can belong to and understand
I've made my deal
I will go on to
Make my peace with Metroland

 

[fox69]

"Mighty Man"

"Mighty Man"


A room on the top floor
And the chest all but knackered
Two fingers not working
And the back’s shot to hell
It’s a lifetime of digging trenches
In the cold and wet weather
And for laying half the roadway
In England as well

You’d finish in the one place
It was straight to the next one
And you never could settle
And you were always alone
Just a drifter in limbo
I was best off away, son
Just one of the thousands
Who could never go home

That’s your mighty man, son
Your mighty man

Well, the boat and the train ride
In a misty November
We had the worst of the lodgings
And we hated the subs
Ma’s face on the leaving
I will always remember
And we wouldn’t get paid
Until they had closed up their pubs

And I could stand up on horseback
Was the man for the singing
Put my hand up for boxing
At the fairground on the heath
I could play my accordion
And charm all of the women
And dance round the taproom
With a chair in my teeth

That’s your mighty man, son
Your mighty man
That’s your mighty man, son
Your mighty man

 

[fox69]

"Milk Cow Blues"
(originally by Kokomo Arnold)

"Milk Cow Blues"
(originally by Kokomo Arnold)



Well I woke up this mornin', looked outdoors
I can tell my milk cow, I can tell by the way she lows
If you see my milk cow, please drive her on home
'cause I ain't had no milk and butter since that cows been gone
Well you gotta treat me right honey day by day
Get out your little prayer book, get down upon your knees and pray
'cause you're gonna need me, you're gonna need my help someday
Lord you're gonna be sorry, oh, you treated me this a way
Aw, now take it away boys
Sail on, sail on, sail on little gal, sail on, sail on, sail on, sail on little gal, sail on
You're gonna keep right on sailing till you lose your happy home

Well good evening, don't that sun look good going down
I said well good evening, don't that sun look good going down
Don't that ol' army cot look lonely when your lover ain't no place around
Well I tried everything baby to get along with you
Now I'm gonna tell you what I'm gonna do
I'm gonna stop my crying, gonna leave you alone
And if you don't think I'm leavin' big momma
Just count the days I'm gone
You ain't gonna see me, you ain't gonna see my sweet face no more
Lord you gonna be wondering honey where in this world I've gone
Milk cow blues