* DIRE STRAITS * (1978)



1. Down to the waterline (3:59)
2. Water of love (5:22)
3. Setting me up (3:19)
4. Six blade knife (4:09)
5. Southbound again (2:57)
6. Sultans of swing (5:34)
7. In the gallery (6:14)
8. Wild west end (4:42)
9. Lions (4:54)



    Down to the waterline



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

Near misses on the dogleap stairways
French kisses in the darkened doorways
A foghorn blowingout 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 on 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


    Water of love



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

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

Water of love deep in the ground
No water here to be found
Some day baby when the river runs free
It'll carry that water of love to me

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

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


    Setting me up



You say I'm the greatest bound for glory
Well the world 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 me down
You're making me out to be your clown
You're just setting me up to put me down
You better 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


    SIX BLADE KNIFE



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
You take away my mind like you take away the top of a tin

I'd like to be free of it now - I don't want it no more
I'd like to be free of it now - you know 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

You know it keeps you strong
Yes and it'll do me wrong
Your six blade knife - do anything for you


    SOUTHBOUND AGAIN



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

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

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

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


    SULTANS OF SWING



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

You step inside but you don't see too many faces
Coming in out of the rain to hear the jazz go down
Too much competition too many places
But not too many horns can make 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
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 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
The don't give a damm about any trumpet playing band
It ain't whet they call rock and roll
And the Sultans played Creole

And then the man he steps right up to the microphone
And says at last just as the time bell rings
'Thank you goodnight now it's time to go home'
and he makes it fast whith one more thing
'We are the Sultans of Swing'


    IN THE GALLERY



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

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
Ignored by all the trendy boys in London and in Leeds
He might as well have been making toys or strings of beads
He could not be 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 feather all the phonies and all of the fakes
While the dealers the get together
And they decide who gets the breaks
And who's going to be in the gallery

No lies he wouldn't compromise
No junk no bits of string
And all the lies we subsidise
That just don't mean a thing
I've got to say he passed away in obscurity
And now all the the vultures are comming down from the tree
So he's going to be in the gallery


    WILD WEST END



Stepping out to Angellucci's for my coffe beans
Checking out the movies and the magazines
Waitress she watches me crossing from the Borocco 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 seventh heaven street to me
Don't be so proud
You're just another angel in the crowd
And I'm walking in the wild west end
Walking with your wild best friend

And my conductress on the number nineteen
Ahe was a honey
Pink toenails and hands all dirty with money
Greasy hair easy smile
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
Right now feels alright now
You and me we can't beat

And a gogo dancing girl yes I saw her
The deejay he say here's Mandy for ya
I feel alright to see her
But she's paid to 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


    LIONS



Red sun go down way over dirty town
Starlings are sweeping around crazy shoals
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 trying to get a crowd to 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
The 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 tonight
What happend to the lions


    * COMMUNIQUE * (1979)



1. Once upon a time in the west (5:14)
2. News (4:11)
3. Where do you think you're going? (3:43)
4. Communiqui (5:42)
5. Lady writer (3:38)
6. Angel of mercy (4:29)
7. Portobello Belle (4:21)
8. Single handed sailor ( 4:42)
9. Follow me home (5:42)


    ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST



Some people get a cheap laugh breaking up the speed limit
Scaring the pedestrians for minute
Crossing up 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
Ah, you could even catch a buller 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 yout daughter
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


    NEWS



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 loose

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

And then 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 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 say it's a shame
You know it may be a game
Ah but I won't play to loose

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


WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?

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

I understand your changes
A-long before you reach the door
I know what you came her 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

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 ya going
I think you better go with me girl


    COMMUNIQUE



We wanna get a statement for Jesus' sake
It's like a talking to a wall
He's incummunicado
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 het 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 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
Say he's at the station and he's coming home alone

Then we get the story
The serious piece
And a photography 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 mean
Maybe on a Monday he'll have something to say

Communication
Communique
Communique

Communication


    LADY WRITER



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 write 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 you mother was a jazz singer

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 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.


    ANGEL OF MERCY



Well there's a Peter Pan moon, sheherd'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 know 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 come 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 lower

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


    PORTOBELLO BELLE



Bella donna's on the high street
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 a Parakeet is squawking
Upon a truck there is a rhino
She get the crying of a 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


SINGLE-HANDED SAILOR

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

Yeah and a sailing ship is just held down in chains
>From the lazy days of sail
She's just a lying there in sailent 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 gonna slip away below him
Away from the rhings 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


    FOLLOW ME HOME



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 curch bell rung
I stayed out on the tower
In a dying sun
Now come on woman, come follow me home

Well I don't no priest
But I love all of the people
Yes I share the feast
Si I drick 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


    * MAKING MOVIES * (1980)



1. Tunnel of love (8:05)
2. Romeo and Juliet (5:50)
3. Skateaway (6:15)
4. Expresso love (5:00)
5. Hand in hand (4:46)
6. Solid rock (3:17)
7. Les boys (4:06)


    TUNNEL OF LOVE



Getting crazy on the waltzers but it's the life that i choose
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'r 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 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 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

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 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

Well it's been money for muscle another whirlgig
Money for muscle another girl I dig
Another hustle just to make it big
And rockaway rockaway

And girl it looks so pretty to me just like it always did
Like the spanish city to me when we were kids
Oh girl it looks so pretty to me just like it always did
Like the spanish city to me when we were kids

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 dust and diesel I stood and watched her walk away
I could have cought 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 the world
Come on and take a low ride with me girl
On the tunnel of love

And now I'm searching through these carousels and the carnival arcades
Searching everywhere from steeplechase to palisades
In any shooting gallery where promises ar made
To rockaway rockaway from Cullercoasts and Whitley bay out to rockaway

And girl it looks so pretty to me just like it always did
Like the spanish city to me when we were kids
Oh girl it looks so pretty to me just like it always did
Like the spanish city to me when we were kids


    ROMEO AND JULIET



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?

Juliet says hey it's Romeo you nearly gimme me 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 were 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 booth 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 med everything you promised me thick and thin
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
Julie 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
There's a place for us you know the movie song
When you gonna realise it was just that the time was wrong Juliet?

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?


    SKATEAWAY



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 carwl
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

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

She toutures taxe 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
She got her own world in the city
Cos the city's been so rude to her

Come slippin and a slidin
Life's a rollerball
Slippin and a slidin
Skateaway that's all
Shala shalay hey hey skateaway
She's singing shala shaly hey hey
Skateaway


    EXPRESSO LOVE



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
Is this just expresso love
You know I'm 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
She says boys don't know anything
But I know what I want
I want everything

Well 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
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
Seat on her hip
And I surrender to the fever
I surrender to the will of the night
She love me so tender I got to believe her
Love? Expresso love's alright

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


    HAND IN HAND



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 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

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
You never feel the distance
You never tried to cross no line
now it's another dirty river and another dirty scar
And I know who's kissing you and I don't know where you are
So far from home don't you think of me sometime

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


    SOLID ROCK



Well 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 suprised when the tide rolled in

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

Well I'm sick of potential
I'm sick fo 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

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

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

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


    LES BOYS



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

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

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


    * LOVE OVER GOLD * (1982)


1. Telegraph road (14:15)
2. Private investigations (6:45)
3. Industrial disease (5:49)
4. Love over gold (6:16)
5. It never rains (7:54)


    TELEGRAPH ROAD



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 riding down the track
And they never went further and they never went back
Then came the churches then came the schools
Then came the lawyers and the came the rules
The came the trains and the trucks with their loads
And the dirty old track was the telegraph road

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 lane 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 telepraph poles
They can always fly away from this rain and this cold
You can hear them singing out their telegraph code
All the way down the telegraph road

You know I'd sooner forget but I remember those nights
When 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 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 wanna see it again...

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


    PRIVATE INVESTIGATIONS



It's a mystery to me - the game commences
For the usual fee - plus expences
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 an reason - there's always an excuse for it
And when I find the reason I still 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 investigation


    INDUSTRIAL DISEASE



Warning lights are flashing down the 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 whistle and the walls came down
There's a meeting in the boardroom they're trying to trace the smell
There's leaking in the washroom there's a sneak in personnel
Somewhere in the corridors someone was heard to sneeze
'goodness me could it 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 som blame the employees
And everybody knows it's the Industrial Disease

The work force is disgusted dows tools and walks
Innocence is injured experience just talks
Everyone seeks damages and everyone agrees
that these are 'classic symptoms 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 suprised 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 drepressed
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

I go down to Speaker's Corner I'm thunderstruck
They got free speech, tourists, police and trucks
Two men say they're Jesus one of them must be wrong
There's a protest singer singing a protest song - he says
'they wanna have a war so they can keep us on our knees
They wanna have a war so they can keep their factories
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 you 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
Apolish monday mornings and friday afternoons'
The other's out on hunger strike he's dying be degrees
How come Jesus gets Industrial Disease


    LOVE OVER GOLD



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 finnaly reappear
At the place where you came in
You've thrown your love to all the strangers
And caution to the wind

It takes lover 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


    IT NEVER RAINS



I hear the Seven Deadly Sins
And the Terrible Twinds com to call on you
The bigger they are babe
The harder they fall on you
And you you're always the saem you perserve
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
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 pouring down

And your new Romeo
Was just a gigolo when he let you down
See the faster they are babe
h 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 shadows
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 thay say about beggars
You can't complain about the rules'
You know what they say about beggars
You know who's the first to blame his tools
You never gave a damm about who you pick up
And leave laying bleeding on the ground
You screw people over on the 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


    * ALCHEMY DIRE STRAITS LIVE * (Concert 1983, Album 1984)



Side 1
1. Once upon a time in the west 13:01
2. Expresso love 5:34
3. Romeo and Juliet 8:18
4. Love over gold 3:29
5. Private investigations 7:32
6. Sultans of swing
Side 2
1. Two young lovers 4:50
2. Tunnel of love 14:23
3. Telegraph road 13:43
4. Solid rock 6:02
5. Going home - theme from 'Local hero' 6:04

    NCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST



Some people get a cheap laugh breaking up the speed limit
Scaring the pedestrians for minute
Crossing up 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
Ah, you could even catch a buller 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 yout daughter
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


    EXPRESSO LOVE



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
Is this just expresso love
You know I'm 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
She says boys don't know anything
But I know what I want
I want everything

Well 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
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
Seat on her hip
And I surrender to the fever
I surrender to the will of the night
She love me so tender I got to believe her
Love? Expresso love's alright

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


    ROMEO AND JULIET



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?

Juliet says hey it's Romeo you nearly gimme me 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 were 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 booth 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 med everything you promised me thick and thin
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
Julie 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
There's a place for us you know the movie song
When you gonna realise it was just that the time was wrong Juliet?

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?


    LOVE OVER GOLD



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 finnaly reappear
At the place where you came in
You've thrown your love to all the strangers
And caution to the wind

It takes lover 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


    PRIVATE INVESTIGATIONS



It's a mystery to me - the game commences
For the usual fee - plus expences
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 an reason - there's always an excuse for it
And when I find the reason I still 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 investigation


    SULTANS OF SWING



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

You step inside but you don't see too many faces
Coming in out of the rain to hear the jazz go down
Too much competition too many places
But not too many horns can make 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
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 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
The don't give a damm about any trumpet playing band
It ain't whet they call rock and roll
And the Sultans played Creole

And then the man he steps right up to the microphone
And says at last just as the time bell rings
'Thank you goodnight now it's time to go home'
and he makes it fast whith one more thing
'We are the Sultans of Swing'


    TUNNEL OF LOVE



Getting crazy on the waltzers but it's the life that i choose
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'r 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 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