Mark Knopfler - One Song At A Time

ONE SONG AT A TIME My whistle under the archways Still echoes down the street. All the way back to Deptford days, Nights down by The Creek. Notes as big as river boats Still echoing through the clubs With the horns of the trains Down the old back lanes And the lights of the corner pubs. In a taproom lined with mirrors There’s a man there at the bar Reminds you of somebody, He says, "I know who you are." He’s right, I know I could be him But anyway who is who? You could be looking at What he’s looking at - And he’s looking at you. And I’ll be out of this place And down the road wherever, There but for the grace, etcetera... I’ll see you later but it’s 1979 And I’m picking my way out of here, One song at a time. The slaving ports of plunder Used to stink to heaven on high, Companions of honour Always were in short supply. The Bristol ships and Liverpool’s On every tide they came, The times they may have changed, my friend, Some people stay the same. And I’ll be out of this place And down the road wherever, There but for the grace, etcetera... I’ll see you later but it’s 1879 And I’m picking my way out of here, One song at a time. A grinning mogul greets the crowd At Execution Dock, All come to see three mutineers Turned off at twelve o’clock. The shyster takes a ringside seat As they’re bringing them from the jail And twenty thousand tickets Sold online on premium sale. So if you need to reach me You can leave word at The Pig, I have no wish to stay around To watch that Newgate jig Or any more poor old fakers Trying to dance in my old shoes. I’ll be gone over the ocean With the transatlantic blues. And I’ll be out of this place And down the road wherever, There but for the grace, etcetera... I’ll see you later somewhere down the line, I’ll be picking my way out of here - One song at a time.