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Lyrics and translations

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MARK KNOPFLER NON ALBUM SONGS 

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 brave
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
Free loader licks my boots
Tells me how he digs my suit
You got lucky son, don't get cute
Get on the Gravy Train

Tall Order Baby

Well gimme a little loving in the morning
I want a little loving (...)
But you want to get your 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 tells me she's a-working on her loving
And she tells 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

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 I'm gonna do it any 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 I'm gonna do it any 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

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

What Have I Got to Do

Now if I was to sing for you
A song you never heard
And give it 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

Well I'll beat out a lion heart tattoo
I'll bring you pipes and drums
I'll bring you books 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 are not concerned 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

My Claim To Fame

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 spend my life building ships of steel
That's all there ever was for me

Take a hammer to the sea belles
And shout my name
And I'll sail the seas as free as a breeze
That's my claim to fame

He spends his life in the studio
Jet planes and big black cars
Plays records on the radio
In all of the clubs and in all of the bars

By 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

Take a hammer to the sea belles
And shout my name
And I'll sail the seas as free as a 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
That's my claim to fame

Well a song can live forever and a day
An old ship goes to the breakers yard
In a hundred years you'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
They yard is a grave where the river runs through
We used to build the ships for the whole wide world
Now we couldn't do it if we wanted to

Take a hammer to the sea belles
And shout my name
I'll sail the seas as free as a breeze
That's my claim to fame

Take a hammer to the sea belles
And shout my name
I'll sail the seas as free as a 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
That's my claim to fame

Small Potatoes

You can hire and fire, wheel and deal
Run your streets with a fist of steel
But you're small potatoes
Strictly nickel and dime, nickel and dime
Small potatoes, small time

You can raise an army on a town
Be the rent collector, come around
Yeah, but you're small potatoes
Strictly nickel and dime, nickel and dime
Small potatoes, small time

If you take your leave of reality
You have to believe in your own publicity
But you get yourself and agent
Hire the Albert Hall
Make like Humpty dumpty and look down on it all
But you're small potatoes
Strictly nickel and dime, nickel and dime
Small potatoes, small time

Out on the town for your charities
Hanging around with the VIPS
They say the duke of York took his men
Marched them up a hill of beans and down again
He was small potatoes
Strictly nickel and dime, nickel and dime
Small potatoes, small potatoes, small potatoes, small time

The Long Highway

I heard a bell being toll
Before the break of day
I heard my name being called
Down the long highway

You don't get long
You don't get long
You don't get long to stay
Kiss me once and I'll be gone
Down the long highway

Spirits call from way beyond
Lord I may not disobey
Spare a thought for the vagabond
Down the long highway
Down the long highway
Down the long highway

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