Mark Knopfler

[DrinChe]

QUALITY SHOE

You got your toecaps reinforced with steel
Hard-wearing sole and heel
Make those tired feet feel like new
Take your pick, black or brown
Great for the country or the man in town
You're gonna need a quality shoe

You don't want no stand-by pair
'Cos these'll take the wear and tear
Made to take good care of you
For that trip by road or rail
For extra grip on those rocky trails
You're gonna need a quality shoe

Now they maybe ain't too hot for dancing
But I don't foresee too much of that
You ain't exactly gonna be prancing
Around in the moonlight
With a cane and a top hat

If you could use a change of pace
And be excused from the rat race
Just take a look at what's on view
Lace 'em up, walk around
I guarantee you can't wear 'em down
You're gonna need a quality shoe

Now I wish you sunny skies
And happiness wherever you may go
But you got to realise
There'll be wind, there'll be rain
And occasional snow

You're gonna want to smile in them
If you're gonna walk a mile in them
There'll be times when you'll be blue
To laugh at rainy days and then
Make your getaways in them
You're gonna need a quality shoe

You got your toecaps reinforced with steel
Hard-wearing sole and heel
Make those tired feet feel like new
Take your pick, black or brown
Great for the country or the man in town
You're gonna need a quality shoe

[DrinChe]

COYOTE

Look at me coyote
Don't let a little road dust put you off
You can't judge a book
Well you know that stuff
There's a tear in my upholstery
And a hole in my shoe
But don't you just wish that you could
Make half of the speed I do
Speed I do, speed I do, speed I do

You can't catch me coyote
Though there may be blood on the tracks
There may be some bridges burning
Behind our backs
But I got my laundry on the backseat
And an itinerary too
And don't you just wish that you could
Make half of the speed I do
Speed I do, speed I do, speed I do
Speed I do, speed I do, speed I do

Now I'm a speck on your horizon
Getting smaller fast
An ambush wouldn't be surprising
I hope it's better than your last

Once again the roadrunner
Leaves the coyote in the dirt
You've got another plan of action
But we all know it ain't never gonna work
It must be hard having dog dreams
That never come true
And don't you just wish that you could
Make half of the speed I do
Speed I do, speed I do, speed I do
Speed I do, speed I do, speed I do

[DrinChe]

THE RAGPICKER'S DREAM

When Jack Frost came for Christmas
With a brass monkey date
The rail-king and the scarecrow
Hopped a florlda freight
And they blew on their paper cups
And stared through the steam
Then they drank half a bottle
Of ragpicker's dream where

The whiskey keeps following
Cold pitchers of beer
Me and my associate
Like the clientele here get
The onions and the 'taters
Rib-eyes on the grill
Toothpicks and luckies
And a coffee refill as

The rail-king lay rocking
He was leaving the ground
Then he was flying like santa claus
Over the town where
He came to the window
Of a house by a stream
It was a family christmas
In the ragpicker's dream there

Were kids at the table
All aglow in the light
Music in the wintertime
Sure carries at night there
Was turkey and gravy
Pie and ice-cream
And gifts for each and everyone
In the ragpicker's dream where

The red-eye keeps tumbling
In our glasses of beer
Me and my associate
Like the service in here there's
A ten for your trouble
You have beautiful hair
Make the last one two doubles
It's a cold one out there where

The scarecrow and the rail-king
Have started to dance
But a nightstick and a billyclub
Won't give peace a chance here
I think they went thataways
Your song and dance team
Heading home for the holidays
With the ragpicker's dream on

His knees like a fighter
The rail-riding king
Like a sack of potatoes
Like a bull in the ring where
The scarecrow falls over
With a tear in the seam
Home for the rover
In the ragpicker's dream where

The red-eye keeps tumbling
Like tears in our beer
Me and my associate
Like the ambience here where
They cornered two castaways
In a white flashlight beam
Merry christmas and happy days
In the ragpicker's dream

[DrinChe]

DADDY'S GONE TO KNOXVILLE

Oh, you're gonna miss your daddy when he's gone
When he's gone
Yeah, you're gonna miss your daddy when he's gone
When he's gone
Daddy's gone down that Gallatin road
The hen never laid and the corn never growed
Oh, you're gonna miss your daddy when he's gone

Oh, I'd rather have a dollar than a dime
Than a dime
Yeah, I'd rather have a dollar than a dime
Than a dime
Daddy's gone down that Crossville track
If he can't make a dollar then he ain't comin' back
Oh, I'd rather have a dollar than a dime

Oh, you better love your daddy while you can
While you can
Yeah, you better love your daddy while you can
While you can
Daddy's gone south on the Natchez trace
If the can't show the money then he don't show his face
Oh, you'd better love your daddy while you can

Oh, your daddy's gone to Knoxville now
Knoxville now
Yeah, your daddy's gone to Knoxville now
Knoxville now
Daddy's gone down that Knoxville road
The dog never barked and the cock never crowed
Oh, your daddy's gone to Knoxville now

[DrinChe]

OLD PIGWELL

Everything was in there
That you'd want to see
Corned beef and onions
And true love
Turnips and tinned tomatoes
Parsnips and a few potatoes
A couple extra blessings
From above

Now this here mingle-mangle
Was my best one yet
A big old bad goulash
Worth waiting for
And I'm just about to dip my can
Taste some brotherhood of man
When I get a feeling
That there's a flaw

Who put old pigweed
In the mulligan
Was it you
Who put old pigweed
In the mulligan stew
I close my eyes
For just a minute
What do you do
Who put old pigweed
In the mulligan stew

You won't find self-improvement or philosophy
In a dumpster sitting by
The kitchen door
There's plenty leek and humble pie
Ain't too much ham on rye
Sometimes I wonder
What I'm looking for

But a spoonful of forgiveness
Goes a long, long way
And we all should do our best
To get along
Add a pinch of kindness crumbling
To your loving dumpling
Okra for thickening
When something's wrong

But who put old pigweed
In the mulligan
Was it you
Who put old pigweed
In the mulligan stew
I close my eyes
For just a minute
What do you do
Who put old pigweed
In the mulligan stew