作词 : Mark Knopfler
 作曲 : Mark Knopfler
Mark  Knopfler
Drinking  dens  are  spilling  out
There's  staggering  in  the  square
There's  lads  and  lasses  falling  about
And  a  crackling  in  the  air
Down  around  the  dungeon  doors
The  shelters  in  the  queues
Everybody's  looking  for
Somebody's  arms  to  fall  into
And  it's  what  it  is
It's  what  it  is  now
There's  frost  on  the  graves  and  the  monuments
But  the  taverns  are  warm  in  town
People  curse  the  government
And  shovel  hot  food  down
The  lights  are  out  in  city  hall
The  castle  and  the  keep
The  moon  shines  down  upon  it  all
The  legless  and  asleep
And  it ′s  cold  on  a  tollgate
With  the  wagons  creeping  through
Cold  on  a  tollgate
God  knows  what  I  could  do  with  you
And  It ′s  what  it  is
It ′s  what  it  is  now
The  garrison  sleeps  and  the  citadel
With  the  ghosts  and  the  ancient  stones
High  up  on  the  parapet
A  Scottish  piper  stands  alone
And  high  on  the  wind
The  highland  drums  begin  to  roll
And  something  from  the  past  just  comes
And  stares  into  my  soul
And  it ′s  cold  on  a  tollgate
Where  the  Caledonian  blues
Cold  on  a  tollgate
God  knows  what  I  could  do  with  you
And  It ′s  what  it  is
It ′s  what  it  is  now
What  it  is
It ′s  what  it  is  now
There ′s  a  chink  of  light
There ′s  a  burning  wick
There ′s  a  lantern  in  the  tower
Wee  Willie  Winkie  with  a  candlestick
Still  writing  songs  in  the  wee  wee  hours
On  Charlotte   Street  I  take
A  walking  stick  from  my  hotel
The  ghost  of  Dirty  ****
Is  still  in  search  of  Little  Nell
And  it ′s  what  it  is
It ′s  what  it  is  now
Oh  it ′s  what  it  is
What  it  is  now