The Last Laugh
Harvey Thompson/Jim Horn/Mark Knopfler/Van Morrison/Wayne Jackson Lyrics


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Don't you love the sound
Of the last laugh my friend
Don't you love the sound
Of the last laugh at the end
Down in the gutter with the mad old soldiers
Down in the scuppers with the drunken sailors
Down in the gutter with the mad old soldiers
But the last laugh, baby is yours
And don't you love the sound
Of the last laugh going down

Games you thought you'd learned
You neither lost nor won
Dreams have crashed and burned
But you're still going on
Out on the highway with the road gang working
Up on the mountain with the cold wind blowing
Out on the highway with the road gang working
But the last laugh, baby is yours
And don't you love the sound
Of the last laugh going down

They had you crying but you came up smiling
They had you crawling and you came up flying
They had you crying and you came up smiling
And the last laugh, baby is yours
And don't you love the sound
Of the last laugh going down




Yeah don't you love the sound
Of the last laugh going down

Overall Meaning

The Last Laugh is a song about perseverance and triumph over adversity. The lyrics suggest that no matter how tough things get, there's always a chance to turn the tables and have the last laugh. The first verse talks about being down and out, in the gutter with the mad old soldiers and drunken sailors. But even in that situation, there's a chance to have the last laugh. The chorus repeats the idea that the last laugh is something to love and enjoy, even as it's going down.


The second verse continues the theme of working hard and enduring difficult circumstances. Whether you're out on the highway with the road gang or up on the mountain with the cold wind blowing, there's still a chance to come out on top. The lyrics suggest that even though you may have lost some games and had some dreams crash and burn, you're still going on and you still have a chance at the last laugh. The last verse talks about overcoming obstacles and coming up smiling and flying, no matter how hard you've been knocked down. Once again, the chorus rejoices in the sound of the last laugh going down.


Line by Line Meaning

Don't you love the sound
Isn't it satisfying to hear


Of the last laugh my friend
When you emerge victorious in the end


Of the last laugh at the end
When you come out on top after a struggle


Down in the gutter with the mad old soldiers
When you're at your lowest, surrounded by those who've given up


Down in the scuppers with the drunken sailors
When you're surrounded by those who are lost and aimless


But the last laugh, baby is yours
Despite their current state, you will ultimately prevail


And don't you love the sound
Isn't it satisfying to hear


Of the last laugh going down
The satisfaction of victory after a long journey


Games you thought you'd learned
Challenges you thought you had overcome


You neither lost nor won
You didn't succeed, but you didn't fail either


Dreams have crashed and burned
Your aspirations have failed


But you're still going on
But you continue your journey despite the setbacks


Out on the highway with the road gang working
You're working hard alongside others to achieve your goals


Up on the mountain with the cold wind blowing
You're facing difficult conditions as you try to succeed


But the last laugh, baby is yours
You will ultimately emerge triumphant


They had you crying but you came up smiling
Despite their efforts to hurt you, you persevered and came out stronger


They had you crawling and you came up flying
Despite their efforts to keep you down, you've risen above their expectations


They had you crying and you came up smiling
Despite the obstacles and challenges, you were able to stay positive and emerge victorious


And the last laugh, baby is yours
Ultimately, you will be the one who triumphs


And don't you love the sound
Isn't it satisfying to hear


Of the last laugh going down
The satisfaction of victory after a long journey


Yeah don't you love the sound
Yes, it is satisfying to hear


Of the last laugh going down
The satisfaction of victory after a long journey




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MARK KNOPFLER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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