what it is
Mark Knopfler DIRE STRAITS Lyrics

The drinking dens are spilling out
Bars and pubs are overflowing with people

There's staggering in the square
People are stumbling around drunkenly in the public space

There's lads and lasses falling about
Both young men and women are tripping over and struggling to stay upright

And a crackling in the air
There is a sense of excitement or anticipation in the atmosphere

Down around the dungeon doors
Near the underground entrances or shelters

The shelters and the queues
People are waiting in lines outside shelters or other places of refuge

Everybody's looking for
All are searching for something

Somebody's arms to fall into
Someone to comfort or embrace them

And it's what it is
Accepting the current situation

It's what it is now
Acknowledging that things cannot be changed

There's frost on the graves and the monuments
The weather is cold and crisp around the cemeteries and statues

But the taverns are warm in town
Despite the cold weather, the bars and pubs are still cozy

People curse the government
Citizens express anger and frustration towards the ruling authorities

And shovel hot food down
Eating plenty of nourishing meals to stay warm and full

The lights are out in city hall
The government building has lost power and is not functional at the moment

The castle and the keep
Even the fortified structures in town have gone dark

The moon shines down upon it all
The moonlight illuminates everything

The legless and asleep
Even those without limbs or who are asleep are affected by the cold and the darkness

And it's cold on the tollgate
The checkpoint is frigid and unpleasant

With the wagons creeping through
Slowly moving carts are passing by

God knows what I could do with you
Expressing a sense of longing or desire for someone's company

The garrison sleeps in the citadel
The military personnel rest inside the fortress

With the ghosts and the ancient stones
The spirits of the past haunt this ancient place

High up on the parapet
Standing on the high wall of the structure

A Scottish piper stands alone
A lone bagpiper stands up there, playing his tune

And high on the wind
The sound of the pipes carries far and wide

The highland drums begin to roll
The drums that accompany the bagpipes start playing

And something from the past just comes
A feeling of nostalgia or history is evoked

And stares into my soul
The music makes a deep impact on the listener

With the Caledonian blues
Feeling melancholy and yearning, in the style of traditional Scottish songs

There's a chink of light, there's a burning wick
There is a small, flickering light in the darkness

There's a lantern in the tower
A lantern is lighting up the highest point of the structure

Wee Willie Winkie with a candlestick
A fictional character who carries a lit candle as a symbol of hopefulness

Still writing songs in the wee wee hours
Still composing music late at night, even when everything seems dark and undesirable

On Charlotte Street I take
Moving along a specific street in town

A walking stick from my hotel
Picking up a stick to aid in walking while staying at a local inn

The ghost of Dirty Dick
The spirit of a famous, long-dead figure who was known for something specific in this area

Is still in search of Little Nell
Looking for the object of his affection or quest

Oh it's what it is
An acceptance of the current reality

What it is now
Realizing that things cannot be changed