Page type: lyric reference
Artist: Dire Straits
Canonical path: /dire-straits/what-it-is
Related lyric paths: 6
Video embedded: yes
Lyric guide
What It Is
Read What It Is lyrics by Dire Straits on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.
person
Curated by Ethan Walker
LyroVerse team
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Lyrics
What It Is
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The 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 and 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 the city hall
The castle and the keep
The moon shines down upon it all
The legless and asleep
And it's cold on the tollgate
With the wagons creeping through
Cold on the tollgate
God knows what I could do with you
And it's what it is
It's what it is now
The garrison sleeps in 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 the tollgate
With the Caledonian Blues
Cold on the 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 Dick
Is still in search of Little Nell
And it's what it is
It's what it is now
Oh what it is
What it is now
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Who performs "What It Is"?
Dire Straits performs "What It Is", and this lyric page sits inside the Dire Straits catalog on LyroVerse.
Are there related songs to explore after "What It Is"?
Yes. The related section below points to Expresso Love and Cannibals with a short reason for opening each page next.
Where can I find more songs by Dire Straits?
Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Dire Straits's lyric pages.
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