[ti:What it is] [ar:Mark Knopfler] [al:297720] [offset:0] [00:01.94]Mark Knopfler [00:32.28]Drinking dens are spilling out [00:33.98]There's staggering in the square [00:36.17]There's lads and lasses falling about [00:37.97]And a crackling in the air [00:40.49]Down around the dungeon doors [00:41.87]The shelters in the queues [00:44.43]Everybody's looking for [00:45.74]Somebody's arms to fall into [00:47.90]And it's what it is [00:50.78] [00:51.54]It's what it is now [00:54.08] [00:55.48]There's frost on the graves and the monuments [00:57.54]But the taverns are warm in town [01:00.11]People curse the government [01:01.00] [01:01.71]And shovel hot food down [01:03.81]The lights are out in city hall [01:05.43]The castle and the keep [01:07.65]The moon shines down upon it all [01:09.48]The legless and asleep [01:12.00]And it′s cold on a tollgate [01:13.36]With the wagons creeping through [01:15.89]Cold on a tollgate [01:17.25]God knows what I could do with you [01:19.22]And It′s what it is [01:22.77]It′s what it is now [01:27.24]The garrison sleeps and the citadel [01:28.99]With the ghosts and the ancient stones [01:30.57] [01:31.61]High up on the parapet [01:32.98]A Scottish piper stands alone [01:35.56]And high on the wind [01:36.67]The highland drums begin to roll [01:38.43] [01:39.43]And something from the past just comes [01:40.89]And stares into my soul [01:42.10]And it′s cold on a tollgate [01:44.87]Where the Caledonian blues [01:46.09] [01:47.38]Cold on a tollgate [01:48.27] [01:48.81]God knows what I could do with you [01:50.94]And It′s what it is [01:53.74]It′s what it is now [01:58.44]What it is [02:02.34]It′s what it is now [02:06.57] [02:38.02]There′s a chink of light [02:39.19]There′s a lantern in the tower [02:39.21]There′s a burning wick [02:40.52] [02:42.00]Wee Willie Winkie with a candlestick [02:43.84]Still writing songs in the wee wee hours [02:45.73]On Charlotte Street I take [02:47.52]A walking stick from my hotel [02:50.51]The ghost of Dirty Dick [02:51.77]Is still in search of Little Nell [02:53.37]And it′s what it is [02:57.42]It′s what it is now [02:59.11]Oh it′s what it is [03:04.37] [03:05.34]What it is now