Dire Straits / On Every Street

Calling Elvis

calling elvis - is anybody home
calling elvis - I'm here all alone
did he leave the building
or can he come to the phone
calling elvis - I'm here all alone
 
well tell him I was calling just to wish him well
let me leave my number - heartbreak hotel
oh love me tender - baby dob't be cruel
return to sender - treat me like a fool
 
calling elvis - is anybody home
calling elvis - I'm here all alone
did he leave the building
or can he come to the phone
calling elvis - I'm here all alone
 
why don't you go get him - I'm his biggest fan
you gotta tell him - he's still the man
long distance baby - so far from home
don't you think maybe you could put him on
 
well tell him I was calling just to wish him well
let me leave my number - heartbreak hotel
oh love me tender - baby dob't be cruel
return to sender - treat me like a fool
 
calling elvis - is anybody home
calling elvis - I'm here all alone
did he leave the building
or can he come to the phone
calling elvis - I'm here all alone

On Every Street

there's gotta be a record of you some place
you gotta be on somebody's books
the lowdown - a picture of your face
your injured looks
 
the sacred and profane
the pleasure and the pain
somewhere your fingerprints remain concrete
and it's your face I'm looking for on every street
 
a ladykiller - regulation tattoo
silver spurs on his heels
says - what can I tell you as I'm standing next to you
she threw herself under my wheels
oh it's a dangerous road
and a hazardous load
and the fireworks over liberty expode in the heat
and it's your face I'm looking for on every street
 
a three-chord symphony crashes into space
the moon is hanging upside down
I don't know why it is I'm still on the case
it's a ravenous town
and you still refuse to be traced
seems to me such a waste
and every victory has a taste that's bittersweet
and it's your face I'm looking for on every street
 
When it Comes to You

if we can't get along we oughta be apart
and I'm wondering where'd you get that cold, cold heart
set me free - sign my release
I'm tired of being the villain of the peace
 
you been giving me a bad time
tell me what I'd do
how come I always get a hard time
honey when it comes to you
sayin' things that you didn't have to
how come I always get a hard time
honey when it comes to you
 
you only get one life - this I know
I wanna get my licks in now before I go
the fire of love is dead and cold
I gotta satisfy the hunger in my soul
 
and you been giving me a bad time
tell me what I'd do
how come I always get a hard time
honey when it comes to you
sayin' things that you didn't have to
how come I always get a hard time
honey when it comes to you
 
Fade to Black

I wonder where you are tonight
you're probably on the rampage somewhere
you have been known to take delight
in gettin' in somebody's hair
and you always had the knack
fade to black
 
I bet you already made a pass
I see a darkened room somewhere
you run your finger round the rim of his glass
run your fingers through his hair
they scratch across his back
fade to black
 
well maybe it's all for the best
but I wish I'd never been lassooed
maybe it's some kind of test
I wish I'd never been tattooed
or been to hell and back
fade to black

The Bug

well it's a strange old game - you learn it slow
one step forward and it's back to go
you're standing on the throttle
you're standing on the breaks
in the groove 'til you make a mistake
 
sometimes you're the windshield
sometimes you're the bug
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're a fool in love
sometimes you're the louisville slugger
sometimes you're the ball
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're going to lose it all
 
you gotta know happy - you gotta know glad
because you're gonna know lonely
and you're gonna know bad
when you're rippin' and a ridin'
and you're coming on strong
you start slippin' and slidin'
and it all goes wrong because
 
sometimes you're the windshield
sometimes you're the bug
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're a fool in love
sometimes you're the louisville slugger baby
sometimes you're the ball
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're going to lose it all
 
one day you got the glory
one day you got none
one day you're a diamond
and then you're a stone
everything can change
in the blink of an eye
so let the good times roll
before we say goodbye, because
 
sometimes you're the windshield
sometimes you're the bug
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're a fool in love
sometimes you're the louisville slugger baby
sometimes you're the ball
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're going to lose it all

You and Your Friend

will you and your friend come around
are you and your friend gonna get on down
will you and your friend come around
or are you and your friend gonna let me down
 
if you talk to one another
I'm a hungry man
let me know one way or the other
so I can make my plans
 
will you and your friend come around
are you and your friend gonna get on down
will you and your friend come around
or are you and your friend gonna let me down
 
I relive the situation
still see in in my mind
you got my imagination
working overtime

Heavy Fuel

last time I was sober, man I felt bad
worst hangover that I ever had
it took six hamburgers and scotch all night
nicotine for breakfast just to put me right
'cos if you wanna run cool
if you wanna run cool
if you wanna run cool, you got to run
on heavy, heavy fuel
 
my life makes perfect sense
lust and food and violence
sex and money are my major kicks
get me in a fight I like dirty tricks
'cos if you wanna run cool
yes if you wanna run cool, you got to run
on heavy, heavy fuel
 
my chick loves a man who's strong
the things she'll do to turn me on
I love the babes, don't get me wrong
hey, that's why I wrote this song
 
I don't care if my liver is hanging by a thread
don't care if my doctor says I ought to be dead
when my ugly big car won't climb this hill
I'll write a suicide note on a hundred dollar bill
'cos if you wanna run cool
if you wanna run cool
yes if you wanna run cool, you got to run
on heavy, heavy fuel

Iron Hand

with all the clarity of dream
the sky so blue, the grass so green
the rank and file and the navy blue
the deep and strong, the straight and true
 
the blue line they got the given sign
the belts and boots marched forward in time
the wood and the leather the club and shield
swept like a wave across the battlefield
 
now with all the clarity of dream
the blood so red, the grass so green
the gleam of spur on the chestnut flank
the cavalry did burst upon the ranks
 
oh the iron will and the iron hand
in england's green and pleasant land
no music for the shameful scene
that night they said it had even shocked the queen
 
well alas we've seen it all before
knights in armour, days for yore
the same old fears and the same old crimes
we haven't changed since ancient times

Ticket to Heaven

I can see what you're looking to find
in the smile on my face
in my peace of mind
in my state of grace
I send what I can
to the man from the ministry
he's a part of heaven's plan
and he talks to me
 
now I send what I can to the man
with the diamond ring
he's a part of heaven's plan
and he sure can sing
now it's all I can afford
but the lord has sent me eternity
it's to save the little children
in a poor country
 
I got my ticket to heaven
and everlasting life
I got a ride all the way to paradise
I got my ticket to heaven
and everlasting life
all the way to paradise
 
now there's nothing left for luxuries
nothing left to pay my heating bill
but the good lord will provide
I know he will
so send what you can
to the man with the diamond ring
they're tuning in across the land
to hear him sing
 
I got my ticket to heaven
and everlasting life
I got a ride all the way to paradise
I got my ticket to heaven
and everlasting life
all the way to paradise

My Parties

well this is my back yard - my back gate
I hate to start my parties late
here's the party cart - ain't that great?
that ain't the best part baby - just wait
that a genuine weathervane - it moves with the breeze
portable hammok baby - who needs trees
it's casual entertaining - we aim to please
at my parties
 
check out the shingles - it's brand new
excuse me while I mingle - hi, how are you
hey everybody - let me give you a toast
this one's for me - the host with the most
 
it's getting a trifle colder - step inside my home
that's a brass toilet tissue holder with its own telephone
that's a musical doorbell - it don't ring, I ain't kiddin'
it plays america the beautiful and tie a yellow ribbon
 
boy, this punch is a trip - it's o.k. in my book
here, take a sip - maybe a little heavy on the fruit
ah, here comes the dip - you may kiss the cook
let me show you honey - it's easy - look
you take a fork and spike 'em - say, did you try these?
so glad you like 'em - the secret's in the cheese
it's casual entertaining - we aim to please
at my parties
 
now don't talk to me about the polar bear
don't talk to me about the ozone layer
ain't much of anything these days, even the air
they're running out of rhinos - what do I care?
let's hear it for the dolphin - let's hear it for the trees
ain't running out of nothing in my deep freeze
it's casual entertaining - we aim to please
at my parties

The Planet of New Orleans

 
standin' in the corner
of toulouse and dauphine
waitin' on marie-ondine
I'm tryin' to place a tune
under a louisiana moonbeam
on the planet of new orleans
in a bar they call the saturn
and in her eyes of green
and somethin' that she said in a dream
inside of my suit I got my mojo root
and a true love figurine
for the planet of new orleans
 
new orleans - the other planet
with other life upon it
and everythin' that's shakin' in between
if you should ever land upon it
you better know what's on it
the planet of new orleans
 
now I'm tryin' to find my way
through the rain and the steam
I'm lookin' straight ahead through the screen
and then I heard her say
somethin' in the limousine
'bout taking a ride across the planet of new orleans
 
if she was an ace
and I was just a jack
and the cards were never seen
we could have been the king and the queen
but she took me back to her courtyard
where magnolia perfume screams
behind the gates and the granite
of the planet of new orleans

How Long

how long, how long baby
how long has it been
how long you gonna keep me wondering
how long before you see
stallin' me was wrong - how long
 
how long, how long you gonna keep
slappin' my hands away
how long you gonna keep my love at bay
how long before you're sure
my love is strong - how long
 
how long, how long you gonna keep
tellin' me you like me fine
how long until I'm gonna make you mine
how long before you wake up
and find a good man gone - how long