Interpret:

Mark Knopfler

Album:

The Ragpicker's Dream

We had no way of staying afloat
We had to leave on the ferry boat
Economic refugees
On the run to Germany


We had the back of Maggie's hand
Times were tough in Geordieland
We got wor tools and working gear
And humped it all from Newcastle to here


Why aye man, why aye, why aye man
Why aye man, why aye, why aye man


We're the nomad tribes, travelling boys
In the dust and dirt and the racket and the noise
Drills and hammers, diggers and picks
Mixing concrete, laying bricks


There's English, Irish, Scots, the lot
United nation's what we've got
Brickies, chippies, every trade
German building, British-made


Why aye man, why aye, why aye man
Why aye man, why aye, why aye man


Nae more work on Maggie's farm
Hadaway down the autobahn
Mine's a portacabin bed
Or a bunk in a nissen hut instead


There's plenty deutschmarks here to earn
And german tarts are wunderschoen
German beer is chemical-free
Germany's alreet with me


Sometimes I miss my river tyne
But you're my pretty fraulein
Tonight we'll drink the old town dry
Keep wor spirit levels high


Why aye man, why aye, why aye man
Why aye man, why aye, why aye man