Music

Communique

Communiqué

Album Credits

Mark Knopfler: vocals, lead, rhythm guitars
David Knopfler: rhythm, vocals
John Illsley: bass, vocals
Pick Withers: drums

Additional musicians:
B. Bear: Keyboards

Songs by Mark Knopfler
Produced by Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett
Recorded December 1978, Compass Point Studio, Nassau, Bahamas
Engineered by Jack Nuber
Tape Operator Thelbert Rigby
Mixed January 1979 at Muscle Shoals Sound, Sheffield, Alabama
Mix Engineer Gregg Hamm

Released: Vertigo/Warner Bros. (1979)

Communiqué

  • 1. Once Upon A Time In The West
    Some people get a cheap laugh breaking up the speed limit
    Scaring the pedestrians for a minute
    Crossing up progress driving on the grass
    Leaving just enough room to pass
    Sunday driver never took a test
    Oh yeah, once upon a time in the west

    Yes, it’s no use saying that you don’t know nothing
    It’s still gonna get you if don’t do something
    Sitting on a fence that’s a dangerous course
    Oh, you could even catch a bullet from the peace-keeping force
    Even the hero gets a bullet in the chest
    Oh yeah, once upon a time in the west

    Mother Mary your children are slaughtered
    Some of you mothers ought to lock up your daughters
    Who’s protecting the innocenti
    Heap big trouble in the land of plenty
    Tell me how we’re gonna do what’s best
    You guess once upon a time in the west

    Oh yeah once upon a time in the west
    Oh yeah once upon a time in the west
    Oh yeah once upon a time in the west

    Once upon a time in the west
  • 2. News
    He sticks to his guns
    He take the road as it comes
    It take the shine off his shoes
    He says it’s a shame
    You know it may be a game
    Ah but I won’t play to lose

    He’s burning the grass
    He take up a glass
    He swallow it neat
    He crosses the floor
    He open the door
    He take a sniff of the street

    And she tell him that he’s crazy
    She’s a-saying hey baby
    I’m your wife
    Yeah she tell him that he’s crazy
    For gambling a-with his life

    But he climbs on his horse
    You know he feel no remorse
    He just kicks it alive
    His motor is fine
    He take it over the line
    Until he’s ready to dive

    And she tell him that he’s crazy
    Yes she’s saying listen baby
    I’m your wife
    Yeah she tell him that he’s crazy
    For gambling with his life

    He sticks to his guns
    He take the road as it comes
    It take the shine off his shoes
    He says it’s a shame
    You know it may be a game
    Ah but I won’t play to lose

    He sticks to his guns
    He take the road as it comes
    It take the shine off his shoes
    He’s too fast to stop
    He take it over the top
    He make a line in the news
  • 3. Where Do You Think You’re Going?
    Where d’ya think you’re going
    Don’t you know it’s dark outside
    Where d’ya think you’re going
    Don’t you care about my pride
    Where d’ya think you’re going
    I think a you don’t know
    You got no way of knowing
    There’s really no place you can go

    I understand your changes
    A-long before you reach the door
    I know where you think you’re going you
    I know what you came here for
    And now I’m sick of joking
    You know I like you to be free
    A-where d’ya think ya going
    I think you better go with me girl

    You say there is no reason
    But you still find cause to doubt me
    If you ain’t with me girl
    You’re gonna be without me

    Where d’ya think you’re going
    Don’t you know it’s dark outside
    Where d’ya think you’re going
    I wish I didn’t care about my pride
    And now I’m sick of joking
    You know I like you to be free
    A-where d’ya think ya going
    I think you better go with me girl
  • 4. Communiqué
    We wanna get a statement for Jesus’ sake
    It’s like a talking to the wall
    He’s incommunicado
    No comment to make
    He’s saying nothing at all

    Yeah but in the communiqué
    You know he’s gonna come clean
    Think what he say
    Say what he means
    Maybe on Monday he got something to say

    Communication
    Communiqué
    Communiqué

    Maybe he could talk about the tricks of the trade
    Maybe he can talk about himself
    Maybe he could talk about the money that he made
    Maybe he be saying something else

    But in the communiqué you know he’s gonna come clean
    Think what he say
    Say what he means
    Maybe on Monday he got something to say

    Communication
    Communiqué
    Communiqué

    Well now the rumours are flying
    Speculation rife
    They say that he’s been trying someone else’s wife
    Somebody at the airport
    Somebody on the phone
    Says he’s at the station and he’s coming home alone

    Then we get the story
    The serious piece
    And a photograph a taken in the hall
    And you don’t have to worry with the previous release
    Right now he’s saying nothing at all
    But in the communiqué you know he’s gonna come clean
    Think what he say
    Say what he means
    Maybe on Monday he got something to say

    Communication
    Communiqué
    Communiqué

    Communication
  • 5. Lady Writer
    Lady Writer on the t.v.
    Talk about the Virgin Mary
    Reminded me of you
    Expectations left to come up to yeah

    Lady writer on the t.v.
    Yeah, she had another quality
    The way you used to look
    And I know you never read a book

    Just the way that her hair fell down around her face
    Then I recall my fall from grace
    Another time, another place

    Lady writer on the t.v.
    She had all the brains and the beauty
    The picture does not fit
    You talked to me when you felt like it

    Just the way that her hair fell down around her face
    Then I recall my fall from grace
    Another time, another place

    Yes and your rich old man
    You know he’d call her a dead ringer
    You got the same command
    Plus your mother was a jazz singer

    Just the way that her hair fell down around her face
    Then I recall my fall from grace
    Oh yeah, another time, another place

    Lady writer on the t.v.
    She knew all about a history
    You couldn’t hardly write your name
    I think I want you just the same as the

    Lady writer on the t.v.
    Talking about the Virgin Mary
    Yeah you know I’m talking about you and me
    And the lady writer on the t.v.
    Lady writer on the t.v.
    Talking about the Virgin Mary
    Yeah you know I’m talking about you and me
    And the lady writer on the t.v.
  • 6. Angel Of Mercy
    Well there’s a Peter Pan moon, shepherd’s delight
    I got the dragon at noon, yes and I won the fight
    Now I want my reward in heaven tonight, just like you promised
    Angel of mercy you’ll come to no harm
    Angel of mercy, there’s no need for alarm
    The knight in his armour wants a night in your arms
    You know he’s honest

    Angel of mercy, angel delight, give me my reward in heaven tonight
    And if I give up my sword, won’t you give me the right
    Sweet angel

    Well now it’s too late for talkin’, we can talk later on
    Let the saxophone play us till the chorus of dawn
    And all I need is a little oblivion, you don’t need protection
    Well now here come the moonlight down on your bed
    Angel of mercy let your heart rule your head
    I don’t want your money, I want you instead
    Don’t need rejection yeah

    Angel of Mercy, angel delight, give me my reward in heaven tonight
    And if I give up my sword, won’t you give me the right
    Angel of Mercy give me heaven tonight
    Well, if you cross your heart
    And spit and swear upon the grave of your mother
    You gotta get into it, you gotta tell me that I’m more than a lover

    Yeah angel of mercy, angel delight
    A-give me my reward in heaven tonight
    And if I give up my sword, won’t you give me the right
    Angel of mercy, give me heaven tonight

    Yeah angel of mercy, angel delight
    A-give me my reward in heaven tonight
    And if I give up my sword, won’t you give me the right
    Angel of mercy give me heaven tonight

    Yeah angel of mercy, angel delight
    A-give me my reward in heaven tonight
    And if I give up my sword, won’t you give me the right
    Angel of Mercy give me heaven tonight
  • 7. Portobello Belle
    Bella donna’s on the high street
    Her breasts upon the off beat
    And the stalls are just the side shows
    Victoriana’s old clothes
    And yes her jeans are tight now
    She gonna travel light now
    She’s gonna tear up all her roots now

    She got a turn up for the boots now
    Yeah she thinks she’s tough
    She ain’t no english rose
    But the blind singer
    He’s seen enough and he knows
    Yes and he do a song
    About a long gone Irish girl
    Ah but I got one for you Portobello Belle

    She sees a man upon his back there
    Escaping from a sack there
    And bella donna lingers
    Her gloves they got no fingers
    Yeah, the blind man singing Irish

    He get his money in a tin dish
    Just a corner serenader
    Upon a time he could have made her, made her
    Yeah, she thinks she’s tough
    She ain’t no english rose
    Ah, but the blind singer
    He’s seen enough and he knows
    Yes and do a song
    About a long gone Irish girl
    Ah but I got one for you Portobello belle

    Yes and these barrow boys are hawking
    And a parakeet is squawking
    Upon a truck there is a rhino
    She get the crying of a wino
    And then she get the reggae rumble
    Bella donna’s in the jungle
    But she is no garden flower
    There is no distress in the tower
    Oh, bella donna walks
    Bella donna taking a stroll
    But she don’t care about your window box
    Or your button hole
    Yes and she sing a song about a long gone Irish girl
    But I got one for you Portobello belle
  • 8. Single Handed Sailor
    Two in the morning dry-dock town
    The rivers rolls away in the night
    Little gypsy moth she’s all tied down
    She quiver in the wind and the light

    Yeah and a sailing ship just held down in chains
    From the lazy days of sail
    She’s just lying there in silent pain
    He lean on the tourist rail

    A mother and her baby and the college of war
    In the concrete graves
    You never wanna fight against the river law
    Nobody rules the waves
    Yeah and on a night when the lazy wind is a-wailing
    Around the Cutty Sark
    Single handed sailor goes sailing
    Sailing away in the dark

    He’s upon the bridge on the self same night
    The mariner of dry dock land
    Two in the morning but there’s one green light
    And a man on the barge of sand

    She’s gonna slip away below him
    Away from the things he’s done
    But he just shouts “hey man what you call this thing”
    He could have said “Pride of London”
    On a night when the lazy wind is a-wailing
    Around the Cutty Sark
    Yeah the single handed sailor goes sailing
    Sailing away in the dark
  • 9. Follow Me Home
    Oh well the sun go down
    Celebration in the town tonight
    All day long
    They been slaughtering upon the stone
    Share out the meat
    Yeah, you really like to eat
    Come on woman, come follow me home

    Well, the priest he cries
    Virgin ascending to the skies tonight
    All day long
    I have passed my time alone
    And when the church bell rung
    I stayed out on the tower
    In a dying sun
    Now come on woman, come follow me home

    Well I don’t need no priest
    But I love all of the people
    Yes I share the feast
    So drink up my wine
    Yes and the song in my bones
    I know the way
    I can see by the moonlight
    Clear as the day
    Now come on woman, come follow me home