What It Is — Mark Knopfler
Chords and lyrics for What It Is by Mark Knopfler (key of D).
Verse 1
What it is - Mark Knopfler
From the album: Sailing to Philadelphia
(A) = Play quick, one strum
Intro
[F#m] [D] [A]
[F#m] [D] [E]
Verse
[F#m]The drinking dens are spilling out and [A]staggering in the square
[D]There's lads and lassies falling about and [A]a crackling in [E]the air
[F#m]Down around the dungeon doors, the [A]shelters and the keeps
[D]Everybody's looking for [A]somebody's arms to [E]fall into, that's what it is
That's what it is now...
(Riff: Sorry, I stole this one..)
fast (1/2) bend
or: F#m (A) D E
Chorus
It's (that's) [F#m]what it is[E][D]
It's what it is [F#m]now[E][D]
Verse 2
There's [F#m]frost on the graves and the monuments but the [A]taverns are warm in
town
[D]People curse the government and [A]shovel hot [E]food down
[F#m]Lights are out in city hall ,the [A]castle and the keep
[D]Moon shines down upon it all, the [A]legless and [E]asleep
Pre-Chorus
[D]Cold on the tollgate where the [A]wagons creeping through
[D]Cold on the tollgate God [A]knows what I [E]can do with you
Chorus
It's (that's) [F#m]what it is[E][D]
It's what it is [F#m]now[E][D]
Verse 3
The [F#m]garnison sleeps in the citadel with the [A]ghosts and the ancient stones
[D]High on the parapet the [A]scottish pipers [E]stands alone
[F#m]High on the wind the highland [A]drums begin to roll
And [D]something from the past just comes and [A]stares into my [E]soul
Pre-Chorus
[D]Cold on the tollgate where the[A] caledonian blues
[D]Cold on the tollgate god [A]knows what I can do[E] with you
Chorus
It's (that's) [F#m]what it is[E][D]
It's what it is [F#m]now[E][D]
Riff
[F#m] [D] [E]
Verse 4
There’s a [F#m]chink of light as a burning wick, there’s a [A]lantern in the tower
Wee [D]Willie Winkie with the candle sticks still [A]writing songs in the [E]wee Wee
hours
On [F#m]charlotte street they take a walking [A]stick from my hotel
The [D]ghost of Dirty Dick is still in [A]search of [E]little nell
Chorus
It's (that's) [F#m]what it is[E][D]
It's what it is [F#m]now[E][D]
Riff
[F#m] [D] [E]
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| h Hammer-on
| p Pull-off
| / Slide up
| ~ Vibrato
| BD bend down
| BU bend up
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X