Mark Knopfler - Why Aye Man

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 Maggies 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

Were 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

Theres English, Irish, Scots, the lot
United nations what weve 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 Maggies farm
Hadaway down the autobahn
Mines a portacabin bed
Or a bunk in a nissen hut instead

Theres plenty deutschmarks here to earn
And german tarts are wunderschoen
German beer is chemical-free
Germanys alreet with me

Sometimes I miss my river tyne
But youre my pretty fraulein
Tonight well 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