Down To The Waterline

Album: Dire Straits (1978)
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  • Sweet surrender on the quayside
    You remember we used to run and hide
    In the shadow of the cargoes I take you one time
    And we're counting all the numbers down to the waterline

    Near misses on the dog leap stairways
    French kisses in the darkened doorways
    A foghorn blowing out wild and cold
    A policeman shines a light upon my shoulder

    Up comes a coaster fast and silent in the night
    Over my shoulder all you can see are the pilot lights
    No money in our jackets and our jeans are torn
    Your hands are cold but your lips are warm

    She can see him on the jetty where they used to go
    She can feel him in the places where the sailors go
    When she's walking by the river and the railway line
    She can still hear him whisper
    "Let's go down to the waterline"
    Come on Writer/s: Mark Knopfler
    Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 4

  • Steve from IpswichThe Dogleap Stairway referenced in the song is an alleyway with a steep set of steps in Newcastle-on-Tyne.
  • Joe from Grants Pass, OrAlso one of my Top Five !! Every song on it was so Refreshing !!!!
  • Rusputtin from Atlanta, GaFirst of all this self debut DS album is 1 of my all time fav album! I first heard this track when I was in 9th grade and I was dating my first high school love. :) After hearing the lyrics, I told myself what are the odds that Knopfler was talking about someone's romance thru that lryics...didn't know it was his own fling he was talking about. :) 22 some years later, every time I hear this track, it reminds me of my first love and the things we did ("french kisses in the dark end door ways")and places we went (down to the waterline...). The lyrics coincided so very closely to my relationship with that girl...often makes me visualize us walking down a heavily wooded area on misty winter morning....and we are sneaking behind some tree to find each other closely...makes me nostalgic!
  • Mark from London, EnglandThis song was issued as a track on a free 12" vinyl LP with Record Mirror, whereby vouchers had to be cut out and sent to order it.
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