Artist: Mark Knopfler

Title: Madame Geneva's

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I'm a maker of ballads right pretty

I write them right here in the street

You can buy them all over the city

yours for a penny a sheet

I'm a word pecker out of the printers



I'll write up a scene on a counter

- confessions and sins in the main, boys

confessions and sins in the main



Then you'll find me in Madame Geneva's

keeping the demons at bay

There's nothing like gin for drowning them in

but they'll always be back on a hanging day



They come rattling over the cobbles

they sit on their coffins of black

Some are struck dumb, some gabble

top-heavy on brandy or sack

The pews are all full of fine fellows

and the hawker has set up her shop

As they're turning them off at the gallows

she'll be selling right under the drop, boys

selling right under the drop



Then you'll find me in Madame Geneva's

keeping the demons at bay

There's nothing like gin for drowning them in

but they'll always be back on a hanging day