The drinking dens are spilling out There's staggering in the square There are the lads and lasses falling about And a crackling in the air Down around the dungeon doors The shelters and the queues Everybody’s looking for Somebody's arms to fall into And it's what it is It's what it is now
There's the frost on the graves and the monuments But the tavern is in worm in town People curse the government And shovel the hot food down The lights are out in city hall The castle and the keep The moon shines down upon it all The legless and asleep
And it's cold on the tollgate With the wagons creping through Cold on the tollgate God knows what I could do with you And it's what it is It's what it is now
The garrison sleeps in the citadel With the ghosts and the ancient stones High up on the parapet A Scottish piper stands alone And high on the wind The highland drums begin to roll And something from the past just comes And stares into my soul
And it's cold on the tollgate With the Caledonian blues Cold on the tollgate God knows what I could do with you And it's what it is It's what it is now And it's what it is It's what it is now
There's a chink of light, there's a burning wick There's a lantern in the tower Wee Willie Winkie with a candlestick Still writing songs in the wee wee hours On Charlotte Street I take
A walking stick from my hotel The ghost of Dirty Dick Is still in search of Little Neil And it's what it is It's what it is now Oh it's what it is It's what it is now