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
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