Texty: Mark Knopfler. Why Aye Man.

We had no way of staying afloat
We had to leave on a ferryboat
Economic refugees, on the run to Germany
We had the back of Maggie's hand
Times were tough in Geordie land
We got our 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
Why aye man
Why aye, why aye man
Why aye man
Why aye, why aye man

We're the nomad tribes, traveling boys
In the dust and dirt and the wrecking noise
Drills and hammers, diggers and picks
Mixing concrete, laying bricks
There's English, Irish, Scots a lot
United Nations what we've 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
Why aye man
Why aye, why aye man
Why aye man
Why aye, why aye man

Nay more work on Maggie's farm
Head away down the autobahn
Mine's a Portakabin bed
Or a bunk in a Nissen hut instead

There's plenty Deutsch marks here to earn
And German tarts are wundersch
German beer is chemical free
Germany's alright with me
Sometimes, I miss my River Tyne
But you're my pretty frylein
Tonight we'll drink the old town dry
Keep our spirit levels high

Why aye man
Why aye, why aye man
Why aye man
Why aye, why aye man
Why aye man
Why aye, why aye man
Why aye man
Why aye, why aye man

Sometimes, I miss my River Tyne
But you're my pretty frylein
Tonight we'll drink the old town dry
Keep our spirit levels high
Sometimes, I miss my River Tyne
But you're my pretty frylein
Tonight we'll drink the old town dry
Keep our spirit levels high