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Basil Lyrics by Mark Knopfler

Tracker

2015

[Verse 1]
My Saturday job pays six and six down
A copy boy at the Chronicle
Five cigarettes and two silver half crowns
Meeting Vince at Mark Toney’s in town
Boy, do we get around

[Verse 2]
Basil sits there on the table for subs
But not a part of the Bri-nylon club
Ancient blue sweater, too old for the job
Bored out of his mind with the Colins and Bobs

[Chorus]
I’m a jack and a lad
And I’m up for the world
And I’ve kissed a Gateshead girl

[Verse 3]
He calls for a copy boy, grumpy as hell
Poets have to eat as well
What he wouldn’t give just to walk out today
To have time to think about time
And young love thrown away

[Chorus]
I’m a jack and a lad
And I’m up for the world
And I’ve kissed a Gateshead girl

[Bridge]
Starlings swarming a cloud over Grainger Street
Over the black church
Over the black gate
And the shadowy keep

[Verse 4]
He peers through his wire rims
At the fish and chip words
He’s supposed to dish up and forget
His drudgery now has become slightly blurred
By one of his players untipped cigarettes

[Chorus]
Bury all joy
Put the poems in sacks
And bury me here with the hacks

[Verse 5]
In the summer the fair
Will stretch over the Moor
Lovers will lie and make out in the park
Basil puts on his old duffel and scarf
And goes out into the dark

About “Basil” by Mark Knopfler

Read the complete lyrics to "Basil" by Mark Knopfler from the album "Tracker" in 2015. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Country, Rock.

"Basil" is performed by Mark Knopfler. from the album "Tracker" in 2015 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Basil", explore more songs by Mark Knopfler using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Mark Knopfler · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Basil" is credited to Mark Knopfler. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Basil" appears on "Tracker" in 2015.

Visit the Mark Knopfler artist page at /artist/mark-knopfler for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.


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