It’s Only Words: “Private Investigations” by Dire Straits

1982
Performed by Dire Straits
Words and Music by Dire Straits

A pretty obvious choice. The unnamed gumshoe in Mark Knopler’s bittersweet, downbeat blues from the 1982 album Love Over Gold seems to have had a few too many cases turn out like that of the detective in Ed Hamell’s “The Long Drive.” He sits in his office, at the end of the day, and offers up a litany of minor key ruminations on the life. Imagine Marlowe with the blues, a bottle, and a guitar, too depressed to even wisecrack. Uplifting it ain’t.

Pass the bottle.

It’s a mystery to meThe game commencesFor the usual feePlus expensesConfidential informationIt’s in a diaryThis is my investigationIt’s not a public inquiry

I go checking out the reportsDigging up the dirtYou get to meet all sortsIn this line of workTreachery and treasonThere’s always an excuse for itAnd when I find the reasonI still can’t get used to it

And what have you gotAt the end of the day?What have you got To take away?A bottle of whisky And a new set of liesBlinds on a window And a pain behind the eyes

Scarred for lifeNo compensationPrivate investigations

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Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith.

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