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 me
The game commences
For the usual fee
Plus expenses
Confidential information
It’s in a diary
This is my investigation
It’s not a public inquiry

I go checking out the reports
Digging up the dirt
You get to meet all sorts
In this line of work
Treachery and treason
There’s always an excuse for it
And when I find the reason
I still can’t get used to it

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

Scarred for life
No compensation
Private investigations

AVAILABLE ON

• Love Over Gold | Buy this CD

FURTHER INVESTIGATION

• It’s Only Words
  Lyrics to Some Songs About Private Eyes

Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith.