(12) Stand Up Guy (4:35)

[shangri la 1]

Stand Up Guy (Mark Knopfler) (4:35)

LYRICS

Brew the coffee in a bucket
Double straight man and banjo
If you don't got the snake oil
Buster, you don't got a show
Who puts the doh-re-me
In our pockets
Keeps the party going on?
It's the man
Who sells the potions
I'm just one who plays the songs
Now they generally buys
The bigger size
They usually rub it in
I drank it once, it tasted
Like grease and paraffin
It's mostly alcohol, okay
You can't deny it's strong
We was going through the motions
'til the doctor came along

There stands the bottle
Ladies and gentlemen
All these bottles
Don't have to tell you, friends
These days miracles
Don't come falling from the sky
Raise your glasses to the doctor
To a stand-up guy

When the monkeyshine is flying
And he's promising the cure
He says the French
For your lovesick blues
La Maladie d'amour
He gets the chumps all laughing
But he gets a few to buy
Here's to beefsteak
When you're hungry
And whiskey when you're dry
Now the band'll blow their moolah
Like sailors gone ashore
Now we're going to west helena
To gamble, drink and whore
Let's you and me
All make whoopee
Here's mud in your eye
Here's to all the gals you ever want
And heaven when you die

There stands the bottle
Ladies and gentlemen
All these bottles
Don't have to tell you, friends
These days miracles
Don't come falling from the sky
Raise your glasses to the doctor
To a stand-up guy

There's a big cheese with a cigar
Been sizing up the show
He wants to get the doctor
Pitching on the radio
I will make a switch to guitar
But the rules all still apply
They want to trust somebody
Yeah, they want a stand-up guy

There stands the bottle
Here's to absent friends
All these bottles
Dead soldiers in the end
These days miracles
Don't come falling from the sky
Raise your glasses to the doctor
To a stand-up guy
To the doctor
A stand-up guy

Song lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

CHORDS
Shangri la album - Foma
https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/m/mark_knopfler/shangri-la_album_crd.htm

 

[happy to be here]

A way of expressing MK’s view of the ugly side of the music industry?  It’s a required side, but still not one he view’s fondly.  The business side.  The Stand Up Guy appears to be a sarcastic (but also sincere) tip of the cap to the necessary evils of the role of the promoter/manager, or maybe the music industry in general, as clearly, a “snake oil salesman” is not a term of endearment.  They have their role to play, and he has his - i.e. he’s just the one who plays the songs.   

The traveling show is a metaphor for the band and life on the road, or career path.  The manager selling the “potions.”  The band members partying up.  When monkey-shine starts flying someone has to keep them all together.   Early in the song there is reference to them possibly being self-managed and not making much headway (going through the motions till the doctor came along). I'll spare you the parsing of every verse....

I may be all wet on my assessment.  Does anyone think this is directed to specific person?  As I said, it seems to be a tip of the cap to the people (person) who did the dirty work that allowed MK & Friends to be successful (financially speaking).