ALL COMERS
There’ll be one or two in every crowd
One or two lads being loud
Having themselves a weekend
Come out the beer tent with their mates
Look over where we stand and wait
Going to want to be showing off to the girlfriend
Over to the booth they’ll come and stand
One’s going to want to put up his hand
But he’s maybe had a drink
Never seen a real ring
He can take on his pals, keep on his shirt
We don’t want locals getting hurt
Our people on the show are all the real thing
We were here back then since way back when
In the long hot summers
Here back then and we’re back again
And taking on all comers
All comers
You keep your hands up
And your expectations slim
And you never underestimate
The man who’s climbing in
Well it’s a hard way to earn a pound alright
You’ll maybe get three or four fights a night
Maybe more on a weekend
But we want to see them back in here
When we come round again next year
May it never change, just like old friends
We were here back then since way back when
In the long hot summers
Here back then and we’re back again
And taking on all comers
All comers
Guitars, Vocals: Mark Knopfler
Bouzouki: Richard Bennett
Acoustic Guitar: Greg Leisz
Synths: Guy Fletcher
Piano: Jim Cox
Bass Guitar: Glenn Worf
Drums: Ian ‘Ianto’ Thomas
Percussion: Danny Cummings
Whistle, Uilleann Pipes: Mike McGoldrick
Fiddle: John McCusker
A link to the history of the boxing booths to which MK tells us about in this beautiful tune:
https://www.boxinghistory.org.uk/boxingbooths.html
