"Water of Love" Dire Straits 1978

Knopfler described "Water of Love" as one of his songs that came entirely from inside himself rather than putting himself in someone else's shoes. He stated that he wrote it because "I was so fed up. I felt I was going no place. I could see my future stretching out in front of me long and bleak." Written in London early in 1977, it was included on Dire Straits' demo tape with "Sultans of Swing" and three other songs that the band sent to Charlie Gillett, who played the tape on his radio show leading to the band's first recording contract.


Water of Love Lyrics
[Instrumental Intro]

[Verse 1]
High and dry in the long hot day
Lost and lonely in every way
Got the flats all around me, sky up above
Yes, I need a little water of love

[Verse 2]
I've been too long lonely and my heart feels pain
Crying out for some soothing rain
I believe I have taken enough
Yes, I need a little water of love

[Chorus]
Water of love deep in the ground
But there ain't no water here to be found
Some day, baby, when the river runs free
It's gonna carry that water of love to me

[Verse 3]
There's a bird up in a tree sitting up high
Just a-waiting for me to die
If I don't get some water soon
I'll be dead and gone in the afternoon

[Chorus]
Water of love deep in the ground
But there ain't no water here to be found
Some day, baby, when the river runs free
It's gonna carry that water of love to me

[Verse 4]
Once I had a woman I could call my own
Once I had a woman, now my woman she gone
Once there was a river, now there's a stone
You know it's evil when you're living alone

[Chorus]
Water of love deep in the ground
But there ain't no water here to be found
Some day, baby, when the river runs free
It's gonna carry that water of love to me

Water of love deep in the ground
But there ain't no water here to be found
Some day, baby, when the river runs free
It's gonna carry that water of love to me