Em   C  D  Em   C  D
Em   C  D  Em   C  D
Em   C  D  Em   C  D
Em   C  D  Em   C  D

[Verse]
    Em                                  G
The drinking dens are spilling out and staggering in the square,
        C                                   G                  D
There's lads and lasses falling about and a crackelling in the air
Em                                     G
 Then around the dungeon doors there's shelters in the queues,
C                            G              D
 Everybody's looking for somebody's arms to fall into

[Chorus]
     Em             G  C    D
It's what it is
       Em            C    D
That's what it is man

[Verse]
Em                                                    G
 Here's frost on the graves and the monuments but the taverns are warm in town
C                                G               D
 People curse the government and shovel hot food down
Em                               G
 Lights are out in cityhall, the castle and the keep
C                                  G               D
 Moon shines down upon it all, the legless and the sleepless
C                             G
 Cold on a tollgate where the wagons creeping through
C                   G              D
 Cold on a tollgate God knows what I can do

[Chorus]
     Em             G  C    D
It's what it is
       Em            C    D
That's what it is man

[Verse]
Em                                            G
 The garrison sleeps and the citadel with the ghosts and the ancient stones
C                        G                      D
 High on the parapet the Scottish pipers stands alone
Em                    G
 High on the wind the howling runes speak of the rule
C                                           G        D
 And something from the past just comes and stares into my soul
C                             G
 Cold on a tollgate where the Caledonian moves
C                   G              D
 Cold on a tollgate God knows what I can do with you

[Chorus]
     Em             G  C    D
It's what it is
       Em            C    D
That's what it is man

[Bridge]
Em             C    D
What it is
       Em            C    D
That's what it is man

Em    G     C     G  D
Em    G     C     G  D
Em    C  D  Em    C  D
Em    C  D  Em    C  D

[Verse]
Em
 There's a chink of light as a burning wick
           G
 There's a lantern in the tower
C                                              G                    D
Wee Willie Winkie with the candle sticks still writing songs in the mean wee hours
   Em                                   G
On Charlotte Street they take a walking stick from my hotel
C                           D
 The ghost of Dirty Dick is still in search of little Nell

[Outro]
Em               C    D
That's what it is
     Em             C    D
It's what it is now
       Em             C    D
That's what it is
     Em             C    D
It's what it is now, now, now...