Dire Straits — Portobello Belle
Album: CommuniquéAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 1149
Length: 4:19
Plays (last 30 days): 1
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Belladonna's on the high street
Her breasts upon the off beat
And the stalls are just the side shows
Victoriana's old clothes
And yes her jeans are tight now
She gonna travel light now
She got to tear up all her roots now
She got the turn up on the boots now
She thinks she's tough
She ain't no English rose
Oh, but the blind singer
He's seen enough and he knows
Yes, and he do a song
About a long gone Irish girl
Oh, but I got one for you
My portobello belle
She sees a man upon his back there
Escaping from a sack there
And belladonna lingers
Her gloves they got no fingers
Yeah, the blind man singing the Irish
He get his money in a tin dish
Just a corner serenader
Upon a time he could have made her, made her
Yeah, she thinks she's tough
She ain't no English rose
Oh, but the blind singer
He's seen enough and he knows
Yes, and he do a song
About a long gone Irish girl
Oh, but I got one for you
My portobello belle
Yes, and these barrow boys are hawking
And a parakeet is squawking
Upon a truck there's a rhino
She get the crying of a wino
And then she get the reggae rumble
Belladonna's in the jungle
But she is no garden flower
There is no distress in the tower
Oh, belladonna walks
Belladonna taking a stroll
Oh, but she don't care about your window box
Or your button hole
Yes, and she sing a song
About a long gone Irish girl
Oh, but I got one for you
Portobello belle
Portobello belle
Her breasts upon the off beat
And the stalls are just the side shows
Victoriana's old clothes
And yes her jeans are tight now
She gonna travel light now
She got to tear up all her roots now
She got the turn up on the boots now
She thinks she's tough
She ain't no English rose
Oh, but the blind singer
He's seen enough and he knows
Yes, and he do a song
About a long gone Irish girl
Oh, but I got one for you
My portobello belle
She sees a man upon his back there
Escaping from a sack there
And belladonna lingers
Her gloves they got no fingers
Yeah, the blind man singing the Irish
He get his money in a tin dish
Just a corner serenader
Upon a time he could have made her, made her
Yeah, she thinks she's tough
She ain't no English rose
Oh, but the blind singer
He's seen enough and he knows
Yes, and he do a song
About a long gone Irish girl
Oh, but I got one for you
My portobello belle
Yes, and these barrow boys are hawking
And a parakeet is squawking
Upon a truck there's a rhino
She get the crying of a wino
And then she get the reggae rumble
Belladonna's in the jungle
But she is no garden flower
There is no distress in the tower
Oh, belladonna walks
Belladonna taking a stroll
Oh, but she don't care about your window box
Or your button hole
Yes, and she sing a song
About a long gone Irish girl
Oh, but I got one for you
Portobello belle
Portobello belle
Comments (12)add comment
"Her breasts upon the off beat"...these inspired lyrics made a big impression on the teenage me, although I always heard it as "up beat" not "off beat"
sfyi2001 wrote:
"Usually brilliant" ?
It was their second album.
Released 8 months after their first.
And this album has some bangers - "Where Do You Think You're Going", "Lady Writer", "Communique", "Once Upon A Time In The West"...not bad at all. And it was followed by a third album that isn't bad!
"Usually brilliant" ?
It was their second album.
Released 8 months after their first.
And this album has some bangers - "Where Do You Think You're Going", "Lady Writer", "Communique", "Once Upon A Time In The West"...not bad at all. And it was followed by a third album that isn't bad!
top 5 Dire Straits song for me. Love the guitar, lyrics and vocals. Great tune!
I "like" this original version of this song, but I "love" their redo on "Money For Nothing" more. I'd be interested to know Mark Knopfler's reason for the reproduction. My guess is that, as Dire Straits grew in their musical maturity, they realized that they could create a much richer sound for this song. Good on them!
JKWW wrote:
Yes! That version puts this to shame.
Great song, actually one of my favourites by Dire Straits. This version does seem a little underproduced IMO. Check out the live version on the "Money For Nothing" album.
Yes! That version puts this to shame.
Haven't heard this in years. Love it.
wildmanfromSB wrote:
Hey genius it’s a group
I think we hear entirely too much of this guy here at the otherwise wonderful RP.
I think we hear entirely too much of this guy here at the otherwise wonderful RP.
Great song, actually one of my favourites by Dire Straits. This version does seem a little underproduced IMO. Check out the live version on the "Money For Nothing" album.
kingart wrote:
Not really one Dire Strait's better efforts. The usually brilliant formula here seems a bit tired.
"Usually brilliant" ?
It was their second album.
Released 8 months after their first.
kingart wrote:
A lesser Dire Straits song is still pretty excellent....
Not really one Dire Strait's better efforts. The usually brilliant formula here seems a bit tired.
A lesser Dire Straits song is still pretty excellent....
Not really one Dire Strait's better efforts. The usually brilliant formula here seems a bit tired.