"Down To The Waterline" as written by and Mark Knopfler....
Sweet surrender on the quayside
You remember we used to run and hide
In the shadow of the cargoes I take you one time
And we're counting all the numbers down to the waterline
Near misses on the dog leap stairways
French kisses in the darkened doorways
A foghorn blowing out wild and cold
A policeman shines a light upon my shoulder
Up comes a coaster fast and silent in the nihgt
Over my shoulder all you can see are the pilot lights
No money in our jackets and our jeans are torn
Your hands are cold but your lips are warm
She can see him on the jetty where they used to go
She can feel him in the places where the sailors go
When she's walking by the river and the railway line
She can still hear him whisper
Let's go down to the waterline
You remember we used to run and hide
In the shadow of the cargoes I take you one time
And we're counting all the numbers down to the waterline
Near misses on the dog leap stairways
French kisses in the darkened doorways
A foghorn blowing out wild and cold
A policeman shines a light upon my shoulder
Up comes a coaster fast and silent in the nihgt
Over my shoulder all you can see are the pilot lights
No money in our jackets and our jeans are torn
Your hands are cold but your lips are warm
She can see him on the jetty where they used to go
She can feel him in the places where the sailors go
When she's walking by the river and the railway line
She can still hear him whisper
Let's go down to the waterline
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So I always thought this song was about a couple who used to go down to the waterfront and make-out along the docks. Then the guy had to leave on a ship so the girl was left behind with only the memories of what they used to do. It makes sense to me, but maybe I just think this because I’m in the Navy and have had to leave too many times over the years.
In any case I have enjoyed this song for almost 30 years now.
In that respect it has much in common with his later "Tunnel Of Love" that specifically references Newcastle eg. "the Spanish city" was a part of Newcastle.
I'm trying to say you make a point. Filter through the rockstar shit and when Mark is soloing over those changes it means more than when he is singing, even though most of us can relate.
I found a rare german release of this on vinyl recently and it's really shown me how good of a songwriter Knopfler is. His new stuff all of it.
Anyways keep playing guitar (I assume you do and most guitarists couldn't call a modulation if it bit them on the ass).