Dire Straits made the transformation from pub rock strivers to pop superstars during the course of their time together. The one constant was the brilliant songwriting of their lead singer and guitarist, Mark Knopfler.
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Knopfler’s consistency as a writer is hard to top. But we’ve singled out these four songs from his Dire Straits era as excellent examples of his genius.
“Sultans Of Swing”
Dire Straits enjoyed a relatively quick rise to prominence. They formed in 1977 and recorded a demo that included this big hit single that same year. Nevertheless, Knopfler tuned into the vibes of musicians who play for the love of it, even when fame and fortune are never likely to be in the cards for them. The songwriter took inspiration from an old-timey jazz band that he saw playing in a bar and getting little attention. Note how deftly he paints portraits of band members Guitar George and Harry in just a few quick lines. He also finds the time to detail the scene, and he gives the titular band their moment of triumph in the final verse. Considering this was Dire Straits’ first single, it immediately introduced the world to a singular songwriting talent.
“Romeo And Juliet”
Brothers In Arms gave the band their biggest hit album. But pound for pound, Making Movies, Dire Straits’ third album that arrived in 1980, stands as their artistic peak. The title was apropos because Mark Knopfler was writing songs with all the richness and depth of the finest cinema. “Romeo And Juliet” captures the ebb and flow of romance as well as any rock song of its era. When you give a song a loaded title like that, you’d better deliver the goods. Knopfler certainly did. On the one hand, he evokes the hope that goes along with the early part of a relationship. But he doesn’t skimp on the bitter recrimination that comes when things go sour. Add in the beauty of the music, and this track is irresistible.
“Industrial Disease”
Mark Knopfler doesn’t get enough credit for his versatility as a writer. On this track from the 1982 album Love Over Gold, he adds biting humor to the mix. The song is somewhat reminiscent of some of Bob Dylan’s caustic mid-60s epics, songs like “Desolation Row” that create entire worlds before our ears. “Industrial Disease” manages to refer to both the deadening grind of everyday work and the overall malaise in the industrial world that was bedeviling Great Britain at the time of the song’s release. He brings flea-bitten foremen, careless doctors, and a pair of dueling saviors into the picture. One-liners abound, but they can’t soften the blows he delivers with his telling observations.
“Brothers In Arms”
Brothers In Arms took Dire Straits to the peak of the rock world. Mark Knopfler wasn’t crazy about the view, which is perhaps why he took so long to craft a follow-up. The hit single and video “Money For Nothing” acted as the catalyst. Those drawn in by that smash found an album that very much stuck to the formula for this band. There were love-gone-wrong songs, amiable rambles, and, in the title track, the kind of composition that could stop you in your tracks. Knopfler could be wordy at times. But on “Brothers In Arms”, he economically doles out the lyrics. In short strokes, he manages to elucidate the sad folly of war. He leaves the rest of the talking to his mournful guitar.
Photo by Christian Rose/Roger Viollet via Getty Images
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