Category Archives: deep dive

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Song of the Day #6,372: ‘The Man’s Too Strong’ – Dire Straits

I’ve wrapped up my brief deep dive into Dire Straits six-album discography, and my biggest takeaway is that this is one of the most consistent artists I’ve given the treatment.

Granted, I’m sure they’d have some soft spots if they had put out a dozen or more albums, but I do think there is something about the band’s sound that just works. It’s the tone of Mark Knopfler’s guitar, the comforting rasp of his voice, the expansive but welcoming soundscapes of his production. And while Knopfler is the primary creative force behind Dire Straits, I also must shout out the expert musicianship of his various bandmates.

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Song of the Day #6,371: ‘Ticket to Heaven’ – Dire Straits

Three years after the release of the blockbuster Brothers in Arms, Dire Straits broke up. Mark Knopfler was overwhelmed by the pressure and attention that accompanied success.

He focused instead on solo projects, and formed a country band called the Notting Hillbillies, releasing one album with that outfit in 1990. That same year, Dire Straits reunited for a festival performance then decided to head to the studio to record another album.

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Song of the Day #6,368: ‘Why Worry’ – Dire Straits

Dire Straits waited three years after 1982’s Love Over Gold to release their next album, dropping an EP and live album in the meantime. Then, in 1985, came Brothers in Arms.

This nine-song collection is a perfect synthesis of the band’s pop sensibility and artistic proclivities, boasting both radio-friendly hits and jazzy art pop. Brothers in Arms is one of the first albums recorded digitally and the first smash hit of the CD era (it sold more than a million copies on CD, topping its vinyl and cassette sales).

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Song of the Day #6,367: ‘Love Over Gold’ – Dire Straits

After the success of Making Movies, Dire Straits had earned the leeway to experiment on their next album, and experiment they did.

Love Over Gold (1982) contains only five songs, each clocking in at or over six minutes. Opening track ‘Telegraph Road’ runs 14 minutes. All that extra runtime is devoted to lengthy instrumental passages featuring Mark Knopfler’s guitar as well as keyboards by new band member Alan Clark.

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Song of the Day #6,366: ‘Expresso Love’ – Dire Straits

Dire Straits continued their torrid pace, releasing their third album in three years — 1980’s Making Movies.

David Knopfler participated in early recording sessions until tensions with brother Mark led to him leaving the band. Eventually his guitar parts were all re-recorded and he isn’t credited on the album. Mark brought on producer Jimmy Iovine, whose work with Bruce Springsteen attracted his attention, and Iovine recruited E-Street Band keyboardist Roy Bittan to play on the album.

Those changes, along with Mark’s increasingly sophisticated songwriting, resulted in the band’s finest work to date.

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