Down The Waterline

Dire straits will always be Mark Knopfler. From the beginning Mark Knopfler’s strong guitar sound and his slightly held back vocals has defined the music of Straits. From the gigs in pubs in London to the high profile tours around the world India>, it has been really great going. Few bands have done music like Straits – right from the heart. They had none of the on stage antics nor did they go for off stage gimmicks. They jus played... on and on.

Dire Straits always had a clear idea on what their path was. Their songs had a meaning for the listeners, kind of a search for the meaning along with the band. It is a wonderful experience!

Songs always takes the prime place for Dire Straits, so it is also not proper for me to write about them. I am therefore sticking to their songs.

Some songs of Straits are my personal favorites – Brothers in Arms, Telegraph Road, Tunnel of Love, Sultans of swing and Romeo & Juliet.

‘Brothers in Arms’ was written at the time when Mark’s brother, David, quit the band following personal differences. The song has that feeling of time, kind of a reaching out. This song however cannot be heard in repetition at same time.

Telegraph road’s lyrics are really good. It gives the feel of 18^th century America, in all its goodness and splendor; it evokes the image of the ‘Pioneers’ who set out to the new world, impervious to the perils ahead. I heard this one in repetition.

To me love songs always hold a special place. Not the cheese and cake ones but the real ones, Romeo and Juliet and Tunnel of love fall in this category. While R&J takes a cynical take on the eternal love story, Tunnel of love makes us fall in love with the first girl you meet after hearing it! For me, it always will be the same girl! I see her each time I hear it.

Lots of their other songs have been on my mind when I’m writing this. I’ll leave it for some other time or perhaps someone else to write.