Hey ryofeliz, thanks for the geography lesson, I was pretty sure part of your country was near the equator. What you said about your city is the same thing one of my neighbours here says about Barbados, where he spends most of the winter, always nice and warm. I'm actually from western Canada, the last place I lived before coming out here was out in the mountains of southeastern British Columbia. It's about a three day drive from there to here.   

 I'm not far from Ottawa where I will be seeing MK on July 18th and will also be driving to Toronto to see MK on July 17th. At least that is the plan as of today, however with my wife expecting , I know that things could change without notice. She asked me today if I would be able to find someone to take her ticket for the Ottawa concert, she's not a big fan of MK but I've heard her tell people that Romeo and Juliet is one of her favourite songs of all time.She has his finger snaps down perfectly, but she doesn't think she'll be able to sit through a concet in July. I'm glad we realized that now so I can find someone for her ticket.

I'm just watching the DVD Best of Dire Straits, some of these performances must go back thirty years, it's kind of amazing to me that MK is still at it and keeping up such a demanding touring schedule.  Today is the anniversary of the last time I saw MK in 2006 with EH, also the anniversary of a 1994 concert by my other favourite band , the Grateful Dead, In Eugene Oregon. That was the fifth concert in seven days, oh to be young again!

Regards to the tropics and welcome to the board

 

 

Hi again roundabout: Driving in Canada must be a great experience because of the big distances, the beautiful countryside, the excellent roads and Dire Straits, MK's music in the car....I imagine it's like in the US, where I drove extensively and enjoyed it a lot....It appears you are really looking forward to the MK's concerts in july, I don't blame you, it's going to be great....Well good luck with the baby that's coming soon to this world of MK's fans....By the way, please tell your wife that "Romeo and Juliet" is one of my favourite songs of all time also...As a matter of fact, it's the main reason for getting to know better DS' music...It was my Nº1 DS' song for years.....I'm also amazed that Mark keeps going and going....He's such a good musician and he loves so much what he does, that I'm sure we will have him for many years to come.....  keep in touch, best regards from the tropic............................"When you gonna realise it was just that the time was wrong"........

ryofeliz:

Claudia Cardinale was and still is for her age, a very pretty woman...I have not seen the movie, but I've heard of it

When you see her at first in the movie, her head comes out of the train, she' s smiling, because se still thinks someone there is waiting for her. She wears a black dress. Then her sight turns more and more disapointed as she doesn' t find the person she is looking for...

There' s an old man who brings her to the farm she has to go to, shouting: You go to that strange Irish? That crazy fellow rising sand in the middle of nothing! (coltiva la sabbia in mezzo al niente)

"Not even the innocents are protected". The youngest son of the Irishman, named Timmy, gets killed by a bunch of armed men, commanded by Henry Fonda. One asks HF: What we gonna do with this one, Frank? And he replies: Well, now that you' ve told my name... And he shots to the little child.

---

ognuno vada dove vuole andare, ognuno invecchi come gli pare, ma non raccontare a me cos' è la libertà

Hi AnnaMaria: Thanks for the insights of this movie......As I listen to "Once upon a time in the west", I try to imagine how life was in those days of the wild west...Back to the song, It amazes me the impecable way Mark plays the guitar, he's really singing with his guitar....The song goes smooth, beautiful, slow for a while, it creates expectations, and the end is superb...10 minutes of joy, 10 minutes of the best rock on the planet....Mark´s talent, in my opinion comes out clearly in this song. When a song is that long it has to be very good, or you get tired of it quickly................"Tell me how we're gonna do what's best, you guess once upon a time in the west"...........Regards..........

Hi, ¿Anybody knows what inspired Mark to write "Once upon a time in the west"?....Anything you guys and gals can tell me about this song would be greatly appreciated....There are many fans out there that can tell us the real story behind this amazing song....Thanks........................"Yes, it's no use saying that you don't know nothing, it's still gonna get you if you don't do something"...

Hi ryofeliz,

Don't know anything about this song,except there are both modern and historic elements to it.Perhaps it's just Mark having a dig at modern living in the "Wild West End "of London where he was living at the time and comparing it with the old wild west.Who knows? The songs "Wild West End and "Portobello Belle" were also written about that time as well of course.

Maybe there were two songs inspired by the movie "Once upon a time in the West", the song of the same name and as discussed on another thread  "Prairie Wedding" which came along a few years later as we know.Perhaps it's one of Mark's favourite films?

There are a few interesting theories on www.songmeanings.net  have a look and see what you think.

Regards

---

"You only get one life, this I know.
Gonna get my licks in now before I go".

Thanks denmark, your information is very useful as always..I will definitely check out the website you mention...It happens that when you know the history behind a song you appreciate it even more....OK, thanks for your time and have a nice day......Regards................."He got the action, he got the motion, yeah the boy can play".......

Hi, "My Parties", what a beautiful song...It seems to me this is the most underestimated DS' song..Then again, everything Mark has done is great, it's just that some songs don't get the recognition they deserve, I think..................................."It plays America the beautiful and tie a yellow ribbon".......

I do not have just ten.  I love them all.  Each one brings a story and choice guitar sound from Mark Knopfler.   He is a noticable credit to everything he has participated in with any artist.  Having bought all his music as far back as Dire Straits to today's Kill for Crimson....there is not one song I could label as a  personal favorite.    

Mark Knopfler is an amazing lyricist and guitarist!... having said that, I soon hope to see him live in Toronto this summer 2008! My selections for my 'Top Ten Dire Straits songs are as follows; note these are in no particular order.

1. In the Gallery

2. Sultans of Swing

3.Brothers in Arms

4.Love over gold

5.So far away

6.Romeo & Juliet

7. Down to the waterline

8.Six-Blade Knife

9. Ride across the River

10. Calling Elvis

Honorable mention to the following songs, not all are Dire Straits, however: Telegraph Road, Sailing to Philadelphia, Tunnel of Love, Twistin' by the Pool

Growing up listening to lots of different types of music, I love the sound of the first album!, but it was the hit television show "Miami Vice" that put 'Brothers in Arms" on the map for me as far as being the favorite album- all time! of Dire Straits...followed closely by the self-titled debut album!

Thanks for allowing me to share

Bullitt11

Hello BarbaraBower: Your comments are right on the money...Mark's talent is amazing and each song brings the best in him..I haven't heard one song by either Dire Straits or Mark's solo work that I don't like...However, I must admit that the first time I heard "Romeo And Juliet" it blew me away and it was my favourite song for years...But at the same time I liked all the others and listen to them continuosly..But "Romeo And Juliet" was Nº1....Today my list has changed from what it used to be but I admit this is a tough thing to do because we are swimming in an ocean of great great music...Thanks for your comments and have a nice day............."Juliet says hey It's Romeo you nearly gave me a heart attack, he's underneath the window she's singing hey la my boyfriend's back".........

Hello Bullitt11: You are welcome and thanks for posting your top ten...Your list is very interesting, and yes, it seems you like a lot the early DS' work....I must admit that I also prefer the first 3 DS' albums..But I like them all, It's just that I have a small preference for the early work....For example a song like "Single Handed Sailor" it's an absolute beauty and was in my top 5 for a while..The same with "News"....And the honorable mention you gave those songs, is absolutely justified, specially "Tunnel Of Love", which I think it's probably the best guitar work of the early years.........Well, I hope you have a blast in the concert in Toronto..........Have a nice day in beautiful Canada.................................."She had a ticket for the races just like me she was a victim of the night".........

These are my 10 favourits DS songs (no particular order):

- Sultans of Swing (i like the Alchemy version more than the original one, they are both great though)

- Telegraph Road

- Industrial Disease (My god what a great song!!)

- Brothers In Arms (Mandela version)

- Private Investigation

- News (Rockpalast version)

- The Bug

- Romeo and juliet

- Money for Nothing

- So Far Away (the version they played on the last concert of the BIA tour un Sydney is absolutely amazing)

 

all the other 57 songs are just wonderful, but those are my 10 favourites

---

"...We Are The Sultans...Yeah...We Are The Sultans Of Swing..."

Hello theKnopfler78: Great list you have there of the top ten DS' songs.... "Sultans Of Swing" is definitely a song that everybody loves and is probably one of the most spectacular songs ever written....The way Mark plays the guitar, almost flawless and the way they had so much fun, is great.....But the song that did it for me was "Romeo And Juliet"...I listened to that song so much that for a long period of time I didn't even listened to other DS' songs...............Have a nice day and thanks for posting your top ten DS' songs.................."He sticks to his guns, he takes the road as it comes"...........

Hi, can anybody tell me what is the meaning or the history behind "Why Aye Man"...I am really curious to know where this song comes from and what inspired Mark to write it...It's one of my solo-work's favourites..Thanks................................................................"Lady writer on the TV, she had all the brains and the beauty"....