Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email


News: - Make sure you know the Forum Rules and Guidelines

Also check out these related sites:

Author Topic: Song Meanings?  (Read 14204 times)

OfflineFletch

  • Romeo
  • *****
  • Posts: 1121
  • Location: Australia
  • Registered: February 2009
Song Meanings?
« on: July 26, 2009, 01:54:09 PM »
Just wondering if possible song meanings has been discussed here? I`m very curious to what folks may think or have assumed....

Is "My Claim To Fame" auto biographical?

Is "Don`t You Get It" a message to fans like me who long for the old DS styles and MK grooves?

And "Let See You".... is this a possible reaction to his brother, David? Or am i completely wrong on that one?

Any other interesting songs and their meanings? For instance it took me ages to realise Boom Like That was about McDonalds etc? I think i`d heard it a dozen times, looked up the lyrics, then searched Kroc on wiki!!!!
Hey, i`ve got a truffle dog - finally a song the ordinary man can relate too!

Offlineshangri la 1

  • Founder
  • Juliet
  • ******
  • Hi all and welcome to A.M.I.T.
  • Posts: 2226
  • Location: Australia
  • Registered: August 2008
    • AMIT TV
Re: Song Meanings?
« Reply #1 on: July 27, 2009, 01:03:55 AM »
 ;) Hi Fletch
The GH press kit had an interview with Mark regarding the meanings of songs on that album, and the guys from Mark Knopfler INFO have it here: http://www.mark-knopfler.info/article_1996osfgh.htm

I think MCF and LSY are both quite personal songs from Mark's past.

My slant on MCF is that it is a bit in the same vein as Mark

OfflineFletch

  • Romeo
  • *****
  • Posts: 1121
  • Location: Australia
  • Registered: February 2009
Re: Song Meanings?
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2009, 09:32:48 AM »
Thanks, i had no idea all that info was available!

Agreed about the subtle lyrics, they could go many ways and have a meaning to the listener. In a sense i`m sad to see these `official` explanations. I was hoping to hear all sorts of different views from the fans.
Hey, i`ve got a truffle dog - finally a song the ordinary man can relate too!

Offlinedustyvalentino

  • Not Quite The Movie Star
  • Founder
  • THE Sultan of Swing
  • *********
  • Posts: 6472
  • Location: Donkeytown
  • Registered: August 2008
Re: Song Meanings?
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2009, 11:05:25 AM »
OK, just my opinion, but as you should know by now, I'm usually right.  ;)

My Claim To Fame: Seems fairly clear that this is NOT autobiographical. It's clearly written from the point of view of someone who used to build ships on the shipyards on Tyneside. I still think it might have been included on the Golden Heart album if Jimmy Nail hadn't written a (frankly better) song about pretty much the same subject matter.

Don't You Get It: I don't see this as being about the fans at all. Seems to me to be a fairly throwaway song that doesn't really mean much, probably inspired by seeing too many adverts on TV or something.

Let's See You: I don't know about this one. It could well be about Ed Bicknell, but could also be about DK. Or possibly about somebody else entirely. Very interesting track though - surely the most "un-MK" track MK's ever recorded? That opening riff doesn't sound like MK at all, Richard Bennett playing? Over all it has a 60s-ish, Beatles/Kinks feel. I like it, but it really doesn't sound anything like anything else MK's done ever.
"You can't polish a doo-doo" - Mark Knopfler

Love Expresso

  • Guest
Re: Song Meanings?
« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2009, 08:32:47 PM »
Hi, Dusty,

I actually thought all those years that it

Offlinedustyvalentino

  • Not Quite The Movie Star
  • Founder
  • THE Sultan of Swing
  • *********
  • Posts: 6472
  • Location: Donkeytown
  • Registered: August 2008
Re: Song Meanings?
« Reply #5 on: July 28, 2009, 09:11:01 PM »
No, his dad didn't work on the ships as far as I'm aware.

The way I see it, putting that stuff about the "rock star" in is just his way of letting people know that he knows that people in Tyneside look up to people like him (or Sting/Bryan Ferry/Jimmy Nail etc etc), and he appreciates that and knows that he was very lucky to have that opportunity that they didn't have.

As for Everybody Pays I also think it's about David. The line about writing teh oldest story in the book, well David wrote a book about the music industry of course.
"You can't polish a doo-doo" - Mark Knopfler

Offlineustas

  • Lady writer
  • ****
  • Posts: 640
  • Registered: May 2009
Re: Song Meanings?
« Reply #6 on: August 11, 2009, 04:43:42 PM »
;) Hi Fletch
The GH press kit had an interview with Mark regarding the meanings of songs on that album, and the guys from Mark Knopfler INFO have it here: http://www.mark-knopfler.info/article_1996osfgh.htm

the article is updated and address is changed: http://www.mark-knopfler.info/p1996.htm

OfflineIrisRose

  • Not just another angel
  • Founder
  • Romeo
  • *****
  • Posts: 1377
  • Location: beautiful northeastern California USA
  • Registered: August 2008
Re: Song Meanings?
« Reply #7 on: August 11, 2009, 08:38:30 PM »
Somewhere I heard that "Coyote" was written to entertain his daughter.    :)
But a spoonful of forgiveness
Goes a long, long way
And we all should do our best
To get along

Offlineshangri la 1

  • Founder
  • Juliet
  • ******
  • Hi all and welcome to A.M.I.T.
  • Posts: 2226
  • Location: Australia
  • Registered: August 2008
    • AMIT TV
Re: Song Meanings?
« Reply #8 on: August 12, 2009, 03:47:00 AM »
 :) Yes Marie. She was a fan of the "Road-runner" cartoons and Coyote was dedicated to Wile E. Coyote from that series of Cartoons.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wile_E._Coyote_and_Road_Runner  :)

OfflineIrisRose

  • Not just another angel
  • Founder
  • Romeo
  • *****
  • Posts: 1377
  • Location: beautiful northeastern California USA
  • Registered: August 2008
Re: Song Meanings?
« Reply #9 on: August 12, 2009, 05:38:23 AM »
I sort of always cheered on Wiley Coyote.   Road Runner was too arrogant.  :D
But a spoonful of forgiveness
Goes a long, long way
And we all should do our best
To get along

OfflineFletch

  • Romeo
  • *****
  • Posts: 1121
  • Location: Australia
  • Registered: February 2009
Re: Song Meanings?
« Reply #10 on: August 12, 2009, 08:25:44 AM »
Any other songs with your own ideas/interpretations?

I haven`t studied the lyrics, but what i catch from Tall Order Baby seems to be a tale of quickie sex? ::) Forgive me if i`m way out of line here, or just plain wrong.

I reckon Lets See You is a sure thing nod in Davids direction. I`d love to know more about the brotherly feud here. Could it be a resentment at not being allowed to contribute to Dire Straits? After watching the following guitar magazine video interview, its hard to listen to David saying he didn`t like Sultans or that songwriting is a second language for him. He must surely kick himself for quitting the band and not enjoying the later world conquering success? On the other hand it must have been frustrating having little input on the records, especially after co-writing great stuff like Whats The Matter With You Baby?
I listened to Single Handed Sailor today and even quietly in the background, the rhythm style is obviously Marks. Poor Dave!

http://www.guitarheroes.com.au/ag_0108/cd_0108.htm
Hey, i`ve got a truffle dog - finally a song the ordinary man can relate too!

OfflineStanko

  • Camerado
  • ***
  • From Split, Croatia
  • Posts: 442
  • Location: Adriatic sea
  • Registered: January 2015
Re: Song Meanings?
« Reply #11 on: June 16, 2017, 10:02:20 PM »
No, his dad didn't work on the ships as far as I'm aware.

The way I see it, putting that stuff about the "rock star" in is just his way of letting people know that he knows that people in Tyneside look up to people like him (or Sting/Bryan Ferry/Jimmy Nail etc etc), and he appreciates that and knows that he was very lucky to have that opportunity that they didn't have.
If I may just to make a note here that I'm totally with your comment dusty.
three cracked vertebrae mighty man

OfflineJF

  • Rüdiger
  • *******
  • Site : Textes, Blog & Rock'N'Roll
  • Posts: 3584
  • Location: France
  • Registered: August 2011
    • Blog about music
Re: Song Meanings?
« Reply #12 on: June 17, 2017, 05:44:14 PM »

I listened to Single Handed Sailor today and even quietly in the background, the rhythm style is obviously Marks. Poor Dave!

http://www.guitarheroes.com.au/ag_0108/cd_0108.htm

to be accurate, there are 4 guitars on SHS :

- lead guitar (center) : obviously by Mark (that Dimarzio FS1 in neck position)
- rhythm guitar (left) : typical Mak fingerstyle
- rhythm guitar (right), accents on the snare : David
- rhtyhm guitar (right)  : it could be Mark or David. Ingo votes for David

all is here:  ;)
http://www.mk-guitar.com/gear-on-all-songs-for-all-albums-wiki/gear-on-album-communique/

OfflineShai

  • Camerado
  • ***
  • Posts: 149
  • Registered: August 2008
Re: Song Meanings?
« Reply #13 on: June 18, 2017, 05:03:56 PM »
I remember learning way back that that Lets See You was about Ed Bicknell.

   Saul

 

© 2024 amarkintime.org
This is an unofficial website dedicated to Mark Knopfler developed and maintained by fans.
Top banner design by Dutchessy.
This theme is based on the SMF theme Carbonate by Bloc.
SMF 2.0.15 | SMF © 2017, Simple Machines
Simple Audio Video Embedder
Simple Audio Video Embedder
Page created in 0.039 seconds with 39 queries.