A Mark In Time
Mark Knopfler Discussion => Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum => Topic started by: Klaus74 on January 06, 2023, 02:17:19 PM
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According to vgonis thread about the "Guitar George" and his story, what about "Ruediger".? :think
In 1996 Mark released a song called "Ruediger" on the Golden Heart album. It was also released in Europe as a CD-Single too.
Mark tells a story about a, possibly German man, called Ruediger, who is collecting autographs by different artists in an obsessive way. Is there anything more known about the character of Ruediger, or the main reason, why Mark tells a story about that person ? The one fact i know, is that Ruediger should be a real person from Germany, but i don´t have an exact proof for that fact.
Who know´s more. I think, but it is my personal opinion only, that Ruediger seems to be a very unusual song by Mark, the same thing with "Les Boys" from the Making Movies album. :think
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Mark wrote the lyrics of Rüdiger short after John Lennon was murderded and finished the song early nineties for his first solo record. I don't know if it is based on a real "fan" person or not.
In my opinion it's a great song and i was pleased that i heard it a couple times live
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I seem to remember a Berlin entry in one of Guy's diaries where he commented that Rudiger was there as usual in the airport or at the venue and it's possible there was even a picture of him, so yes Rudiger is definitely a real person.
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Here a small article about Rüdiger and some other songs
https://unmask.us/songwriters-k-m/mark-knopfler/
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I seem to remember a Berlin entry in one of Guy's diaries where he commented that Rudiger was there as usual in the airport or at the venue and it's possible there was even a picture of him, so yes Rudiger is definitely a real person.
Isn’t there some story of the band seeing Rudiger outside a venue during the StP tour, and Mark asks him what it’s like to be famous (after the song had been released on Golden Heart. Rudiger replied with “no it’s you who are famous.”
I may have made that up but I feel like it was in one of Guy’s early diaries.
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Here a small article about Rüdiger and some other songs
https://unmask.us/songwriters-k-m/mark-knopfler/
For me, this is a new story about Back To Tupelo. Thank you.
...But somebody is still going to have to explain to me what is good about fame.”
:)
ps. There used to be more quotes on knopfler.cjb.net. I have them printed :)
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I seem to remember a Berlin entry in one of Guy's diaries where he commented that Rudiger was there as usual in the airport or at the venue and it's possible there was even a picture of him, so yes Rudiger is definitely a real person.
Isn’t there some story of the band seeing Rudiger outside a venue during the StP tour, and Mark asks him what it’s like to be famous (after the song had been released on Golden Heart. Rudiger replied with “no it’s you who are famous.”
I may have made that up but I feel like it was in one of Guy’s early diaries.
I also seem to remember that story, or something along those lines. I also think Mark did a German accent when he quoted Rüdiger ;D I always loved when Mark did impressions. He's actually very good at it.
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I remember a picture of Rudiger in one of Guy's posts touring.
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I remember a picture of Rudiger in one of Guy's posts touring.
Me too with caption : "The real Rüdiger"
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I wonder if the musicians who called themselves Sultans of Swing have ever heard of themselves in Sultans of Swing.
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I wonder if the musicians who called themselves Sultans of Swing have ever heard of themselves in Sultans of Swing.
Never heard of that, but I remember Mark talking about some people claiming to be the mover from Money For Nothing.
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Never heard of that, but I remember Mark talking about some people claiming to be the mover from Money For Nothing.
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That is interesting! Do you have some deeper information?
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Never heard of that, but I remember Mark talking about some people claiming to be the mover from Money For Nothing.
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That is interesting! Do you have some deeper information?
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I read or heard it quite a while ago, but I have a pretty good memory. It was just a little remark, probably regarding the same question about the "Sultans Of Swing" band, and Mark said some people claimed to be the movers he overheard talking in New York City, inspiring him to write Money For Nothing, and that it's essentially a bunch of BS. It reminds me of how you can find more paintings in collections than artists actually drew. I mean surely there probably was a guy who inspired Money For Nothing, but the chance of him surfacing, remembering lines he said on his job 30-odd years ago, and approaching MK are basically 0.
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I mean surely there probably was a guy who inspired Money For Nothing, but the chance of him surfacing, remembering lines he said on his job 30-odd years ago, and approaching MK are basically 0.
:hmm
If the guy exist I am pretty sure that he heard MFN as early as 1985 and recognized himself the way he said things one or two years earlier then.
This is not a question of remembering a 30 old thing.
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Hi, thanks you all for your answers on the subject of "Ruediger". :thumbsup
It is very interesting to know, that Mark was inspired by an obsessive autograph-hunter to write a song about him. Maybe, it can be seen as a little "fame" for that autograph-guy called Ruediger, to be mentioned in a special song. Who know´s if Ruediger is still alive and living in Germany, today.?
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Hi, thanks you all for your answers on the subject of "Ruediger". :thumbsup
It is very interesting to know, that Mark was inspired by an obsessive autograph-hunter to write a song about him. Maybe, it can be seen as a little "fame" for that autograph-guy called Ruediger, to be mentioned in a special song. Who know´s if Ruediger is still alive and living in Germany, today.?
I think Guy mentioned on his forum something about him during the last tour more or less.
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Hi, thanks you all for your answers on the subject of "Ruediger". :thumbsup
It is very interesting to know, that Mark was inspired by an obsessive autograph-hunter to write a song about him. Maybe, it can be seen as a little "fame" for that autograph-guy called Ruediger, to be mentioned in a special song. Who know´s if Ruediger is still alive and living in Germany, today.?
I think Guy mentioned on his forum something about him during the last tour more or less.
Interesting observation, though it won't be a big "honour" for me if somebody would write a song about me, should I be an obsessive autograph-hunter. I think it's an ultimate "get a life" statement and if anything, I would avoid being somebody like Rüdiger. A good life lesson :lol
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Hi, maybe it depends on the character of a person, who is mentioned in the song. Maybe Ruediger felt pleased and accepted in any kind or form, by a well-known artist, like Mark Kopfler, but we all have our own thoughts and opinions in that case, only. Ruediger alone will know it, correctly. ;)
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Yeah, the song calls him strange and alone, not a big compliment.
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Yeah, the song calls him strange and alone, not a big compliment.
And thats the whole point really. The genius of that song turns the spotlight onto someone who is used to the reverse. I think it also links in to marks initial experiences of fame where he was used to being an observer and was suddenly drawn into the spotlight...
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Yes, but I think he remained an observer. Are you remember the coffee shop scene in A Life in Songs?
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Yes, but I think he remained an observer. Are you remember the coffee shop scene in A Life in Songs?
Yes he did, but I think he had to cast off ds to truly do it.
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Yes, but I think he remained an observer. Are you remember the coffee shop scene in A Life in Songs?
Yes he did, but I think he had to cast off ds to truly do it.
It's true.
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Of course, it's not a compliment in terms of the lyrics, but you could just view it as a song about someone collecting autographs and what they have to do to follow their dream. I could easily see someone actually being proud of being 'that guy'.
People misinterpret lyrics all the time (myself included), and reading this one as a tribute is less of a crime than, say, thinking of Born in the USA as some kind of tribute to the United States (when it's the exact opposite).
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Of course, it's not a compliment in terms of the lyrics, but you could just view it as a song about someone collecting autographs and what they have to do to follow their dream. I could easily see someone actually being proud of being 'that guy'.
People misinterpret lyrics all the time (myself included), and reading this one as a tribute is less of a crime than, say, thinking of Born in the USA as some kind of tribute to the United States (when it's the exact opposite).
Really the beauty of lyrics I’d say… each person can have their own interpretation.
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Of course, it's not a compliment in terms of the lyrics, but you could just view it as a song about someone collecting autographs and what they have to do to follow their dream. I could easily see someone actually being proud of being 'that guy'.
People misinterpret lyrics all the time (myself included), and reading this one as a tribute is less of a crime than, say, thinking of Born in the USA as some kind of tribute to the United States (when it's the exact opposite).
Really the beauty of lyrics I’d say… each person can have their own interpretation.
Indeed. And often we're just guessing. Like, who knows how many lines that people think have something to do with DS cover bands... :) You'd think MK is obsessed with the idea that some former bandmates play their songs for the public.
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Surely a compliment if a huge star writes a song about you :)
https://youtu.be/kg7cCvojz2k