Recent Posts

51

Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum / Re: Mark and the Nylon Strings

« Last post by Brunno Nunes on August 29, 2025, 09:19:04 PM »

https://youtu.be/a06JFXVMoec?si=iNXMZbQu7PA-Z2Hc

Listening to it from this isolated perspective, it's one of the most delicate and elegant sounds I've ever heard. For me, it's a true work of art. This nylon sound was a tremendous turning point in Mark Knopfler's guitar hero image; once again, he surprised his fans.

Two things to say:

1. It would have been wonderful and incredible if Mark had played this song live with this extended ending on a tour with DS or solo.

2. I wish there were more songs with Mark playing nylon; he achieves memorable sounds and reveals a hidden depth of his technique.

52

Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum / Re: Once Upon A Time In The West lyrics

« Last post by Ingrained on August 29, 2025, 05:20:54 PM »

Don't forget Mark also wrote a song about the 'Wild West End'.

Exactly, he used word play sometimes and it gave another meaning to a word.

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Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum / Re: Once Upon A Time In The West lyrics

« Last post by Chris W on August 29, 2025, 04:55:23 PM »

Don't forget Mark also wrote a song about the 'Wild West End'.

54

Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum / Re: Mark and the Nylon Strings

« Last post by Robson on August 29, 2025, 11:55:35 AM »

"Of course nobody would had listened to it if it wasn't by the DS connection...

Why not? To know something, you have to listen:)

Because nobody would had paid attention to an unknown bassist called John Illsley, and being a good record, it wouldn' be a success on radios or tv by itself.

I'm not talking about success, but about the desire to listen to different kinds of music. And the need to explore it. Of course, I'm talking about myself:)

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Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum / Re: Once Upon A Time In The West lyrics

« Last post by Stanko on August 29, 2025, 11:54:03 AM »

Although Mark was using “The West”, just as the film title does. It’s fair to say it was shorthand for “The Wild West” in the films case.

The phrase “It’s like the Wild West around here”, or describing somewhere as like the “Wild West” is fairly commonly in England, I’m not sure about other countries. It’s used to describe a situation that has turned lawless, a breakdown of authority, very chaotic or unruly, just as the real Wild West of America was lawless before rules and laws were put into place. When used as a phrase in that way, it’s not suggesting that a place actually resembles The Wild West, with horses, saloons and cowboys. It’s used to describe the “nature of a situation”. It’s more like using the phrase as a sort of adjective to describe something, rather than a noun denoting the actual place and period of time.

So I think he was just having fun playing around with the usage, or nature, of the word or phrase. It’s a kind of wordplay. Like he’s using the meaning of the full phrase of somewhere that resembles “The Wild West” to describe lawless situations for the basis of the main lyrics, but then using the shortened film title as the final line each time. It seems to me that's what he’s connected up.

I’m not suggesting the phrase actually is an adjective obviously, just that he’s playfully using it in that way, just as the phrase can be used to describe a situation or the state of a place. Maybe it appealed to the English teacher side of him.

It seems to me thats why the lyrics initially appear as non descript or unconnected, because it doesn’t appear to have one person, place or thing (noun) in common. Rather the lyrics all do a good job of describing lawless situations, just as the phrase of somewhere resembling “The Wild West” does.

Maybe he’s just describing unconnected lawless situations, not an actual place.

Yes, a decay taking its way

56

Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum / Re: Once Upon A Time In The West lyrics

« Last post by Ingrained on August 29, 2025, 11:43:51 AM »

Although Mark was using “The West”, just as the film title does. It’s fair to say it was shorthand for “The Wild West” in the films case.

The phrase “It’s like the Wild West around here”, or describing somewhere as like the “Wild West” is fairly common in England, I’m not sure about other countries. It’s used to describe a situation that has turned lawless, a breakdown of authority, very chaotic or unruly, just as the real Wild West of America was lawless before rules and laws were put into place. When used as a phrase in that way, it’s not suggesting that a place actually resembles The Wild West, with horses, saloons and cowboys. It’s used to describe the “nature of a situation”. It’s more like using the phrase as a sort of adjective to describe something, rather than a noun denoting the actual place and period of time.

So I think he was just having fun playing around with the usage, or nature, of the word or phrase. It’s a kind of wordplay. Like he’s using the meaning of the full phrase of somewhere that resembles “The Wild West” to describe lawless situations for the basis of the main lyrics, but then using the shortened film title as the final line each time. It seems to me that's what he’s connected up.

I’m not suggesting the phrase actually is an adjective obviously, just that he’s playfully using it in that way, just as the phrase can be used to describe a situation or the state of a place. Maybe it appealed to the English teacher side of him.

It seems to me thats why the lyrics initially appear as non descript or unconnected, because it doesn’t appear to have one person, place or thing (noun) in common. Rather the lyrics all do a good job of describing lawless situations, just as the phrase of somewhere resembling “The Wild West” does.

Maybe he’s just describing unconnected lawless situations, not an actual place.

57

Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum / Re: Mark and the Nylon Strings

« Last post by wayaman on August 29, 2025, 11:34:42 AM »

"Of course nobody would had listened to it if it wasn't by the DS connection...

Why not? To know something, you have to listen:)

Because nobody would had paid attention to an unknown bassist called John Illsley, and being a good record, it wouldn' be a success on radios or tv by itself.

58

Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum / Re: Once Upon A Time In The West lyrics

« Last post by dustyvalentino on August 29, 2025, 11:32:31 AM »

The stuff about driving on the grass makes no sense if it’s about the west end of London.

Btw , ithe news lyrics have "burning the grass" I always understood it as drug use?

LE

I guess so, high on weed and alcohol and goes out on his motorbike, dies.

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Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum / Re: Mark and the Nylon Strings

« Last post by Robson on August 29, 2025, 10:48:25 AM »

"Of course nobody would had listened to it if it wasn't by the DS connection...

Why not? To know something, you have to listen:)

60

Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum / Re: Once Upon A Time In The West lyrics

« Last post by Love Expresso on August 29, 2025, 10:47:34 AM »

The stuff about driving on the grass makes no sense if it’s about the west end of London.

Btw , ithe news lyrics have "burning the grass" I always understood it as drug use?

LE