What's The Matter Baby

[herlock]

"In my opinion, David's best songs are better than Mark's mediocre songs (especially lyrically)

Any examples?

I wouldn't call any MK song as mediocre, but I agree that David's best songs would fit perfectly with MK songs, some in musical terms, some in lyrics and some in both.

I would call Song for Sony Liston, Wherever I go, All that matters, among others, quite mediocre. But not My Bacon Roll...

One man’s trash……
I would never call Sonny mediocre. If STP has been described as a history lesson set to music, SFSL could surely be decided as a biography set to music. I do get that it’s probably a bit tireseome when it shows up so often on tour and I think I would have been annoyed if it replaced Sultans on the night I saw them in 2013. But I think it’s a good song.
Mediocre for me: Got to have Something, The Car was the One.

SFSL is certaninly worhwile lyrically, but I just can't stand the repetitive "melody"...
In 2023 it did not replace Sultans. Gator Blood did. Another song that gets on my nerves...

[hunter]

SFSL, a very long song with a repetitive melody and small dynamic range which is basically a musical descriptive summary of Sonny Liston's biography. What's not to like?    Mark has indeed released a number of songs "just because he can".

[Rolo]

It's easy to say it now, but let's imagine DK first solo album in a Folkish Style like Dylan, or on a early DS style with less guitar approach.

David Knopfler - Release
- Whats The Matter Baby
- Bernardette
- Southside Tenements
- Madonna's Daughter
- Little Brother
- Soul Kissing
- Come To Me
- Sacred Lovin

Well, i agree that DK is not the best vocalist in the world, but with this songs, thisimagintive album would be great. 

[hunter]

It's easy to say it now, but let's imagine DK first solo album in a Folkish Style like Dylan, or on a early DS style with less guitar approach.

David Knopfler - Release
- Whats The Matter Baby
- Bernardette
- Southside Tenements
- Madonna's Daughter
- Little Brother
- Soul Kissing
- Come To Me
- Sacred Lovin

Well, i agree that DK is not the best vocalist in the world, but with this songs, thisimagintive album would be great.

I've listened to David's 80s albums today, and unfortunately the production has not held up and sounds very dated today. I like many of the songs, though, but it takes some effort to look past his voice and the production. Fast forward to Small Mercies - now that's a different story. Very solid album, and the voice is much better.

[Rolo]

I think that, DK was mature enough to leave the band.
First, because, in my opinion, he is a "romantic" musician, it means that he had a vision for his career that as apart from MKs vision. So, when Mark came up with a new direction for DS, David's position became weaker than ever.

He saw that his songs will never would be on any DS album or single and his position as a 'rythm guitar player' will be the opposite from his vision as a musician perse.
As a guitar player, DK is not a session/side man. Was not his intent to play guitar as Hal, Jack or Phil.

As Mark, David is an artitist and both has singularities about their artforms. Mark is a genius in his own way, a very smart guy with a very comercial tinus. Mark chance the band directions many times because he knew that if the band had stucked on the style from 77 to 79, they wiould be forgotten.

The problem, in my opinion was that DK, after he left the band,  choose another path for his musical solo jorney. I think that he was persuaded to made those strange metal oriented songs and he tooked it to keep a safe distance to his big brother band.

I think that, if DK would followed a path like Tom Fogerty has after his breakup with CCR, is possible that DK had more positive critics about his work. So, in my opinion, DK story could be better.

Proof of that was that, when David releases The Giver, his career, at least from my point of view, starts to be treated with respect.

DK is not a genius as his brother but he is not bad songwriter either. He have good songs and some of them could be part of any Straits record.

Again, if David would choose a folkish style from the beggining of his solo career, his story could be better.

As Hal Lindes said when he was questioned about filling DK shoes as a guitar player from DS: - David shoes are big shoes.

My thoughts about DK solo career.

I've listened to David's 80s albums today, and unfortunately the production has not held up and sounds very dated today. I like many of the songs, though, but it takes some effort to look past his voice and the production. Fast forward to Small Mercies - now that's a different story. Very solid album, and the voice is much better.

I cannot listen DK's 80s albums.
Very cheesy and dated.
Small Mercies is good.
In my opinion, Ship Of Dreams is his best one.

[Jules]

Most of those "mediocre" songs are some of my favourite...

[quizzaciously]

Most of those "mediocre" songs are some of my favourite...

Yeah, you never know what song will resonate with people. It may be obscured, strange, too simple or ridiculous, but it may come at exactly the right place and exactly the right time for somebody. I lost count of times when all sorts of simple and "mediocre" songs saved my life. And renowned masterpieces? Well, these songs changed the lives of millions. That's the beauty of songs.

[herlock]

Most of those "mediocre" songs are some of my favourite...

Yeah, you never know what song will resonate with people. It may be obscured, strange, too simple or ridiculous, but it may come at exactly the right place and exactly the right time for somebody. I lost count of times when all sorts of simple and "mediocre" songs saved my life. And renowned masterpieces? Well, these songs changed the lives of millions. That's the beauty of songs.

Some of Mark's songs are considered minor by many, but I keep listening to them:
- Rudiger
- Are we in trouble now
- A place we used to live
- Long cool girl
- Lights of Taormina
- When you leave

[MagicElliott]

"In my opinion, David's best songs are better than Mark's mediocre songs (especially lyrically)

Any examples?

I wouldn't call any MK song as mediocre, but I agree that David's best songs would fit perfectly with MK songs, some in musical terms, some in lyrics and some in both.

I would call Song for Sony Liston, Wherever I go, All that matters, among others, quite mediocre. But not My Bacon Roll...

One man’s trash……
I would never call Sonny mediocre. If STP has been described as a history lesson set to music, SFSL could surely be decided as a biography set to music. I do get that it’s probably a bit tireseome when it shows up so often on tour and I think I would have been annoyed if it replaced Sultans on the night I saw them in 2013. But I think it’s a good song.
Mediocre for me: Got to have Something, The Car was the One.

SFSL is certaninly worhwile lyrically, but I just can't stand the repetitive "melody"...
In 2023 it did not replace Sultans. Gator Blood did. Another song that gets on my nerves...

Turns out we’re both right!
Sometimes it was Sonny, sometimes Gator Blood.
https://www.amarkintime.org/forum/index.php?topic=3390.0

[dmg]

SFSL, a very long song with a repetitive melody and small dynamic range which is basically a musical descriptive summary of Sonny Liston's biography. What's not to like?    Mark has indeed released a number of songs "just because he can".

Brilliant.  And 100% accurate.   

[Robson]

Most of those "mediocre" songs are some of my favourite...

Yeah, you never know what song will resonate with people. It may be obscured, strange, too simple or ridiculous, but it may come at exactly the right place and exactly the right time for somebody. I lost count of times when all sorts of simple and "mediocre" songs saved my life. And renowned masterpieces? Well, these songs changed the lives of millions. That's the beauty of songs.

Beautiful words. I feel the same.

[quizzaciously]

SFSL, a very long song with a repetitive melody and small dynamic range which is basically a musical descriptive summary of Sonny Liston's biography. What's not to like?    Mark has indeed released a number of songs "just because he can".

Brilliant.  And 100% accurate.   

Sonny is a rare example of a musician's song in Marks's repertoire. If you're a guitar player, a drummer, a bass player or love these instruments and a blues aficionado, you will love it, for anyone else however... Yeah, I can imagine the struggle of falling in love with this song. Bob Dylan called it his favourite MK song tho.

[2manyguitars]

My problem with David's solo work is that to my ears in terms of chords, melody, harmony, its starting to sound like he's rewriting the same song over and over. Don't get me wrong, loved much of his work from the giver onwards, its just sounding all the same, which would be fine if you hadn't listened to anything previous. I don't yet get the same thing with Mark. There's been some self referencing and the occasional pinch from older work but he somehow manages to steer clear of such pitfalls. His character driven songs are transcendent, they exist in their own little universes, their own sonic space if you will.....

[hunter]

My problem with David's solo work is that to my ears in terms of chords, melody, harmony, its starting to sound like he's rewriting the same song over and over. Don't get me wrong, loved much of his work from the giver onwards, its just sounding all the same, which would be fine if you hadn't listened to anything previous. I don't yet get the same thing with Mark. There's been some self referencing and the occasional pinch from older work but he somehow manages to steer clear of such pitfalls. His character driven songs are transcendent, they exist in their own little universes, their own sonic space if you will.....

Don't get me wrong, I definitely think Mark is the more musically gifted of the two and has produced more varied and memorable music than David. Plus he has the asset of being extraordinarily gifted on the guitar. But as I was listening to a number of David's albums yesterday, I was surprised to discover the breadth and quality of much of David's music. I especially liked Small Mercies, Wishbones and Ship of Dreams. I didn't listen to his most recent releases (from 2019 onwards), but I seem to remember finding them very boring when listening to them when they came out. And they sounded very home made and low budget. I should revisit them as well. Anyway, I still stand by my earlier proposition, that David's best songs are better than Mark's "less good" ones, and hadn't Mark been on such an ego trip in the early years, David's songs could very well have worked in Dire Straits.

[Jules]

I agree that David best songs, also John's could had fit in DS records. Maybe if the cd would had appeared some years before with capacity of more that one hour of music, some of theirs could had find a place and with the arrangement abilities of Mark and the band, the songs would had sound very Straits for sure.