Random Top Ten

Random Top Ten!!!

Top Ten Mark Knopfler/Dire Straits songs

10. "Sailing to Philadelphia" (Mark Knopfler and James Taylor)
A historical ditty sung in character as Lewis and Clark.



9. "Private Investigations" (Dire Straits)
His most theatrical song, full of pomp and big dramatic flourishes. Starts off as a hushed, spokem detective story, to melancholy piano, and ends with a big crashing instrumental piece.

8. "The Scaffolder's Wife" (Mark Knopfler)
From the new album, a song with a simply wonderful lilting chorus.

7. "On Every Street" (Dire Straits)
Three repeated verses over a basic yet beguling piano-based chord progression yield to an guitar-led uptempo fade-out.



6. "This Is Us" (Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris)
A couple leafs through a picture album, reminiscing about their history together. Such a simple idea for a song that I don't think anyone's done before.



5. "The Fizzy and the Still" (Mark Knopfler)
Knopfler takes a very simple descending four-note figure here ("It's not for me") and somehow makes it the epitome of sad longing and aching melancholy. I have no idea how he does this.



4. "Tunnel of Love" (Dire Straits)
I simply love that this starts with the "Carousel Waltz" from Carousel. I nearly jumped with recognition when I finally heard that score.



3. "Romeo & Juliet" (Dire Straits)
As sweetly hopeful and wistful a love song as has been written.



2. "Sultans of Swing" (Dire Straits)
Odd that the band's first song would stand as its near-greatest, but thee it is/. one of my all-time favorite guitar solos.



1. "Brothers in Arms" (Dire Straits)
The one song that will sneak through and stand the test of time. Has anyone done a kick-ass cover of this yet? It;s crying out for one.


Until Whenever