Sunday, July 19, 2009

Dire Straits- My favorite music group


When I was in med school in the mid 1980s, a friend of mine gave me a cassette (adri sha5bari cassette but we didn't have CD players in the car at that time) of a new album for a British band called Dire Straits.

The album titled " Brothers in Arms ".

She asked me to listen to it cause she felt it was amazing. i never heard of them.
At that time everybody was singing, dancing, moonwalking and thrilling like Michael Jackson.
I played the cassette in the car and started listening.. my first impression was what in the hell was that horrible voice. If this guy can sing so can I :p

I ejected the tape and waited for the next day (we didn't have mobile phones at that time.. i know this is a prehistoric story for some of u) to tell her: what was that tape u gave me ? I couldn't listen to it.

She said don't u like it ?Its one of the best albums of the year. Great music. She asked me to read the lyrics while listening to the songs.

I neglected it for a while. Then one day I took the tape out of its box. It was an original tape with a leaflet inside its box on which the lyrics were written ( we couldn't google for lyrics at that time cause we didn't have internet )

I started reading the lyrics and waw. They were amazing. There wasn't much romance or love songs. But songs that talk about human nature and ideas about our world. Simple words composed in a way that give great meanings. Here is an example:


"There's so many different worlds
So many different suns
And we have just one world
But we live in different ones" - Brothers in Arms


"They say it's mostly vanity
That writes the plays we act
They tell me that's what everybody knows
There's no such thing as sanity
And that's the sanest fact
That's the way the story goes" - One World


"I'm a soldier of fortune,
I'm a dog of war
And we don't give a damn who the killing is for
Its the same old story with a different name
Death or glory, its the killing game" - Ride Across the River

The other thing I noticed is the emphasis and importance they give in their songs to music. I felt singing was just an extra thing. Their main aim was to play great music for us. And they did. You will find 7 min songs that has only 2 min of singing and the rest is instrumental.
And so I fell in love with this group since then. Their music grow into you, yet I don't listen to it all the time cause it needs a certain mood.
I just need to mention that the person behind all of what I just said is Mark Knopfler, the founder of the band, the vocalist, lead guitarist and the lyricist. What a talented artist.
He is one of the most respected finger style guitarist in modern era and was ranked #27 in Rolling Stone Magazine's list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of all time.
Actually I never liked electric guitar until i heard Mark Knopfler plays it.
I hope you all enjoy listening to Dire Straits and their music.
My top recommendations:
- Sultan of Swings
-Your Latest Trick
-Brothers in Arms
-Fade to Black
-On Every Street
-Planet of New Orleans
-Iron Hand
- Calling Elvis
and many others. You will notice that each song has its own style.
Now its time for me to shut up and leave you to listen to some music ( I recommend dim lights and some candles :D )



and here is the best of the best




12 comments:

  1. كلمات الأغاني جميله ..والموسيقى أيضا جميله لكن مثل ما تقول محتاجه مود معين وما تقدر تسمعها في أي وقت..أيام الثمانينات يا حلوها من أيام ..تلفون بو قرص .ومسجل كل زر فيه تقول صخره صغيره..وأحلا شيء تلفون إنطلق
    واحد مع الأريل يعني كشخه
    شكرا لتعريفي بهذه الفرقه

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  2. حياج الله اختي
    وان شالله تعجبج اغانيهم
    بالنسبه للثمانينات كانت ايام حلوه
    ما كنا محاصرين بالتكنولوجيا و الاجهزه في كل مكان

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  3. My personal favourite is Brothers in Arms!! The guys sound is so deep and its just an amazing song. Perfect for a dim light listening!!!

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  4. couldn't agree more.. its a beautiful song. their ultimate best.
    but the guitar in private investigation is sooo incredible.
    thx for the comment Mr. Bond

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  5. I really feel that the songs of those era had a soul within them, which is very much lacking in the current songs that are getting popular! Probably its something to do with the generation...

    John Denver! Kenny Rogers! Carpenters! Bruce Springstein ! Eric Clapton all these guys are just a class apart!

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  6. again i agree with u .
    i think those people are from the last generation who made music to listen to and not to watch.
    nowadays its all about watching a video clip or jumping in a club or in the car. not much attention is paid to the art of music itself.

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  7. True!
    I just gave my cousin(boy,13year old) a collection of MJ! He was like not interested initially and after the first listen, he is like crazy about the songs! He tells me its amazing to know that MJ had these songs some 10-15years back....! The lyrics,the beats and the whole concept of a song in those days were beyond comprehension.

    I miss the good old days! Now, when i turn on the FM all i hear is JABbbbber jabber....! can't really make out whats blaring ...

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  8. i advice anyone who is interested to listen to them to read the lyrics along with the songs for the first time. then for the second time just enjoy the music.
    songs with best lyrics are brothers in arms, industrial disease, iron hand and telegraph road.

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  9. Brings back good old memories Bu Ali. Not much about the music! it is more about you as a lifelong friend.
    Thanks.
    Bader

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  10. Thx Bu Mohammad.
    You are considered more like a brother to me than my own half brother.

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  11. My kind of music when I'm working or inventing new stuff ;)

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  12. My Favorite Best
    Khalifa Bin
    Sultanate Of Oman

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