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Everything changes in a blink of an eye so let the good times roll before we say goodbye.” Songwriting Par Excellence “The Bug” is a high tempo rocker where Knopfler and Vince Gill (guitar, backing vocals) combine to elevate the song to a high while Knopfler sings about the uncertainty of life “Sometimes you are the windshield, Sometimes you are the bug…, Sometimes it all comes together baby, Sometimes you’re going to lose it all. In the past, I remember hearing it as a love song – of course, “It’s your face I am looking for on every street” – right? But now after all these years of listening, it appears that Knopfler has composed a ballad of three segments – starts with a Lover/Parent searching for their beloved “There’s gotta be a record of you someplace,” then a Casanova or Playboy character talks about their conquest “She threw herself under my wheels” and lastly the Lover/Parent expressing their frustration “And you still refused to be traced.” A beautiful composition indeed. The title song “On Every Street” starts with Knopfler singing to spare, soft music from guitar, sax, and piano, before leading the band into a pulsating medley at the end. Knopfler creates a tribute to Elvis Presley out of a personal anecdote where a friend remarks that trying to reach him is like literally calling Elvis and he also very cleverly plays on Elvis’s song names in his lyrics like “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Return to Sender.” The last 3 minutes of the song are pure music heaven, as though the guitar (Knopfler) and drums (Jeff Porcaro) have merged into one. “Calling Elvis” sets the album rolling and it is a rollicking start. Despite Changes, This Was Still Dire Straits Guest musicians Vince Gill, Chris White, Jeff Porcaro, and Manu Katche supported them. On Every Street was released in September 1991 and Dire Straits personnel now included Knopfler, Guy Fletcher, John Illsey, and Alan Clark.
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Over the years I have heard folks say that On Every Street was the work of a band beyond its prime and that the album was a let-down. The guitar, the saxophone, the poetry, just wow. I loved the entire album… Even today after 30 years, listening to the songs “Calling Elvis,” “Planet of New Orleans” – it seems like meeting old friends.
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I still remember seeing the On Every Street music cassette at a music shop in 1991 and rushing to buy it. While I waited for a new Dire Straits album for over 6 years, I had explored their back catalogue. Knopfler also formed another band called The Notting Hillbillies and released an album in 1990. Mark Knopfler was now focused on solo work and film soundtracks, and so were his other band mates like John Illsey. In the late 1980’s fans like me in India, didn’t have any idea that by end of the world tour, Dire Straits had broken up. The first time I heard “So Far Away from Me,” I was in love with Knopfler’s distinctive voice and sweetest guitar sound ever.īrothers in Arms was a humongous success and it spawned a multi-year world tour. At the outset, I will declare that I am a Mark Knopfler fan.