FEATURE:
Walk of Life
Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms at Forty
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LOOKING ahead…
IN THIS PHOTO: Dire Straits performing with Sting at Live Aid in 1985/PHOTO CREDIT: Shutterstock
to 17th May, that is when Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms turns forty. Their most acclaimed album, I wanted to spend some time with it ahead of its anniversary. A chance to go inside an album whose huge hits, including Money for Nothing and Walk of Life, mark it out as one of the best albums of the 1980s. A huge commercial success that went to number one around the world (including their native U.K. and in the U.S.), there is no denying the legacy and importance of Brothers in Arms. The fifth studio album from the band, it was the first album in history sell over a million copies on C.D. A truly massive chart success, Brothers in Arms also was the first album evert to be certified ten-time platinum in the U.K. It also won the Best British Album prize at the 1987 BRIT Awards. I am going to get to some reviews soon enough. I want to start out with this feature from 2024. They celebrate the fact that Brothers in Arms was an album that connected with millions of people. Dire Straits could not have foreseen how successful their fifth studio album would become:
“No one, not even Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits themselves, could have anticipated what happened when they released their new album on May 13, 1985. It went on to top the US chart for nine weeks, became a global No.1, a double Grammy-winner and has sold an estimated 30 million copies worldwide. After the preview of the single “So Far Away,” May 25 was the date that year that Brothers In Arms made its debut on the UK listings.
In America, the album also gave Dire Straits a residency on pop radio and on MTV, as “Money For Nothing” hit No.1 on the Hot 100. Brothers also became the first million-selling compact disc, and generated a tour that ran to a total of 248 gigs in 117 cities. In the week that it entered the US chart at No.54, it fell to No.3 after its first two weeks at No.1 in the UK (there would be 12 more, later) but continued at the summit in Australia.
Now happy to be touring in a more manageable way in his own name and with his current, stellar band, Knopfler has come to realise that the enormous scale of that mid-1980s tour couldn’t be sustained. “I always want to go everywhere but you can’t, you have to cut it down a bit,” he said some years ago.
“We used to do all these enormous tours but I think I was sort of running away, and you can’t really run away,” he went on. “These tours end and you have to come back, But now I don’t want to run away, I just want to do a reasonable length of tour and then come home again”.
I want to go back to 2015 and Ultimate Classic Rock’s thirtieth anniversary feature around Brothers in Arms. They note how the band’s fourth studio album, Love Over Gold, subverted critical expectations. Brothers in Arms shattered them altogether. An album that is still being talked about and played widely to this day:
“But before it topped charts, sold millions and won Grammys, Brothers in Arms had a fairly humble birth. After working the songs out with the band in rehearsal, Dire Straits leader Mark Knopfler took the group and co-producer Neil Dorfsman out to AIR Studios on the Caribbean island of Montserrat — a setting that proved idyllic in some ways and frustrating in others.
"It was pretty torturous," Dorfsman told Sound on Sound. "It was a good-sounding studio, but the main room itself was nothing to write home about. ... Still, we crowded everybody in there, recording with at least three or four guys on every tune, while I built little rooms out of gobos and baffles and blankets."
What saved the tracks — and helped make Brothers in Arms a benchmark recording for the early years of the nascent digital era — was the studio's Neve console, which combined with the overall Montserrat vibe to produce a purity of sound as well as intent. "It was a great place to hang out and it was very relaxed, so you could focus on what you were doing," explained Dorfsman. "And the board was so good that anything you put through it just sounded great."
One notable exception to that rule proved to be drummer Terry Williams' playing, which Dorfsman immediately found lacking — an opinion that, as the weeks dragged on, Knopfler came to share. Although Williams wasn't fired from the band, he was eventually dismissed from the sessions and replaced by Omar Hakim, then a member of Sting's Blue Turtles band.
While he acknowledged that he could have handled the situation more delicately, Dorfsman stood by the results, which he recalled making an immediate difference as soon as Hakim knocked out his first drum track — the start of a quick two days of work that ended with him replacing all of Williams' performances except his crescendos during the "Money for Nothing" intro.
"Omar is very, very confident as a musician and as a person, and what he brought to it was exactly what it needed, which was kind of a kick in the butt," said Dorfsman. "We were there in Montserrat, it was beautiful, there was a lot of swimming, a lot of hanging out, and basically we got into a thing where the energy slowly ebbed away. It was like being on a vacation for a while and losing a little bit of edge without even realizing it. The music needed that energy and we weren't really getting it. We weren't vibing at all, but then I remember Omar coming in and it was like a bulldozer — New York attitude, New York energy."
Hakim's presence wasn't the only Sting connection on the record. For "Money for Nothing," a tongue-in-cheek dismissal of the rock star lifestyle that Knopfler penned after overhearing a "hard-hat type" complaining in a department store while MTV played in the background on a wall of TVs, Knopfler reached out to Sting to sing a refrain that set the words "I want my MTV" to the tune of the Police hit "Don't Stand So Close to Me." Coupled with the song's distinctive video, it added up to the band's biggest single.
Also aiding Brothers in Arms' steady ascent to No. 1 on the charts was Knopfler and Dorfsman's decision to record using a digital deck. Although the album wasn't completely digital, it came close enough to be marketed as one of the few titles whose sonics took advantage of the new CD format's capability for cleaner sound, and the sales bore that out: Brothers became the first record to move a million compact discs, and the first whose CD sales outmatched its LP's. For a variety of reasons, it was the right album at the right time — not that Knopfler ever professed to understand the huge surge in popularity that followed.
"It was a sheer fluke," Knopfler said years later. "If it hadn't been that album, it would have been something else. It was just an accident of timing. It got connected: 'Brothers in Arms' was the first CD single, or so I'm told, and I suppose it was one of the first CD albums. ... Plus, we had a couple of hits in America – 'Money for Nothing' and 'Walk of Life' – so it got connected with the American success, but people will always want to make something like that into something else completely."
As many artists have discovered, that level of success isn't always everything it's cracked up to be, and Dire Straits' quietly literate brand of rock was never really made for the arena-sized platform they commanded after Brothers in Arms. As the band's profile continued to grow, Knopfler viewed their increased fortune with a certain amount of alarm.
"We just picked the ball up and ran with it. Which is what most kids do when that happens," Knopfler told Barney Hoskyns in 2004. "And that’s fine. We had a really good run. It did get big, and I just felt that it got too big to be real and to be manageable. I think there’s an optimum size for things. I’m a pretty slow learner, so it probably just took me a bit longer than most sensible people to get the sense of proportion right”.
The first of two reviews I want to highlight is from Pitchfork. In 2020, they reviewed the box set, The Studio Albums 1978-1991 / Dire Straits / Communiqué / Making Movies / Love Over Gold / Brothers in Arms / On Every Street. It was interesting what they had to say about Dire Straits’ commercial smash. It is a classic album that did get some mixed reviews. Some critics not completely on board:
“Songs came crashing back into the spotlight on Brothers in Arms. Stripping away the excesses of Love Over Gold, Dire Straits distilled a shimmering, atmospheric sound that could withstand industrial-strength rock’n’roll, cowboy laments, and heartache alike. That delicate balance between songcraft and austere atmosphere is key to the album’s phenomenal success: It could appeal to traditionalists and modernists alike. Some of Knopfler’s sturdiest songs are here, such as the pining “So Far Away” and “Why Worry,” a tune so lovely the Everly Brothers covered it soon after its release. Listening to Brothers in Arms decades later, its moodiness is striking, particularly when Knopfler’s guitar glides atop Clark’s keyboards; this is the sound modern acolytes like the War on Drugs and Jason Isbell have adopted as their own.
Brothers in Arms is also home to “Money for Nothing” and “Walk of Life,” a pair of smash singles that helped sustain Dire Straits’ popularity into the 1990s. Like “Industrial Disease” before it, “Walk of Life” is the rockin’ anomaly on Brothers in Arms, but its cheerful, old-time rock’n’roll became a standard on screen and in sports arenas alike. As popular as it was, “Walk of Life” was overshadowed by “Money for Nothing,” a screed against music videos cannily given a cutting-edge video that made it a staple on MTV. Sung from the gruff perspective of a blue-collar appliance installer who can’t believe musicians draw a paycheck, the song theoretically gives the songwriter license to portray his character’s homophobia in the third person, but the song’s verse about the “little faggot with the earring and the makeup” is jarring and distasteful. Heard in close proximity to “Les Boys,” it’s hard to hear it as simply Knopfler singing in character, the way his idol Randy Newman did on “Rednecks."
Some critics did call out Knopfler about this “Money for Nothing” verse back in 1985—Robert Christgau noted the singer-songwriter somehow got the word on the radio “with no static from the PMRC”—and Canadian radio ultimately banned the song in 2011. The controversy may dog Dire Straits, but it’s never quite tarnished the group, possibly because Brothers in Arms was simply too big: It was certified platinum 14 times in the UK, nine times in the U.S. The record’s success afforded the group the opportunity to take an extended hiatus, allowing Mark Knopfler to pursue his country-rock busman’s holiday the Notting Hillbillies and cut a duet album with his hero Chet Atkins in 1990”.
I am going to end with this review from Subjective Sounds. If you are new to the album or have not heard it for a while then I would advise you to listen to it now. I heard this album when I was a child and have loved it ever since. Even if some critics have taken against it, you cannot deny how millions took Brothers in Arms to heart. Some minor quibbles aside – such as the homophobic slur in the lyrics for Money for Nothing -, it remains this exceptional album that took Dire Straits to new heights and worldwide:
“Released in 1985, Dire Straits’ Brothers In Arms was not only a defining moment in the band’s career, but it was a landmark release. With its blend of poignant songwriting, intricate guitar work, and state-of-the-art production, the album resonates as a timeless masterpiece with an equally compelling piece of cover art that blends perfectly with the music.
While the fanfare surrounding this record is absolutely justified, it’s an album that has long divided music lovers and audiophiles for there are so many different versions (masterings) that one needs to question if it is the sonic quality, or the music itself, that should be at the forefront when listening to Brothers In Arms.
Here at Subjective Sounds, you’ll get both perspectives, but I do lean towards the music rather than sonic prowess alone. Let’s start with the formats, and then discuss the music, shall we?
With over 500 versions of Brothers In Arms listed on Discogs, one would rightfully find selecting a definitive edition to be tricky, if not impossible. While I obviously can’t review every release, I’ll give you my thoughts based on the versions I’ve been fortunate to have listened to.
The releases include:
The Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab 2015 release (MFSL 2-441)
The 20th Anniversary Vertigo (9871498) Hybrid SACD edition
The Apple Music 16-bit/44.1kHz ALAC lossless stream
What’s most interesting, however, is that the Hybrid SACD contains not only the CD version of the album but also the HDCD, SACD Stereo 2.0 mix, and the SACD 5.1 Surround Sound Mix. That single disc has so many different versions on it that it really showcases just how well the Hybrid SACD format could be utilised for a mass market release; a release that could appeal to all music lovers, rather than just audiophiles.
While multiple options are (usually) a good thing, sometimes there can be too much of a good thing and in this instance, less is more. Yes, dear reader, I drove myself to the point of insanity, listening to every version and the truth is that I couldn’t pick a winner for each exhibited their own uniqueness and none were what I would consider to be flawed. Certainly, I had my preferences, but I could never quite lock one in; until now.
So, which version did I prefer and why?
I chose to go with the lossless Apple Music stream. Blasphemy, I hear you say. The problem was I was listening for faults and minute elements rather than simply enjoying the music. Plus, when all else fails, sometimes good enough is…good enough.
Nevertheless, I’ll give a brief rundown on my experiences with the two physical versions, for those of you who may, or may not, wish to go through the torturous process of deciding which version you’d subjectively feel is better. And, yes, if you’ve put more money into your turntable setup than your SACD et al gear, that will be the one to go for, and vice versa.
Let’s start with the Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab (MOFI) edition; for it is magnificent. While I don’t condone MOFI’s deceit regarding the master tape sources they used, along with using a digital intermediary, the sonic reproduction, of this release, speaks for itself as you will be enveloped in the soundstage from the very first note to the last. Every musical element is positioned exactly where it should be and regardless of the volume you choose to play the album at, it’s going to sound incredible. While it isn’t necessarily affordable, although what is these days, if you’re after a record that will make your turntable sing, this is one you should certainly consider. You do have to deal with flipping the record over after two songs, however; a by-product of the album being pressed at 45rpm. Of course, original releases truncate some of the album’s greatest songs in order to have had it fit comfortably on a regular 33.3rpm release, so there will always be a tradeoff when it comes to vinyl editions.
As with all MOFI releases, the outer sleeve is thick, so much so that one would need to be determined to damage it before the sleeve would fall apart. It’s a lovely reproduction, even if the gatefold inner artwork is a little on the blander side.
So Far Away opens the album with a clean and steady rhythm that is largely unassuming but equally compelling. Setting the tone for the music to come, So Far Away is not only an enduring classic but its relaxed groove will appeal to just about any music lover as it sounds deceptively simple, yet its melodic sophistication ensures that it’s timeless.
Money For Nothing is, without a doubt, the most iconic track from the album with one of the most recognisable guitar riffs in rock history. This is pop-rock at its finest and despite being released in the mid-80s, no element pigeonholes it to that era. Much could be said about this landmark tune, including the often criticised controversial lyrics, but it’s in the listening that will determine one’s interest in Money For Nothing. So, take a listen and rock out for Dire Straits doesn’t get much better than this.
Walk Of Life lifts the tone of the album with its upbeat organ tuning and the song’s infectious rhythm. Providing a lighter, more playful counterpoint to much of the album’s introspective tone, Walk Of Life is a joyous track that has long been a fan favourite and a staple in Dire Straits’ live performances.
Your Latest Trick immediately sets itself apart from Walk Of Life, yet it doesn’t sound out-of-place in the album’s linear structure. Your Latest Trick is very much jazz meets soft rock, with lush instrumental arrangements and an intricate interplay between all musical elements. While it may not have set the charts on fire, when released as the final single from the album, it’s amongst Dire Straits’ greatest recordings and harkens back to their earlier releases, just with a tad more production and layered musicality.
Why Worry? is tender, meditative, and despite clocking in at eight minutes, I never tire of it and could listen to this song on repeat indefinitely. The soothing melody, combined with Knopfler’s gentle guitar work and delicate arrangement, makes this beautiful song a hidden gem.
Ride Across The River paints a vivid sonic landscape, one built on a foundation of Latin-inspired percussion and atmospheric synthesisers. The song is so immersive that it creates a cinematic listening experience and, despite being an album-only tune, is a core reason why Brothers In Arms is so respected.
The Man's Too Strong has a stark acoustic arrangement before delving into a more dramatic dynamic that will draw you in instantly. As it pertains to the various editions of this album, it’s songs such as this that can either make or break the record as the crescendo tends to be ear-piercing and shrill. In fairness, the Apple Music stream doesn’t deliver the low-end boldness that is heard on the vinyl release, but at the very least it doesn’t grind my senses.
One World injects a funky upbeat groove into the album. Its lively tempo and rhythmic interplay make it a refreshing change of pace; one that will find you toe-tapping and head-bopping along to this incredible tune.
Brothers In Arms is a hauntingly beautiful ballad that features one of Knopfler’s most emotive guitar performances and serves as a poignant closer to one of the greatest albums ever recorded.
Ultimately, Brothers In Arms is more than just a collection of songs, it’s an artistic statement that has stood the test of time; one that has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. With its seamless blend of rock, jazz, and blues influences, there’s little doubt as to why this landmark release was not only so well received, but is amongst the greatest albums released in 1985”.
On 17th May – though some sources say 13th May -, Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms turns forty. A global smash that took the band to number one in so many countries, I hope it gets new celebration and affection nearer its anniversary. There is going to be an anniversary reissue that fans can pre-order now. From standout cuts like Walk of Life and Money for Nothing through to the less-played So Far Away and The Man’s Too Strong, this exceptional album still holds so much power…
FORTY years later.