Mark Knopfler

Mark Freuder Knopfler OBE (born 12 August 1949) is a British guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer and film score composer, best known as the lead guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for the British rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded in 1977 with his brother David.

Dire Straits (1978)

 * You say I'm the greatest, bound for glory. Well the word is out and I learned. I got the latest side of the story: You're pulling out before you get burned.
 * Setting Me Up


 * And Harry doesn't mind if he doesn't make the scene He's got a daytime job, he's doing alright. He can play the honky tonk like anything, Saving it up for Friday night. With the Sultans... with the Sultans of Swing.
 * Sultans of Swing


 * Stepping out to Angellucci's for my coffee beansChecking out the movies and the magazinesWaitress she watches me crossing from the Barocco BarI'm getting a pickup for my steel guitarI saw you walking out Shaftesbury AvenueExcuse me for talking I wanna marry youThis is the seventh heaven street to meDon't be so proud  You're just another angel in the crowdAnd I'm walking in the wild west endWalking with your wild best friendAnd my conductress on the number nineteenShe was a honeyPink toenails and hands all dirty with moneyGreasy hair, easy smileMade me feel nineteen for a while
 * Wild West End

Communiqué, (1979)

 * Lady writer on the TV She had all the brains and the beauty. The picture does not fit You talked to me when you felt like it. Just the way that her hair fell down around her face Then I recall my fall from grace Another time, another place.
 * Lady Writer

Making Movies (1980)

 * Getting crazy on the Waltzers, but it's the life that I choose. Sing about the sixblade, sing about the switchback and a torture tattoo. And I been riding on a ghost train where the cars they scream and slam, And I don't know where I'll be tonight but I'd always tell you where I am.
 * Tunnel of Love, written with Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II


 * A love struck Romeo, sings a street-suss serenade; Laying everybody low, with a love song that he made. Finds a convenient street light, steps out of the shade He says something like, "You and me babe, how about it?"
 * Juliet says, "Hey, it's Romeo. You nearly give me a heart attack."He's underneath the window; she's singing, "Hey, la, my boyfriend's back.<BR>You shouldn't come around here singing up at people like that.<BR> Anyway what you gonna do about it?"
 * Romeo and Juliet


 * Juliet, the dice was loaded from the start<BR>And I bet, then you exploded in my heart<BR> And I forget, I forget the movie song<BR>When you gonna realize it was just that the time was wrong? Juliet.<BR>We come up on different streets, they both were streets of shame<BR>Both dirty, both mean, yes, and the dream was just the same<BR>And I dreamed your dream for you and now your dream is real<BR>How can you look at me as if I was just another one of your deals?
 * When you can fall for chains of silver, you can fall for chains of gold<BR>You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold<BR>You promised me everything, you promised me thick and thin, yeah.<BR>Now you just say, "Oh, Romeo, yeah. You know, I used to have a scene with him."<BR>
 * Romeo and Juliet


 * I seen a girl on a one way corridor Stealing down a wrong way street For all the world like an urban toreador She had wheels on her feet Well the cars do the usual dances Same old cruise and the curbside crawl But the roller girl she's taking chances They just love to see her take them all No fears alone at night she's sailing through the crowd In her ears the phones are tight and the music's playing loud
 * Hallelujah here she comes queen rollerball Om Shanti what can I say don't care at all You know she used to have to wait around She used to be the lonely one But now that she can skate around town She's the only one
 * Skateaway


 * She gets rock n roll, a rock n roll station And a rock n roll dream. She's making movies on location. She don't know what it means. But the music make her wanna be the story. And the story was whatever was the song, what it was. Rollergirl don't worry. D.J. plays the movies all night long.
 * Skateaway


 * She gets the sun in the daytime Perfume in the dusk And she comes out in the night time With the honeysuckle musk Because she smells just like a rose And she tastes just like a peach She got me walking where the wildlife goes I'd do anything to reach her And she was made in heaven Heaven's in the world
 * Expresso Love

'Love over Gold' (1982)

 * A long time ago came a man on a track Walking thirty miles with a sack on his back And he put down his load Where he thought it was the best He made a home in the wilderness He built a cabin and a winter store And he plowed up the ground by the cold lake shore And the other travelers came walking down the track And they never went further, no They never went back Yes, and they say we're gonna have to pay what's owed We're gonna have to reap from some seed that's been sowed
 * Telegraph Road


 * Well, I'd sooner forget, but I remember those nights Yeah, life was just a bet on a race between the lights You had your head on my shoulder Your hand in my hair Now you act a little colder Like you don't seem to care
 * Telegraph Road


 * You get to meet all sorts in this line of work Treachery and treason, there's always an excuse for it And when I find the reason, I still can't get used to it And what have you got at the end of the day? What have you got to take away? A bottle of whisky and a new set of lies
 * Private Investigations


 * The caretaker was crucified for sleeping at his post They're refusing to be pacified, it's him they blame the most. The watchdog's got rabies, the foreman's got the fleas. And everyone's concerned about Industrial Disease. There's panic on the switchboard, tongues are tied in knots. Some come out in sympathy, some come out in spots. Some blame the management, some blame the employees. And everybody knows it's the Industrial Disease.
 * Industrial Disease


 * Two men say they’re Jesus, one of them must be wrong.
 * Industrial Disease


 * It takes love over gold And mind over matter To do what you do that you must When the things that you hold Can fall and be shattered Or run through your fingers like dust
 * Love Over Gold

Brothers in Arms (1985)

 * I'm tired of being in love and being all alone When you're so far away from me. I'm tired of making out on the telephone Because you're so far away from me.
 * So Far Away


 * Now look at them yo-yo's, that's the way you do it You play the guitar on the MTV. That ain't workin', that's the way you do it. Money for nothin' and chicks for free. Now that ain't workin', that's the way you do it Lemme tell ya them guys ain't dumb. Maybe get a blister on your little finger; Maybe get a blister on your thumb.
 * Money for Nothing, written with Sting


 * Here comes Johnny singing oldies, goldies Be-Bop-A-Lula, Baby What I Say Here comes Johnny singing I Gotta Woman Down in the tunnels, trying to make it pay. He got the action, he got the motion Oh yeah the boy can play. Dedication, devotion Turning all the night time into the day.
 * Walk of Life


 * All the late night bargains have been struck Between the satin beaus and their belles. Prehistoric garbage trucks Have the city to themselves Echoes and roars, dinosaurs They're all doing the monster mash. And most of the taxis, most of the whores Are only taking calls for cash. I don't know how it happened It all took place so quick. But all I can do is hand it to you And your latest trick.
 * Your Latest Trick


 * Why worry? There should be laughter after pain. There should be sunshine after rain. These things have always been the same. So why worry now?
 * Why Worry


 * Through these fields of destruction Baptisms of fire I've witnessed your suffering As the battles raged higher And though they hurt me so bad In the fear and alarm You did not desert me My brothers in arms.
 * Brothers in Arms


 * But it's written in the starlight And every line in your palm We're fools to make war On our brothers in arms.
 * Brothers in Arms

On Every Street (1991)

 * A three-chord symphony crashes into space The moon is hanging upside down I don't know why it is I'm still on the case It's a ravenous town And you still refuse to be traced Seems to me such a waste And every victory has a taste that's bittersweet
 * On Every Street
 * If we can't get along we oughta be apart And I'm wondering where'd you get that cold, cold heart Set me free - sign my release I'm tired of being the villain of the peace
 * When It Comes to You


 * Sometimes you're the windshield Sometimes you're the bug Sometimes it all come together baby Sometimes you're a fool in love Sometimes you're the Louisville Slugger baby Sometimes you're the ball Sometimes it all come together Sometimes you're gonna lose it all
 * The Bug


 * Last time I was sober, man I felt bad Worst hangover that I ever had. It took six hamburgers and scotch all night Nicotine for breakfast just to put me right. ’Cause if you wanna run cool, If you wanna run cool, If you wanna run cool, you got to run On heavy, heavy fuel.
 * Heavy Fuel


 * Oh the iron will and the iron hand In England's green and pleasant land No music for the shameful scene That night they said it had even shocked the queen
 * Iron Hand


 * I can see what you're looking to find In the smile on my face In my peace of mind In my state of grace I send what I can To the man from the ministry He's a part of heaven's plan And he talks to me Now I send what I can to the man With the diamond ring
 * Ticket to Heaven

Kill to Get Crimson (2007)
Lyrics by Mark Knopfler


 * I wonder if there's no forever<BR>No walking hand in hand<BR>Down a yellow brick road<BR>To never never land<BR>These days I get to where I'm going<BR>Make it there eventually<BR>Follow the trail of breadcrumbs<BR>To where I'm meant to be ... <BR>When I think about us<BR>I see the picture that we made<BR>The picture to remind us<BR>True love will never fade.
 * I worked the rowdies and daytrippers<BR>Now and then I think of you<BR>Any which way we're all shufflin'<BR>Forward in the queue<BR>They'd like to move my operation<BR>They'd like to get me off the pier<BR>And I dream I'm on a steamer<BR>Pullin' out of here
 * True love will never fade


 * MacIntyre's teaching us waltzing Out on the gymnasium floor McIntyre's out of the army You'll be slippered if you get him wrong McIntyre's din booms loud in the gym And we've only got a little short song We've only got a little short song
 * And it's one, two, three, two, two we're all a disgrace McIntyre tore us apart And we dance with ourselves when we'd all found a space Waltzing with fear in our hearts
 * Secondary Waltz


 * When it's pop goes the weasel Let go of the easel You don't want This rickety rackety life It's seat of the trousers It's all sink or swim, son...
 * These are not my decisions Flaming visions Ringing expressions The clamouring voice It's volcanic desire The unquenchable fire It isn't a question Of having the choice Anyway, now I'm old But if you won't be told If you've been created To answer the call All passion and lust Is going to end in the dust But you'll hang on some Government gallery wall
 * You must go, forget it Let it all go, let it all go Go, forget it, let it all go
 * Let it all go


 * Are you home from the sea, my soul balladeer<BR>You've been away roaming far away from here<BR> weathered a storm, your heart unafraid<BR>crossed every ocean in the boat that you made.... You're a light in the dark, a beacon of hope<BR>and strong as a sea boat, strong as a rope.<BR>And the vagabond wind, whispers over the bay<BR>and the songs and the laughter, are carried away in the sky.
 * In the Sky