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Dire Straits
Dire Straits


Background information
Origin Newcastle, England
Genre(s) Rock
Roots Rock
Years active 1977—1995
Label(s) Vertigo Records
Phonogram Records
Associated acts Sting
The Notting Hillbillies
Michael Brecker
Former members
Mark Knopfler
John Illsley
Alan Clark
Guy Fletcher
David Knopfler
Hal Lindes
Terry Williams
Jack Sonni
Pick Withers



Dire Straits Album


Sultans Of Swing: The Very Best Of Dire Straits (1998)
1998
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Local Hero (Live)
. . .


You get a shiver in the dark
It's raining in the park but meantime
South of the river you stop and you hold everything
A band is blowing Dixie double four time
You feel alright when you hear the music ring

You step inside but you don't see too many faces
Coming in out of the rain to hear the jazz go down
Competition in other places
But the horns are blowing that sound
Way on down south, way on down south in London town

You check out Guitar George he knows all the chords
But it's strictly rhythm he doesn't want to make it cry or sing
And an old guitar is all he can afford
When he gets up under the lights to play his thing

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

And a crowd of young boys they're fooling around in the corner
Drunk and dressed in their best brown baggies and their platform soles
They don't give a damn about any trumpet playing band
It ain't what they call rock and roll
And the Sultans... Yeah the Sultans played Creole... Creole

Then the man he steps right up to the microphone
And says at last just as the time bell rings
"Goodnight, now it's time to go home"
And he makes it fast with one more thing
"We are the Sultans... We are the Sultans of Swing"

. . .


Lady writer on the TV
Talk about the Virgin Mary
Reminded me of you
Expectation left to come up to yeah

Lady writer on the TV
Yeah, she had another quality
The way you used to look
And I know you never read a book

Just the way that her hairfell down around her face
Then I recall my fall from grace
Another time, another place

Lady writer on the TV
She had all her brains and the beauty
The pictures does not fit
You talked to me when you felt like it

Just the way that her hairfell down around her face
Then I recall my fall from grace
Another time, another place

Yes and your rich old man
You know he'd call her a dead ringer
You got the same command
Plus your mother was a jazz singer

Just the way that her hairfell down around her face
Then I recall my fall from grace
Another time, another place

Lady writer on the TV
She knew all about a history
You couldn't hardly write your name
I think I want you just the same as the

Lady writer on the TV
Talking about the Virgin Mary
Yeah you know I'm talking about you and me
And lady writer on the TV
Lady writer on the TV
Talking about the Virgin Mary
Yeah you know I'm talking about you and me
And lady writer on the TV

. . .


A love struck Romeo, sings in the streets a serenade
Laying everybody low, with a love song that he made
Finds a street light, steps out of the shade
'n' says something like, "You and me babe, how about it?"

Juliet says, "Hey it's Romeo, you nearly gave me a heart attack"
He's underneath the window, she's singing, 'Hey la, my boyfriend's back
You shouldn't come around here, singing up at people like that'
Anyway, what you gonna do about it?

Juliet, the dice was loaded from the start,
And I bet, then you exploded in my heart,
And I forget, I forget, the movie song
When you gonna realize, it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?

Come up on different streets, they both were streets of shame,
Both dirty, both mean, yes, and the dream was just the same,
And I dreamed your dream for you, and now your dream is real
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
You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold
You promised me everything, you promised me thick and thin, yeah
Now you just say, "Oh Romeo, yeah, you know I used to have a scene with him"

Juliet, when we made love you used to cry
You said "I love you like the stars above, I'll love you till I die"
There's a place for us, you know the movie song
When you gonna realize, it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?

I can't do the talks, like they talk on the TV
And I can't do a love song, like the way it's meant to be
I can't do everything, but I'll do anything for you
I can't do anything 'cept be in love with you

And all I do is miss you and the way we used to be
All I do is keep the beat, 'n bad company
And all I do is kiss you, through the bars of a rhyme
Juliet, I'd do the stars with you, anytime

Ah Juliet, when we made love you used to cry
You said I love you like the stars above, I'll love you till I die
There's a place for us, you know the movie song
When you gonna realize, it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?

And a love struck Romeo, sings a streets a serenade,
Laying everybody low, with a love song that he made
Finds a convenient street light, steps out of the shade
'n' says something like, "You and me babe, how about it?"
"You and me babe, how about it?"

. . .


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

in a screaming ring of faces I seen her standing in the light
she had a ticket for the races just like me she was a victim of the night
I put a hand upon the lever said let it rock and let it roll
I had the one arm bandit fever there was an arrow through my heart and my soul

and the big wheel keep on turning neon burning up above
and I'm just high on the world
come on and take a low ride with me girl
on the tunnel of love

it's just the danger when you're riding at your own risk
she said you are the perfect stranger she said baby let's keep it like this
it's just a cake walk twisting baby step right up and see
hey mister give me two give me two now cos any two can play

and the big wheel keep on turning neon burning up above
and I'm just high on the world
come on and take a low ride with me girl
on the tunnel of love

well it's been money for muscle another whirligig
money for muscle and another girl I dig
another hustle just to make it big
and walkaway walkaway

and girl it looks so pretty to me just like it always did
like the spanish city to me when we were kids
oh girl it looks so pretty to me just like it always did
like the spanish city to me when we were kids

she took off a silver locket she said remember me by this
she put her hand in my pocket I got a keepsake and a kiss
and in the roar of the dust and diesel I stood and watched her walk away
I could have caught up with her easy enough but something must have made me
stay

and the big wheel keep on turning neon burning up above
and I'm just high on the world
come on and take a low ride with me girl
on the tunnel of love

and now I'm searching through these carousels and the carnival arcades
searching everywhere from steeplechase to palisades
in any shooting gallery where promises are made
to walkaway walkaway
to walkaway walkaway from cullercoats and whitley bay out to walkaway

and girl it looks so pretty to me like it always did
like the spanish city to me when we were kids
girl it looks so pretty to me like it always did
like the spanish city to me when we were kids

. . .


It's a mystery to me ... the game commences
for the usual fee ... plus expenses
confidential information ... it's in a diary
This is my investigation ... it's not a public inquiry

I go checking out the reports ... digging up the dirt
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
blinds on the windows and a pain behind the eyes

Scarred for life ... no compensation
private investigations

. . .


We're going on a holiday now
Gonna take a villa, a small chalet
On the Costa del Magnifico
Where the cost of living is so low
Yeah, we're gonna be so neat
Dance to the Eurobeat
Yeah, we're gonna be so cool
Twisting by the pool

Sitting in a small cafe now
Swing, swing, swingin to the cabaret
You wanna see a movie, take in a show now
Meet new people at the disco
Yeah, we're gonna be so neat
Dance to the Eurobeat
Yeah, we're gonna be so cool
Twisting by the pool

And we can still get information
Reading all about inflation
And you're never gonna be out of reach
There's a call-box on the beach

Mmm, you're gonna look so cute
Sunglasses and bathing suites
Be the baby of my dreams
Like the ladies in the magazine
Yeah, we're gonna be so neat
Dance to the Eurobeat
Yeah, we're gonna be so cool
Twisting by the pool

I'm a twisting fool
Just twisting, yeah twisting
Twisting by the pool

. . .


You walk out on the high wire
You're a dancer on thin ice
You pay no heed to the danger
And less to advice
Your footsteps are forbidden
But with knowledge of your sin
You throw your love to all the strangers
And caution to the wind

And you go dancing through doorways
Just to see what you will find
Leaving nothing to interfere
With the crazy balance of your mind
And when you finnaly reappear
At the place where you came in
You've thrown your love to all the strangers
And caution to the wind

It takes lover 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

The best rockband... ever

. . .


Now here I am again in this mean old town,
And you're so far away from me.
Now where are you when the sun goes down,
You're so far away from me.

You're so far away from me,
So far I just can't see.
You're so far away from me,
You're so far away from me.
Alright.

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,
Cause you're so far away from me.

You're so far away from me,
So far I just can't see.
You're so far away from me,
You're so far away from me.
Alright.

And I get so tired when I have to explain,
That you're so far away from me.
See you've been in the sun and I've been in the rain,
And you're so far away from me.

You're so far away from me,
So far I just can't see.
You're so far away from me,
You're so far away from me.
Check it out.

So far away.
You're so far away from me.
(You're so far.)
Alright.
(You're so far.)
Yes, you're so far away from me.

. . .


I want my
I want my MTV

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 ain't for nothin' and your chicks for free
Now that ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Let me tell ya them guys ain't dumb
Maybe get a blister on your little finger
Maybe get a blister on your thumb

We got to install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We got to move these refrigerators
We got to move these color TV's

See the little faggot with the earring and the makeup
Yeah buddy that's his own hair
That little faggot got his own jet airplane
That little faggot he's a millionaire

We got to install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We got to move these refrigerators
We got to move these color TV's

We got to install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We got to move these refrigerators
We got to move these color TV's

Look here, look here
I should'a learned to play the guitar
I should'a learned to play them drums
Look at that mama, she got it stickin' in the camera man
She's really turnin' me on
And he's up there, what's that?
Hawaiian noises?
Bangin' on the bongoes like a chimpanzee
Oh, that ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Get your money for nothin', get your chicks for free

We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We got to move these refrigerators
We got to move these color TV's

Listen here
Now, that ain't workin' 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 your chicks for free
Money for nothin' and chicks for free

Money for nothin' and your chicks for free
Money for nothin' and chicks for free

I want my
I want my MTV

. . .


These mist-covered mountains
Are a home now for me
But my home is the lowlands
And always will be
Some day you'll return to
Your valleys and your farms
And you'll no longer burn
To be brothers in arms

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

There's so many different worlds
So many different suns
And we have just one world
But we live in different ones
Now the sun's gone to hell
And the moon's riding high
Let me bid you farewell
Every man has to die
But it's written in the starlight
And every line in your palm
We're fools to make war
On our brothers in arms

. . .


Here comes Johnny singin' oldies, goldies
Be-bop-a-lula, baby what I say
Here comes Johnny singin' I gotta woman
Down in the tunnel, trying to make it pay
He got the action, he got the motion
Oh yeah, the boy can play
Dedication, devotion
Turnin' all the night time into the day

He do the song about the sweet lovin' woman
He do the song about the night
And he do the walk, he do the walk of life
Yeah, he do the walk of life

Here comes Johnny goin' tell you the story
Hand me down my walkin' shoes
Here come Johnny with the power and the glory
Backbeat, the talkin' blues
He got the action, he got the motion
Oh yeah, the boy can play
Dedication, devotion
Turnin' all the night time into the day

He do the song about the sweet lovin' woman
He do the song about the night
And he do the walk, he do the walk of life
Yeah, he do the walk of life

Here comes Johnny singin' oldies, goldies
Be-bop-a-lula, baby what I say
Here comes Johnny singin' I gotta woman
Down in the tunnel, trying to make it pay
He got the action, he got the motion
Oh yeah, the boy can play
Dedication, devotion
Turnin' all the night time into the day

And after all the violence and double talk
There's just a song in all the trouble and the strife
You do the walk, yeah, you do the walk of life
Hm, you do the walk of life

. . .


Calling Elvis - is anybody home
Calling Elvis - I'm here all alone
Did he leave the building
Or can he come to the phone
Calling Elvis - I'm here all alone

Well tell him I was calling just to wish him well
Let me leave my number - heartbreak hotel
Oh love me tender - baby don’t be cruel
Return to sender - treat me like a fool

Calling Elvis - is anybody home
Calling Elvis - I'm here all alone
Did he leave the building
Or can he come to the phone
Calling Elvis - I'm here all alone

Why don't you go get him - I'm his biggest fan
You gotta tell him - he's still the man
Long distance baby - so far from home
Don't you think maybe you could put him on

Well tell him I was calling just to wish him well
Let me leave my number - heartbreak hotel
Oh love me tender - baby don’t be cruel
Return to sender - treat me like a fool

Calling Elvis - is anybody home
Calling Elvis - I'm here all alone
Did he leave the building
Or can he come to the phone
Calling Elvis - I'm here all alone


. . .


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
'cos if you wanna run cool
If you wanna run cool
If you wanna run cool, you got to run
On heavy, heavy fuel

My life makes perfect sense
Lust and food and violence
Sex and money are my major kicks
Get me in a fight I like dirty tricks
'cos if you wanna run cool
Yes if you wanna run cool, you got to run
On heavy, heavy fuel

My chick loves a man who's strong
The things she'll do to turn me on
I love the babes, don't get me wrong
Hey, that's why I wrote this song

I don't care if my liver is hanging by a thread
Don't care if my doctor says I ought to be dead
When my ugly big car won't climb this hill
I'll write a suicide note on a hundred dollar bill
'cos if you wanna run cool
If you wanna run cool
Yes if you wanna run cool, you got to run
On heavy, heavy fuel

. . .


There's gotta be a record of you someplace
You gotta be on somebody's books
The lowdown - a picture of your face
Your injured looks
The sacred and profane
The pleasure and the pain
Somewhere your fingerprints remain concrete
And it's your face I'm looking for on every street

A ladykiller - regulation tattoo
Silver spurs on his heels
Says - what can I tell you, as I'm standing next to you
She threw herself under my wheels
Oh it's a dangerous road
And a hazardous load
And the fireworks over liberty explode in the heat
And it's your face I'm looking for on every street

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
And it's your face I'm looking for on every street

yeh.. it's your face I'm looking for on every street...

. . .


All the late night bargains have been struck
Between the satin beaus and their belles
And prehistoric garbage trucks
Have the city to themselves
Echoes and roars of 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

My door was standing open
Security was laid back and lax
But it was only my heart got broken
You must have had a pass key made out of wax
You played robbery with insolence
And I played the blues on twelve bars down on Lover’s Lane
And you never did have the intellegence to use
The twelve keys hanging off my chain

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

Now it’s past last call for alcohol
Last drinker has been here and gone
The landlord finally paid us off
The satin jazz men have put away their horns
And we’re standing outside of this wonderland
Looking so bereaved and so bereft
Like a Bowery bum when he finally understands
The bottle’s empty and there’s nothing left

I don’t know how it happened
It was faster than the eye could flick
But all I can do is hand it to you
And your latest trick

. . .

Local Hero

[No lyrics]

. . .


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