Dire
Straits – On Every Street
By
Jesse E.
Mullen
You’re
one of the biggest bands in the world, if not the biggest. You’ve gone from
playing pubs to playing stadiums. You’ve released one of the best-selling
albums of all time, and you’ve just finished touring said album. And then you
go into hibernation for six years.
As
was the story of Dire Straits. The British rock group had achieved massive
sales for their 1985 album Brothers In Arms. Propelled by the singles
“Money For Nothing” and “Walk Of Life,” it seems that nearly everyone
has heard the record.
However,
following the grueling world tour which concluded in April 1986, frontman,
songwriter, and enigmatic lead guitarist Mark Knopfler was beginning to feel
he’d had enough. So, following two years of (mostly) inactivity, he announced a
breakup of the group in September 1988.
After
starting a new group, Notting Hillbillies, and making a record with his idol
Chet Atkins, Knopfler finally felt it was time to resurrect Dire Straits. So,
in 1990, the band began recording a new album at AIR Studios in London.
Entitled On Every Street, the record would finally be released in
September 1991.
“Calling
Elvis” begins the album with a tight rockabilly groove and strong interplay
between bassist John Illsley and session drummer Jeff Porcaro. Mark Knopfler’s
guitar builds over the course of the track from a simple hammer-on into some of
his most explosive fretboard fireworks.
Newcomer
Paul Franklin adds a choppy pedal steel riff to the verses, and keyboardists
Guy Fletcher and Alan Clark add color to the bridges. If ever there was a band
effort, this would be it. As the lyrics end, the track transitions into a
hypnotic jam – one which would be drawn out to 11 minutes + when performed on
tour.
The
inspiration behind the title came from Knopfler’s brother-in-law, who said the
guitarist/songwriter was “harder to get a hold of than Elvis.” The lyrics seem
to be inspired by the “list songs” of Bob Dylan, as they string titles of Elvis
Pressley songs together into a narrative.
Knopfler
sings from the perspective of a fan, who calls Elvis endlessly in his later
days – after the mystique had faded. It’s as if Knopfler is commenting on his
own fame, feeling as though he’s had enough of dealing with the public. A
thrilling start, but things would only get better.
The
title track finds Knopfler in familiar lyrical territory. Much like “Private
Investigations” from 1982’s Love Over Gold, “On Every Street” finds the
narrator searching for someone who has wronged him – or in this case, someone
close to him. Quite likely a veiled metaphor for lost love.
Knopfler
sings from the perspective of a private investigator who unsuccessfully tries
to track down a killer. During the second verse, we get a more explicit
description of the man in question. He sports a “a ladykiller – regulation
tattoo” and “silver spurs on his heels.”
Sonically,
the track is a sparse, but wonderfully effective piece of music. Each verse
ends with Knopfler pausing while singing “and it’s your face I’m looking for…
On every street.” Alan Clark fills in the gaps with a gorgeous three-note piano
melody. Knopfler responds with a three-note riff of his own – which would fit
perfectly in a western film – followed by a Chris White saxophone interlude.
The
track ends a sweet four-chord riff – surprisingly no lead guitar from Knopfler
– and some very tastefully inspired pedal steel from Paul Franklin. Knopfler is
at his best when he can stretch out musically, so it is refreshing to hear him
take a different approach to the end of a song.
Knopfler
clearly hadn’t rid himself of his rockabilly affliction as displayed by “The
Bug.” Almost a sequel to “Walk of Life” – with six more years of wisdom – “The
Bug” is an up-tempo, upbeat rockabilly song about life’s ups and downs.
“Sometimes
you’re the windshield/sometimes you’re the bug” and “Sometimes you’re the
Louisville Slugger/sometimes you’re the ball,” as the two-part chorus goes.
Knopfler’s rhythmic, toe-tapping fingerpicking is again offset by Paul
Franklin’s colorful pedal steel lines. It may not be rocket science, but it’s a
whole lotta fun.
Just
because a song is satirical, doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful. “Ticket To
Heaven” tackles a controversial topic – televangelism in America – with a wink
and a nod. Over a lushly orchestrated George Martin soundscape, Knopfler sings
from the perspective of a poor man who has been swindled by a megachurch.
The
title – and chorus, by extension – would seem to be a cynical commentary on
what motivates the religious to act benevolently: the promise of eternal
salvation. The man in the song has no money to pay his heating bills. Yet he is
willing to send what little he has to a minister on television who is making
these lofty promises.
Because
Knopfler is a gifted songwriter – and a much better writer than yours truly –
he somehow manages to not come across as preachy or overzealous. Similarly,
without the biting commentary of the lyrics, the song would come across as
syrupy. But marrying the lyrics with Martin’s arrangements makes “Ticket To Heaven”
a winner.
The
satire was laid on even more heavily on the jazzy, Steely Dan-esque “My
Parties.” Sung-spoken by Knopfler about the lifestyles of the rich and famous,
it becomes more enjoyable once the listener realizes that it is being sung
ironically.
Written
from the perspective of a wealthy party host who lacks self-awareness, the
audience is duly laughing at his expense. He brags about his possessions to
anyone in his vicinity, demonstrates his lack of care about global warming, and
even proposes a toast to himself.
One
must wonder if Knopfler was trying to distance himself from the trappings of
fame – and the unpleasant characters that it can bring. As a former junior
reporter, his keen sense of observation has been noted in reviews since the first
Dire Straits album came out. Perhaps he was observing what was becoming an
all-too frequent occurrence around him.
The
album ends on an uplifting note with the light country rock of “How Long.”
Propelled by a bouncing John Illsley bassline and Paul Franklin’s pedal steel,
the track tells a wistful tale of lust. Somewhat ironically, Knopfler’s lyrics
paint a picture of a relationship that has hit a wall. He asks how long his
lover will “keep [him] wondering.” However, the uplifting tone of the track
suggests hope for the future.
And
with that, Dire Straits recording career was finished. A year-long world tour
would take them to the end of 1992 – and every corner of the globe – after
which Knopfler would hang up the headbands and pursue a solo career. He would
later hint at retirement in 2019.
On
Every Street
proved that Mark Knopfler still had a few tricks left up his sleeve. Despite
receiving mixed reviews at the time of release, the album has aged remarkably
well. While Love Over Gold remains Dire Straits’ magnum opus, they bowed
out in grace and style.
Warner Bros./1991
