Brothers in Arms es el quinto álbum de la banda británica Dire Straits, lanzado en 1985, pionero en el formato de CD y uno de los primeros en ser grabado totalmente de forma digital.
Es el primer disco de estudio lanzado luego del estupendo doble en vivo "Alchemy".La integración de la banda tuvo subsecuentemente varios cambios, quedando conformada por seis miembros: dos tecladistas, dos guitarras, bajo y batería.En estudio además, se apoyarían con varios músicos de sesión.
SO FAR AWAY
"Brothers In Arms" alcanzó los 30 millones de copias vendidas, fue el tercer disco más vendido de su década , y ocupa la decimosegunda posición en el ranking de álbumes más vendidos de toda la historia.
Con un sonido mucho más elaborado que sus primeros álbumes, "Brothers in arms" cosechó varios singles de éxito.
Uno de ellos, con Sting como invitado, es un tremendo hit de rock que tiene uno de los riffs más potentes de la historia.La letra da cuenta de la sorpresa de Mark ante la incipiente industria de los videoclips y la televisión musical, particularmente la entonces joven cadena MTV.El clip del tema fue uno de los primeros en emitirse por la misma.
Según el propio Sting, Knopfler fue muy generoso al incluírle en los créditos como coautor, ya que su aporte compositivo fue una línea en la parte vocal ("I want my MTV").Como sea, quedó un temazo memorable,bailable...agitable.
MONEY FOR NOTHING
"MONEY FOR NOTHING"
(I want my MTV)
Now look at them yo-yo's that's the way you do it
You play the guitar on the M.T.V.
That ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Money for nothin' and your 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.
We gotta install microwave ovens custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators we gotta move these color T.V.'s.
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 gotta install microwave ovens custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators we gotta move these color T.V.'s.
I shoulda learned to play the guitar
I shoulda learned to play them drums
Look at that mama she got it stickin' in the camera
Man we could have some fun
And he's up there, what's that? Hawaiian noises?
You bangin' on the bongos 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 gotta move these refrigerators we gotta move these color T.V.'s.
Listen here
Now that ain't workin' that's the way to do it
You play the guitar on the M.T.V.
That ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Money for nothin' and your chicks for free
Money for nothin' and the chicks for free
(Get your) Money for nothin' and chicks for free
Money for nothin' and the chicks for free (I want my, I want my MTV)
Money for nothin' and the chicks for free
"Walk of Life" es un homenaje al cantante estadounidense Johnny Mathis.
WALK OF LIFE
YOUR LATEST TRICK
Cerraba la cara "A" de los antiguos vinilos y casettes, una balada preciosa, que desborda ternura y belleza musical.
WHY WORRY?
"WHY WORRY?"
Baby I see this world has made you sad
Some people can be bad
The things they do, the things they say
But baby I'll wipe away those bitter tears
I'll chase away those restless fears
That turn your blue skies into grey
Why worry, there should be laughter after the pain
There should be sunshine after rain
These things have always been the same
So why worry now
Baby when I get down I turn to you
And you make sense of what I do
I know it isn't hard to say
But baby just when this world seems mean and cold
Our love comes shining red and gold
And all the rest is by the way
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
RIDE ACROSS THE RIVER
"RIDE ACROSS THE RIVER"
I'm a soldier of freedom in the army of man
We are the chosen, we're the partisan
The cause it is noble and the cause it is just
We are ready to pay with our lives if we must
Gonna ride across the river deep and wide
Ride across the river to the other side
I'm a soldier of fortune, I'm a dog of war
And we don't give a damn who the killing is for
It's the same old story with a different name
Death or glory, it's the killing game
Gonna ride across the river deep and wide
Ride across the river to the other side
Nothing gonna stop them as the day follows the night
Right becomes wrong, the left becomes the right
And they sing as they march with their flags unfurled
Today in the mountains, tomorrow the world
Gonna ride across the river deep and wide
Ride across the river to the other side
THE MAN´S TOO STRONG
"THE MAN´S TOO STRONG"
I'm just and ageing drummer boy
And in the wars I used to play
And I've called the tune
To many a torture session
Now they say I am a war criminal
And I'm fading away
Father please hear my confession
I have legalised robbery
Called it a belief
I have run with the money
And hid like a theif
I have re-written history
With my armies and my crooks
Invented memories
I did burn all the books
And I can still hear his laughter
And I can still hear his song
The man's too big
The man's too strong
Well I have tried to be meek
And I have tried to be mild
But I spat like a woman
And sulked like a child
I have lived behind walls
That have made me alone
Striven for peace
Which I have never known
And I can still hear his laughter
And I can still hear his song
The man's too big
The man's too strong
Well the sun rose on the courtyard
And they all did hear him say
'You always were a Judas
But I got you anyway
You may have got your silver
But I swear upon my life
Your sister gave me diamonds
And I gave them to your wife'
Oh father please help me
For I have done wrong
The man's too big
The man's too strong
ONE WORLD
"ONE WORLD"
Can't find no sleeves for my records
Can't get no laces for my shoes
Can't get no fancy notes
On my blue guitar
Can't get no antidote for blues
Can't find the reasons for your actions
Or I don't much like the reasoning you use
Somehow your motives are impure
Or somehow I can't find the cure
Can't find no antidote for blues
They say it's mostly vanity
That writes the plays we act
They tell me that's what everybody knows
There's no such thing as sanity
And that's the sanest fact
That's the way the story goes
Can't get no remedy on my TV
There's nothing but the same old news
They can't find a way to be
One world in harmony
Can't get no antidote for blues
Es uno de los discos más importantes de mi vida por varios motivos y en muchos niveles.
En primer lugar porque es un "discazo" musicalmente hablando.
Y seguidamente por lo afectivo.Fue un disco que tuvo mucha difusión masiva en su momento, lo escuchábamos en la radio, lo bailábamos en la discoteca y en las fiestas familiares o cumpleaños de amigos.
Por aquel entonces yo daba fiestas en casa, había comprado el disco de vinilo y no faltaba ni un sólo tema en mis sesiones de dj casero.
Mi abuela se quedó siempre con el recuerdo de aquellos días en que me reunía con mis amigos en casa, y además le gustaba de por sí muchísimo la voz y la guitarra de Mark Knopfler y las canciones del disco en general, especialmente las más suaves.Con el correr de los años, escuchábamos el disco juntos y siempre me decía que recordaba con nostalgia aquella época en que yo tenía esos jóvenes catorce años.
Pasó el tiempo y cuando yo ya era un adulto padre de dos hijos, año 2000, mi abuelita cayó enferma y fue hospitalizada.Siempre había sido una persona jovial y sobre todo muy activa, de modo que cuando su cerebro dejó de responder fue un gran shock para todos.
Un día llevo mi discman con "Brothers in arms" ya en formato de cd...
Mi abuela ya no podía hablar y casi todo el tiempo no nos reconocía ni a nosotros.Me acuerdo que le coloqué los auriculares, puse play seleccionando canciones como "Why worry" y "Brothers in arms", las más suaves...y a esa abuelita cuya cabeza estaba ya en otra parte se le dibujó una sonrisa de oreja a oreja.
Fue la última vez que la vi sonreír.
Estuve años sin poder escuchar éste disco completo.Aún hoy mis ojos se humedecen demasiado.
BROTHERS IN ARMS
"BROTHERS IN ARMS"
These mist covered mountains
Are a home now for me
But my home is the lowlands
And always will be
Someday 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 battle 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 are fools to make war
On our brothers in arms
PROGRAMA
(Todas las canciones son compuestas por Mark Knopfler excepto donde se indica.) Las duraciones de las canciones en la versión LP difieren de las del formato CD debido a las limitaciones del medio.
"So Far Away" – 5:12 (3:59 en LP)
"Money for Nothing" (Knopfler/Sting) – 8:26 (7:04 en LP)
"Walk of Life" – 4:12 (4:07 en LP)
"Your Latest Trick" – 6:33 (4:46 en LP)
"Why Worry" – 8:31 (5:22 en LP)
"Ride Across the River" – 6:58
"The Man's Too Strong" – 4:40
"One World" – 3:40
"Brothers in Arms" – 6:55
PERSONAL
Mark Knopfler: guitarra y voz
John Illsley: bajo y coros
Alan Clark: teclados
Guy Fletcher: teclados y coros
Terry Williams: batería
Jack Sonni: guitarra
MÚSICOS ADICIONALES
Michael Brecker: saxofón
Randy Brecker: sección de vientos
Malcolm Duncan: saxofón tenor
Omar Hakim: batería
Neil Jason: bajo
Tony Levin: bajo
Jimmy Maelen: percusión
Michael Mainieri: coros
Dave Plews: sección de vientos
Sting: Segunda Voz en "Money for Nothing"