Friday, September 20, 2024

FRIDAY MUSIC: Mark Knopfler, by JD



Some lesser known songs from MK as he explores his musical roots.

Mark Knopfler needs no introduction after a very successful career in popular music wih 'Dire Straits' 'The Notting Hillbillies' and susequently as a solo artist. He was born in Glasgow and from the age of seven he lived with his family on Tyneside. Among his lesser known solo work was an exploration of his musical roots some of which appeared on the 2009 album 'Get Lucky' and a few of those songs are included below.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Knopfler
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_Lucky_(Mark_Knopfler_album)

Mark Knopfler - Border Reiver HD - Córdoba 2010

"The Anglo-Scottish Border counties, including Northumberland, were the home to the notorious Border Reivers, the lawless clans of the border valleys, where a lifestyle of raiding and marauding was the only way to survive. The life of the Border Reiver was not necessarily ruled by his allegiance to the English or Scottish Crowns, but more likely by his allegiance to a family surname.”


Mark Knopfler - Before gas & tv

The Trawlerman's Song by Mark Knopfler

Going Home - Royal Scots Dragoon Guards & Mark Knopfler


Mark Knopfler - Piper To The End:

"This song is about Knopfler's uncle Freddie ( mother side : Frederick John Laidler ) who was a piper of the 1st Battalion, Tyneside Scottish, the Black Watch, Royal Highland Regiment. Freddie carried his pipes into action in World War II and was killed with fellow fighters at Ficheux, near Arras in the north of France in May 1940. He was just 20 years old."


Mark Knopfler - Sons Of Scotland

1 comment:

Scrobs. said...

Gorgeous music, JD...

I wanted to have 'Going Home' from the Dire Straits - Hammersith Odeon performance, 1983, as the finale to my wife's cremation service a month ago, as when the sax comes in the cheering is fantastic but listening to it several times, I realised that the lead-in was around four minutes, and I considered that staring at her coffin while really wanting to escape into the sunshine really wasn't a good option!

I wish I'd heard this version...

Thank you for all these, I'm a huge admirer of MK's fabulous guitar work!