Dire Straits, Brothers in Arms - A Classical Musician’s First Listen and Reaction

Vlad tells me that the album ”Brothers in Arms” topped the charts for weeks on end and, although he says the album contained several iconic songs, he chose for me this title piece. Since I have never listened to Dire Straits, I have no idea about the other songs on the album but, listening to this one, I can understand why the album stayed at the top for such a long time.

Here’s the link to the original song:

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Amy Shafer, LRSM, FRSM, RYC, is a classical harpist, pianist, and music teacher, Director of Piano Studies and Assistant Director of Harp Studies for The Harp School, Inc., holds multiple degrees in harp and piano performance and teaching, and is active as a solo and collaborative performer. With nearly two decades of teaching experience, she teaches privately, presents masterclasses and coaching sessions, and has performed and taught in Europe and USA.

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Credits: Music written and performed by Dire Straits

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[VirginRock]

Hi everyone! Please drop under this comment your questions ONLY! I will do my best to answer them all!

[Rockhopper]

I am a veteran and I can't listen to this without being in tears, it speaks to me, it's one song that if played in a bar all the veterans stop talking and go quiet, and they cry openly. It's one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written. Its played at the National Memorial Aboretum in the UK when over a thousand veterans on bikes arrive, and the place just goes quiet. Thank you for being kind and considerate listening to this, I appreciate it,

[eddouglas]

Mark's voice tells the story. The guitar expresses the pain.

[MrIndisponente]

The brilliance in this song is the lack of unnecessary notes. Every guitar note has meaning and empowers this song.

[garylane]

Mark Knopfler is one of the greatest guitar players ever. He can create so much emotion with his guitar is it almost unbelievable.

[edwardrutledge]

Mark Knopfler is rock royalty, not the flamboyant, hyperkinetic, overreaching sort, rather the thoughtful, controlled, wonderfully talented musician kind. His canon is worth a deeper dive.

[dpHammer]

Absolutely, one of the greatest songs ever written. Utterly genius.

[ivormiler]

It's one of the best songs ever written and sang by a genius

[Gammalgubbe]

As a veteran….. who misses a lot of good fellows…..
It’s a masterpiece…. One of the biggest in the last 50 years. Thanks for your comments because it makes me love this song even more. Big hug from Sweden

[viktoryurchenko]

Thank you from Ukraine.
Can't listen to this song without tears now. It excavates so much inside pain however I try to block or hide it.

[barrypartington]

This lady is very perceptive. She picked up all the nuances almost immediately and her comments were all spot on. Kudos to her!

[wasp]

Written during the 1982 Falklands War, "Brothers in Arms" deals with the senselessness of war. In 2007, the 25th anniversary of the war, Knopfler recorded a new version of the song at Abbey Road Studios to raise funds for British veterans who he said "are still suffering from the effects of that conflict."

The seas shown in the video are depictions of the South Atlantic and the mountains are the ones in the Falklands, which saw some of thw fiercest battles.

[markdavids]

This song is a masterpiece & makes hard men cry.

[chrissmith]

One of the most beautiful songs ever written. Period.

[andrewpurcell]

Brothers in Arms is a modern masterpiece...Mark Knopfler at his greatest. The power of the emotion in his guitar overwhelms...

[mattmathai]

Mark Knopfler is perhaps the most emotional guitar player I've heard. And his voice, while not a great one by conventional measures, is perfect for the music he makes

[paulegerton]

This song is a masterclass of understatement. The gaps between the guitar notes, marks trademark almost spoken voice. I can’t listen to this song without getting tears in my eyes.

[nightthornkvala]

This was written in answer to the Falklands War. It's from the POV of a mortally wounded soldier whose Brothers in Arms won't leave him while he still has breath in his body, even if it puts them in danger on the battlefield. Incredibly moving.

[jonwebb]

I am an army vet, raised in a military family. This touches me deeply, bringing me to tears.
I appreciate this classical musician hearing so much and bringing us along.

[johnmacom]

I always loved Mark's quote that "once you have nothing left to say (with the vocal) you let the guitar do the talking."