Brothers in Arms (album)

Infobox Album
Name = Brothers in Arms
Type = Studio
Artist = Dire Straits


Released = start date|1985|5|1
Recorded = start date|1984|11–end date|1985|3 AIR Studios, Montserrat
AIR Studios, London
Power Station, New York
Genre = Rock
Length = 55:07 (CD)
47:21 (LP)
Label = Vertigo (UK), Warner Bros. (U.S.)
Producer = Mark Knopfler, Neil Dorfsman
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kudyyl4jxpzb link]
* Robert Christgau (B-) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=dire+straits link]
* "Rolling Stone" (not rated) [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/direstraits/albums/album/301492/review/6067327/brothers_in_arms link]
Last album = "" (1984)
This album = "Brothers in Arms" (1985)
Next album = "On Every Street" (1991)|

"Brothers in Arms" is the fifth studio album by British rock band Dire Straits, in 1985. It is their most successful, especially in the States, propelled by MTV video airplay. The first half of the album is a development of their unique brand of arena rock which had evolved in their music since the 1980 album Making Movies, while the second half consists of more folk-influenced material. The whole album maintains the original Dire Straits' bluesy and laid back guitar-based sound whilst retaining a more lavish and bombastic production and overall sound. The album is the band's best selling album.

History

"Brothers in Arms" was one of the first albums to be directed at the CD market, being the first full digital recording (DDD) released, although not the first recording digitally recorded and mastered. It was also released on vinyl and cassette.

"Brothers in Arms" was the first album to sell one million copies in the CD format and to outsell its LP version. A Rykodisc staffer would subsequently write, " [In 1985 we] were fighting to get our CDs manufactured because the entire worldwide manufacturing capacity was overwhelmed by demand for a single rock title (Dire Straits' "Brothers in Arms")." [cite web |url=http://www.rykodisc.com/RykoInternal/20years/page_03.asp |title=It was 20 — or maybe not — years ago today |accessdate=2006-06-14]

It was remastered and released with the rest of the Dire Straits catalogue in 1996 for most of the world outside the U.S. and on September 19, 2000 in the United States. It was also released in Super Audio CD format on July 26 2005 and DualDisc format on August 16 2005, winning a Grammy for Best Surround Sound Album.

Accolades

In 2000 "Q" magazine placed "Brothers in Arms" at number 51 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever. RS500|351 In November 2006, the results of a national poll conducted by the public of Australia revealed their top 100 favourite albums. "Brothers in Arms" came in at number 64 (see "My Favourite Album").

As of April 30th 2008, "Brothers in Arms" was 5th on the list of best-selling albums (UK) and is the 107th best-selling album in the United States.

Track listing

All songs written by Mark Knopfler, except where indicated. The track lengths on the LP version differ from the lengths on the CD and cassette versions, due to the limitations of the medium. The full tracks would not all fit on one side of vinyl. (This was one of the first rock albums where the CD was longer than the LP.)

# "So Far Away" – 5:12
# "Money for Nothing" (Knopfler, Sting) – 8:26
# "Walk of Life" – 4:12
# "Your Latest Trick" – 6:33
# "Why Worry" – 8:31
# "Ride Across the River" – 6:58
# "The Man's Too Strong" – 4:40
# "One World" – 3:40
# "Brothers in Arms" – 6:59

ongs

ide 1

"Money for Nothing" was one of the pioneering songs and music videos of the MTV era. It is the only Dire Straits song on a studio album to not be solely written by Mark Knopfler. Sting was given a co-writing credit because the vocal hook, "I want my MTV" is the same melody as The Police's 'Don't Stand So Close To Me'.

"Walk of Life" was a number 2 hit for the band in the UK in early 1986 and a number 7 hit in the US later that year. The song was nearly left off the album, but was included after the band out voted producer Neil Dorfsman.

ide 2

The second side of the album (from "Ride Across the River" to "Brothers in Arms") are lyrically focused on the guerrilla wars in El Salvador and Nicaragua of the 1980s. The title of the album inspired by a conversation in which Knopfler's father remarked. "We shouldn't be at war with our brothers in arms". This conversation is said to have taken place at the time of the Falklands conflict, though Mark Knopfler has denied the two have a direct link.

"Ride Across the River" built on an off-beat rhythm, it uses immersive Latin American rain forest imagery, accompanied by pan flute and eerie background noises to allude to the elements of guerilla warfare.

LP Shortened Versions

A few songs from the album were shortened for the LP. These songs are the following:

*"So Far Away" from 5:12 to 3:59
*"Money for Nothing" from 8:26 to 7:04
*"Your Latest Trick" from 6:33 to 4:46
*"Why Worry?" – 8:31 to 5:22

"Why Worry?" was covered by Art Garfunkel on his 1993 album, Up 'til Now.

Cover

The guitar featured on the album cover is a National Style 0 Resonator. The Style 0 line of guitars was introduced in 1930 and discontinued in 1941.

References in popular culture

The album is referenced in the Stephen Malkmus song "Jenny and the Ess-Dog". The lyrics read "Kiss when they listen/to "Brothers in Arms"/if there's something wrong with this/they don't see the harm"

Personnel

Band Personnel

*Mark Knopfler: guitar, vocals
*John Illsley: bass, vocals
*Alan Clark: keyboards
*Guy Fletcher: keyboard, vocals
*Terry Williams: drums

Additional Personnel

*Omar Hakim: drums
*Jack Sonni: guitar
*Michael Brecker: saxophone
*Randy Brecker: horn
*Malcolm Duncan: tenor saxophone
*Neil Jason: bass
*Tony Levin: bass
*Jimmy Maelen: percussion
*Michael Mainieri: background vocals
*Dave Plews: horn
*Sting: vocals on "Money for Nothing"

According to a recent "Sound on Sound" magazine interview with the co-producer/engineer of the album, Neil Dorfsman, then permanent drummer Terry Williams' performance was found to be unsuitable for the desired sound of the album during the first month of the recording sessions. He was therefore temporarily replaced by one of the most popular jazz session drummers of the time, Omar Hakim, who recorded the whole album's drum parts in two days and then left. [ [http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may06/articles/classictracks_0506.htm CLASSIC TRACKS: Dire Straits 'Money For Nothing' ] ] Terry Williams' only contribution is the improvised crescendo at the beginning of "Money for Nothing". Everything else features Hakim's drumming, although Williams would be back in the band for the music videos and the tour.

Charts

The album was a hit for the group. In the US, propelled by the success of #1 single "Money For Nothing", the album also reached the #1 spot on the "Billboard" 200 and remained to the top for nine weeks. In the UK, thanks to a string of Top 10 hits, the album also easily hit #1 on the UK Albums Chart. "Brothers in Arms" topped the Australian albums chart for 34 (non-consecutive) weeks. "Brothers In Arms" is 2nd album with most weeks at number-one in ARIA Albums Chart. The album topped the charts in 24 countries: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Yugoslavia, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Norway, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey, UK and U.S..In the UK Albums Chart, Brothers in Arms has been 228 weeks. [http://www.chartstats.com/albuminfo.php?id=5972] . In Australia, Brothers in Arms was the biggest selling album in 1985 and the second best selling album in 1986 behind Whitney Houston omonimous album.

Album

Certifications

References

succession box
before = "Songs from the Big Chair"
by Tears for Fears
title = "Billboard" 200 number-one album
years = August 31 1985 – November 1 1985
after = "Miami Vice I" by Various Artistssuccession box
before = "Hits 2" by Various Artists
"Born in the U.S.A." by Bruce Springsteen
"Now That's What I Call Music 6" by Various Artists
title = UK number one album
years = May 25, 1985 – June 7, 1985
August 3, 1985 – August 16, 1985
January 18, 1986 – March 28, 1986
after = "Our Favourite Shop" by The Style Council
"Now That's What I Call Music 5" by Various Artists
"Hits 4" by Various Artistssuccession box
before = "No Jacket Required" by Phil Collins
title = Australian Kent Music Report number-one album
years = May 27 - June 30 1985
July 29 - October 13 1985
October 28 - December 15 1985
February 3 1986 – April 20 1986
after = "Be Yourself Tonight" by Eurythmics