Their first single, "Sultans of Swing", from their 1978 self-titled debut album, reached the top ten in the UK and US charts. It was followed by a series of hit singles including "Romeo and Juliet" (1981), "Private Investigations" (1982), "Twisting by the Pool" (1983), "Money for Nothing" (1985), and "Walk of Life" (1985). Their most commercially successful album, "Brothers in Arms" (1985), has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide; it was the first album to sell a million copies on compact disc (CD) and is the eighth-best-selling album in UK history. According to the Guinness Book of British Hit Albums, Dire Straits have spent over 1,100 weeks on the UK Albums Chart, the fifth most of all time.
Dire Straits' sound drew from various influences, including country, folk, the blues rock of J. J. Cale, and jazz. Their stripped-down sound contrasted with punk rock and demonstrated a roots rock influence that emerged from pub rock. There were several changes in personnel, with Mark Knopfler and Illsley being the only members who remained with the band for its whole history. After their first breakup in 1988, Mark Knopfler told Rolling Stone: "A lot of press reports were saying we were the biggest band in the world. There's not an accent then on the music, there's an accent on popularity. I needed a rest." They disbanded for good in 1995, after which Knopfler launched a solo career full-time. He has since declined numerous reunion offers.
Dire Straits were called "the biggest British rock band of the 80s" by Classic Rock magazine; their 1985–1986 world tour, which included a performance at Live Aid in July 1985, set a record in Australasia. Their final world tour from 1991 to 1992 sold 7.1 million tickets. Dire Straits won four Grammy Awards, three Brit Awards (Best British Group twice), two MTV Video Music Awards, and various other awards. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018. Dire Straits have sold between 100 and 120 million units worldwide, including 51.4 million certified units, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dire_Straits
Discography
Dire Straits (1978)
Communiqué (1979)
Making Movies (1980)
Love over Gold (1982)
Brothers in Arms (1985)
On Every Street (1991)
Kingdom Come
Dire Straits Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They don't mess with me, I'm a wild man, son
I got me my very own anti tank gun
I got a jack rabbit with it, guess he was a mean one
Yeah, I've always been a sportsman
Now, there wasn't much left when I got to him
Just lumps of fur and that was it
Guess you could say he sure took a hit, alright
Yeah, you want to see my fire power, see my collection
Cause that's my thing, man, perfection
Now I'm talking power in the barrel of a gun
I'll blow anything I want to Kingdom Come
Ba ba boom
Ba ba ba ba bomb
And I'll blow anything I want
To Kingdom Come
Yeah, all you got to do is sqeeze on the trigger
And a little bitty human get a whole lot bigger
Cause there's a time for talking and a time to shoot them down
And this mama-jama [?] don't pussy foot around, alright
Yeah, let them laugh, let them say we're strange
Me and my buddies on the rifle range
But you won't be laughing when it hits the fan
You're going to want to be a survivor, man
Yeah, you got to see my fire power, see my collection
Cause that's my thing, man, perfection
Now, I'm talking power in the barrel of a gun
I'll blow anything I want to Kingdom Come
Ba ba boom
Ba ba ba ba bomb
And I'll blow anything I want
To Kingdom Come
Ba ba ba ba boom
I say we ought to drop the bomb
Yes, and I'll blow anything I want
To Kingdom Come
"Kingdom Come" is a song by the British rock band Dire Straits. It starts with Mark Knopfler insisting that he is unafraid of anyone because he has an anti-tank gun all to himself. He talks about his fondness for hunting, specifically about how he managed to get a jackrabbit with the aforementioned weapon. He boasts about being great at shooting since he has a fiery passion for it, making him perfect for shooting anything, including people. He explains that there's a time for talking, but when it hits the fan, everyone will want to be a survivor. Therefore, he is glad he prepared his firepower since he can blow anything to "kingdom come."
The song appears to be a sarcastic comment on toxic masculinity and gun culture. Knopfler sings in character about a person who believes that the most important thing in the world is firepower. In reality, he is just a guy who is scared and has made himself believe that having a big gun makes him safe. The chorus is particularly critical of this mindset because it suggests that the singer is capable of destroying anything he wants, regardless of the consequences.
Line by Line Meaning
They don't mess with me, I'm a wild man, son
I am not afraid of anyone as I am a fierce person
I got me my very own anti tank gun
I own an anti-tank gun for my protection
I got a jack rabbit with it, guess he was a mean one
I have used the gun to kill a jackrabbit that was known to be aggressive
Yeah, I've always been a sportsman
I have always been passionate about hunting
Now, there wasn't much left when I got to him
The jackrabbit was completely damaged due to my gunshot
Them big old shells didn't just go through him
The shells I shot from my anti-tank gun were powerful enough to cause extensive damage
Just lumps of fur and that was it
All that remained of the jackrabbit was just its fur after I shot it with my gun
Guess you could say he sure took a hit, alright
The jackrabbit was badly injured due to my gunshot
Now I'm talking power in the barrel of a gun
My gun is extremely powerful and can cause severe damage
I'll blow anything I want to Kingdom Come
I can destroy anything with my gun
And I'll blow anything I want to Kingdom Come
I am capable of destroying anything
Yeah, all you got to do is sqeeze on the trigger
All I need to do is pull the trigger to use my gun
And a little bitty human get a whole lot bigger
My gun has the power to cause great harm to a small human
Cause there's a time for talking and a time to shoot them down
There are times when talking does not solve problems and action is required
And this mama-jama [?] don't pussy foot around, alright
I am not afraid to take action and confront someone if needed
Yeah, let them laugh, let them say we're strange
People might ridicule me and my friends for our passion for guns and hunting
Me and my buddies on the rifle range
My friends and I practice shooting at the rifle range
But you won't be laughing when it hits the fan
People will regret not taking our passion for guns seriously when they need it for their own survival
You're going to want to be a survivor, man
In times of crisis, people will want to learn survival skills
I say we ought to drop the bomb
I suggest using a bomb for greater destruction
Contributed by Asher K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.