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)
Lions
Dire Straits Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Starlings are sweeping around crazy shoals
A girl is there high heeling across the square
Wind blows around in her hair and the flaqs upon the poles
Waiting in the crowd to cross at the light
She looks around to find a face she can like
Church bell clinging on trying to get a crowd for Evensong
They're all in the station praying for trains
Congregation late again
It's getting darker all the time these flagpole days
Drunk old soldier he gives her a fright
He's crazy lion howling for a fight
Strap hanging gunshot sound
Doors slamming on the overground
Starlings are tough but the lions are made of stone
Her evening paper is horror torn
But there's hope later for Capricorns
Her lucky stars give her just enough to get her home
Then she's reading about a swing to the right
But she's thinking about a stranger in the night
I'm thinking about the lions tonight
What happened to the lions
The lyrics to Dire Straits' song "Lions" paint a picture of a bustling city, filled with people and activity. The first verse describes a girl walking through the square, her hair blowing in the wind as she looks for someone to connect with. The second verse shifts to the church, where the bells are ringing for Evensong, but nobody seems to care. Meanwhile, the congregation is late for the trains and the days are getting darker. In the third verse, the focus is on the sounds of the city, with gunshots ringing out and doors slamming on the overground. The starlings may be tough, but the lions are made of stone. The girl reads a horror-torn paper, but her lucky stars guide her home. Despite this, she's still thinking about the lions.
The lyrics appear to be a commentary on the state of modern society, where people are disconnected and don't seem to care about the things that matter. The church bells may be ringing, but nobody is listening, and the trains are running late. Meanwhile, violence is prevalent and people are just trying to get home safely. The lions may represent a bygone era, a time when people stood tall and fought for what they believed in. The girl may be searching for someone like that, but in the end, all she finds is a horror-filled paper and a swing to the right.
Line by Line Meaning
Red sun go down way over dirty town
A description of the sun setting over a city, implying a sense of darkness and grime.
Starlings are sweeping around crazy shoals
Birds flying around in a chaotic manner, reflecting the chaos of the city.
A girl is there high heeling across the square
A woman walking in high heels, possibly trying to escape or navigate the chaos around her.
Wind blows around in her hair and the flags upon the poles
The wind is blowing, causing the woman's hair and the flags to move and creating a sense of movement in the scene.
Waiting in the crowd to cross at the light
The woman is waiting to cross the street along with other commuters in the crowded city.
She looks around to find a face she can like
The woman is searching for someone she can connect with and find comfort in within the city.
Church bell clinging on trying to get a crowd for Evensong
A church bell ringing in an attempt to bring people together for a religious service.
Nobody cares to depend to depend upon the chime it plays
The people in the city are indifferent towards the church bell and its message, possibly highlighting a lack of faith or disinterest in religion.
They're all in the station praying for trains
People are waiting at the train station, relying on trains to take them where they need to go.
Congregation late again
People are running late, possibly indicating a rushed and stressful lifestyle in the city.
It's getting darker all the time these flagpole days
The days seem to be getting drearier and more difficult as time passes, perhaps due to the struggles of living in the city.
Drunk old soldier he gives her a fright
A drunk man startles the woman, portraying the potential dangers of living in a city and the fear that one may feel.
He's crazy lion howling for a fight
The man is like a wild animal, aggressive and unpredictable, embodying the brutality of the city.
Strap hanging gunshot sound
A sound resembling that of a gunshot, possibly indicating violence or danger in the city.
Doors slamming on the overground
Noisy train doors closing shut, adding to the chaotic environment of the city.
Starlings are tough but the lions are made of stone
Although the birds in the city may be resilient, they cannot match the strength and power of the city itself.
Her evening paper is horror torn
The news that the woman receives in the evening is distressing and possibly violent in nature.
But there's hope later for Capricorns
The mention of Capricorns provides a sense of hope and optimism for the future, possibly alluding to the possibility of change or better times ahead.
Her lucky stars give her just enough to get her home
The woman remains hopeful due to believing in luck and the possibility of things working out in her favor.
Then she's reading about a swing to the right
The woman is reading about a political shift, perhaps indicating a change on the horizon.
But she's thinking about a stranger in the night
Despite the news and chaos of the city, the woman's mind is preoccupied with thoughts of someone she doesn't know yet, providing her with a sense of hope and joy amidst the darkness of the city.
I'm thinking about the lions tonight
The artist is reflecting on the lion imagery, perhaps contemplating on the strength and power of the city or the potential dangers that surround them.
What happened to the lions
The singer is left pondering on the state of the city and what has caused it to become so chaotic and brutal.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARK KNOPFLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@muff.t2780
Hi sprocket580. Sounds like we were at our peak at the the same time. 77/78.
Lived in an appalling flat in Dundee, with a shared outside loo!!
( I don't want to talk about it ) lol.
Eating my usual supper. Cauliflower and ham, washed down with Martini and lemonade. Writing a letter to my English girlfriend whilst watching The Old Grey Whistle Test.
Remember telling her about this new band called Dire Straits and how they sounded pretty good!!
We are still together, think she still has the letter!
Take care of yourself and stay safe in these troubled times.
Regards.
Muff.t
@taniaarena7924
Red sun go down way over dirty town
Starlings are sweeping around crazy shoals
A girl is there high heeling across the square
Wind blows around in her hair and the flaqs upon the poles
Waiting in the crowd to cross at the light
She looks around to find a face she can like
Church bell clinging on trying to get a crowd for Evensong
Nobody cares to depend to depend upon the chime it plays
They're all in the station praying for trains
Congregation late again
It's getting darker all the time these flagpole days
Drunk old soldier he gives her a fright
He's crazy lion howling for a fight
Strap hanging gunshot sound
Doors slamming on the overground
Starlings are tough but the lions are made of stone
Her evening paper is horror torn
But there's hope later for Capricorns
Her lucky stars give her just enough to get her home
Then she's reading about a swing to the right
But she's thinking about a stranger in the night
I'm thinking about the lions tonight
What happened to the lions
@bradmonium1
I‘m thinking about the lions tonight
What happened to the lions
I’ll tell you what happened, bro
Dogged Dan had his blue and silver ready to a man,
when the 3rd quarter began
Yeah, those men were made of stone,
and in Q4 they carried the rock to the end zone
And no ring tone for Toney, who dropped the chance,
to be delivered by a horrified Mahomes
Andy panicked with three TOs
and the champs fell on their face in their own place
TALKIN BOUT THE LIONS…
@sprocket580
This is my favorite dire straights song. Remember I would listen to their first album every night falling to sleep on cassette. My girlfriend back then bought me a really nice cassette player for Christmas. We were going to be married but things felI apart. First time I ever was cheated on. I was a young man back then with a whole life ahead of him . I'm well into my second half of life. Lived a blessed life and wouldn't trade it for anything. Listening to this song brings me back to those days. Back when your whole life was before you, exciting. Never seen that girl again. Wish I could talk to her one last time to say I forgive her. That's what this song is for me, a reminder when I was a young lion.
@igigbgahdjdjd
I'm really sorry
@sprocket580
@@igigbgahdjdjd no need to be sorry my friend, life has its path and i believe we go down the one we're suppose to. All we can do is try and live our lives to the best of our ability. Enjoy your youth. If you do your best you will remember it fondly like i do.
@dhammdeepbhagatdd
@@sprocket580 that's the spirit. 🤘🤘
@muff.t2780
Hi sprocket580. Sounds like we were at our peak at the the same time. 77/78.
Lived in an appalling flat in Dundee, with a shared outside loo!!
( I don't want to talk about it ) lol.
Eating my usual supper. Cauliflower and ham, washed down with Martini and lemonade. Writing a letter to my English girlfriend whilst watching The Old Grey Whistle Test.
Remember telling her about this new band called Dire Straits and how they sounded pretty good!!
We are still together, think she still has the letter!
Take care of yourself and stay safe in these troubled times.
Regards.
Muff.t
@RichM0410
Thanks for sharing. Times in life that we remember forever.
@highschoolbigshot
The starlings are tough but the lions are made of stone that line has been stuck in my head since 1979
@ivananthony1663
16, stoned, and this number on the turntable, man the knees still twitch on hearing this one 😂😂 good old days. No care in the world.
@mikem3841
Just my opinion, but no guitarist holds a candle to MK. His Strat sound is divine. Greetings from NZ.
@1913monroe
cry or sing