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)
The Man's Too Strong
Dire Straits Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I've called the tune to many a torching session
Now they say I am a war criminal and I'm fading away
Father, please, hear my confession
I have legalized robbery, called it belief
I have run with the money, I have hid like a thief
Rewritten history with my armies of my crooks
And I can still hear his laughter and I can still hear his song
The man's too big, the man's too strong
Well, I have tried to be meek and I have tried to be mild
But I spat like a woman and I sulked like a child
I have lived behind walls that have made me alone
Striven for peace, which I never have known
And I can still hear his laughter and I can still hear his song
The man's too big, the man's too strong
Well, the sun rose on the courtyard and they all did hear him say
You always was a Judas, but I got you anyway
You may have got your silver, but I swear upon my life
Your sister gave me diamonds and I gave them to your wife
Oh, father, please, help me for I have done wrong
The man's too big, the man's too strong
The song "The Man's Too Strong" by Dire Straits describes the confession of an aging drummer boy who has participated in wars and violent conflicts. The singer claims to have called many tunes during torching sessions and admitted to the legalization of robbery which was masked as a belief. The drummer boy has run with the money, and he hid like a thief. He has also rewritten history, invented memories, and burned books with his armies of crooks. The reality of his actions has led people to call him a war criminal, and he is now fading away. The drummer boy pleads for the father to hear his confession as he regrets his actions.
Despite his attempts to be meek and mild, the singer admits to having acted like a woman by sulking like a child in times of conflict. He has lived behind walls that have left him lonely despite his strive towards peace. The singer can still hear his laughter and song, indicating there may have been a mentor or friend that the drummer boy respected and admired, but his influence was not enough to alter his path.
The final verse shares a story where a man accuses the drummer boy of being a traitor (Judas) but managed to get to him anyway. The singer claims that the traitor may have gotten his silver, but the man got his wife's diamonds. The final plea to the father for help is a call to save the singer from the guilt of his actions. The chorus, "The man's too big, the man's too strong," refers to the realization that the singer is not big enough or strong enough to control the consequential events of his actions.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm just an aging drummer boy and in the wars I used to play
I am a veteran drummer who has played in war zones
And I've called the tune to many a torching session
I have been instrumental in starting many a violent uprising
Now they say I am a war criminal and I'm fading away
I am now being accused of committing war crimes and facing the consequences of my actions
Father, please, hear my confession
I seek forgiveness for my past wrongs and want to confess to a higher power
I have legalized robbery, called it belief
I have justified theft by claiming it is based on religious beliefs
I have run with the money, I have hid like a thief
I have stolen large sums of money and concealed my actions like a criminal
Rewritten history with my armies of my crooks
I have manipulated historical records with the help of my associates
Invented memories; I did burn all the books
I have fabricated memories and destroyed evidence to control the narrative
And I can still hear his laughter and I can still hear his song
I am haunted by the memory of someone whose strength and power I could never match
The man's too big, the man's too strong
I acknowledge the superiority of the person whose laughter and song I can still hear
Well, I have tried to be meek and I have tried to be mild
I have attempted to change my ways and be more humble and restrained
But I spat like a woman and I sulked like a child
Despite my efforts, I still behaved immaturely and irrationally
I have lived behind walls that have made me alone
I have isolated myself from others and built barriers around me
Striven for peace, which I never have known
Despite my attempts to achieve peace, I have never truly experienced it
Well, the sun rose on the courtyard and they all did hear him say
A new day dawned and people witnessed him speaking
You always was a Judas, but I got you anyway
I have betrayed others, but now I am the one who is being punished for my actions
You may have got your silver, but I swear upon my life
You may have obtained material wealth, but I swear on my life that there are more important things than money
Your sister gave me diamonds and I gave them to your wife
I accepted stolen goods from your sister and gave them to your wife as if it were my own generosity
Oh, father, please, help me for I have done wrong
I am asking for divine intervention to help me overcome my wrongdoings
The man's too big, the man's too strong
Despite my request for help, I still feel inferior to the person whose strength and power I could never match
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Mark Knopfler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind