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)
Wild West End
Dire Straits Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Checking out the movies and the magazines
Waitress she watches me crossing from the Barocco Bar
I'm getting a pickup for my steel guitar
I saw you walking out Shaftesbury Avenue
Excuse me for talking I want to marry you
This is the seventh heaven street to me
Don't be so proud
You're just another angel in the crowd
And I'm walking in he wild west end
Walking with your wild best friend
And my conductress on the number nineteen
She was a honey
Pink toenails and hands all dirty with money
Greasy hair easy smile
Made me feel nineteen for a while
And I went down to Chinatown
In the backroom it's a man's world
All the money go down
Duck inside the doorway gotta duck to eat
Right now feels alright now
You and me we can't beat
And a gogo dancing girl yes I saw her
The deejay he say here's Mandy for ya
I feel alright to see her
But she's paid to do that stuff
She's dancing high I move on by
The close ups can get rough
When you're walking in the wild west end.
The song "Wild West End" by Dire Straits depicts a night out in London's West End, where the streets are filled with energy and excitement. The singer describes his experiences as he walks through the different parts of the city, observing the people around him and being swept up in the lively atmosphere. He mentions visiting various establishments such as Angellucci's for coffee beans, the Barocco Bar, and the backroom of a Chinatown restaurant where men gamble.
The singer's attention is caught by a waitress at the Barocco Bar and a girl on the number nineteen bus, both of whom he finds attractive. He approaches the girl on Shaftesbury Avenue and tells her that he wants to marry her, though she brushes him off. The song ends with the singer watching a gogo dancing girl in a club and feeling a sense of euphoria, despite knowing that it's all part of a performance.
One interpretation of the song is that the singer is searching for a sense of connection in a city where people are constantly coming and going. He's drawn to the women he encounters, but they remain elusive and unavailable. The "wild west end" represents a place where anything can happen, but also a place where people can feel lost and alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Stepping out to Angellucci's for my coffee beans
Going out to buy coffee beans to make coffee
Checking out the movies and the magazines
Looking at movies and magazines
Waitress she watches me crossing from the Barocco Bar
The waitress from Barocco Bar is watching me cross the street
I'm getting a pickup for my steel guitar
I'm buying a pickup for my steel guitar
I saw you walking out Shaftesbury Avenue
I saw you walking on Shaftesbury Avenue
Excuse me for talking I want to marry you
Sorry for interrupting, but I want to marry you
This is the seventh heaven street to me
This is my favorite street
Don't be so proud
Don't be too proud
You're just another angel in the crowd
You are not special, just like everyone else
And I'm walking in he wild west end
I'm walking in the exciting part of town
Walking with your wild best friend
Walking with your fun and adventurous friend
And my conductress on the number nineteen
And the woman who checks tickets on the number nineteen bus I'm on
She was a honey
She was attractive
Pink toenails and hands all dirty with money
Her toenails are painted pink and her hands are dirty from handling money
Greasy hair easy smile
Her hair is greasy but she has an easy smile
Made me feel nineteen for a while
Made me feel young again for a moment
And I went down to Chinatown
I went to Chinatown
In the backroom it's a man's world
In the back room it is for men only
All the money go down
All the money is being spent
Duck inside the doorway gotta duck to eat
I have to duck to enter the doorway to eat
Right now feels alright now
Feels good right now
You and me we can't beat
The two of us can't be defeated
And a gogo dancing girl yes I saw her
And I saw a dancing girl
The deejay he say here's Mandy for ya
The DJ says 'Here's Mandy for you'
I feel alright to see her
I feel good seeing her
But she's paid to do that stuff
But she's employed to do that job
She's dancing high I move on by
She's dancing energetically and I continue walking
The close ups can get rough
The close-up shots can be intense
When you're walking in the wild west end.
When you're walking in the exciting and unpredictable part of town.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MARK KNOPFLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@davidkieltyka9
I remember often listening to this album at night with headphones on in the months after it came out. The line in this song “She made me feel 19 for awhile” always made me smile. I was 18 at the time. Now that I’m almost 63 it has a different ring to it. ☺️
@carolrademacher7002
l drive from Flint to Buffalo. I put this tape in as soon as l crossed that bridge.
@Xerothermic
My Dad loved Dire Straits this is the last song we sang together before we lost him to Cancer we sang loud and laughing when we got it wrong one of the best moments near the end
@AM-ux1nn
L
@petepotaczek5844
Tell me about it!
Same thing w/ me, I’m 55 and now a woman who makes you feel 19 again…. Magical!
@momok8896
haha cute
@marieblue
The title “Wild West End” (1978) refers to an area of London, England. Mark Knopfler moved to the capital after completing an English degree at Leeds University. Just like so many people, he enjoyed walking around the West End, always with an eye on the ladies. He spotted one distinctly attractive young woman in Shaftesbury Avenue, the very inspiration behind this song that clocks in at 4:42‼️
Another tune from the same LP, “In The Gallery” (1978), had its genesis in that same avenue, though in quite a different sort of encounter. 💚🎶💙
@MrSudeepdas
Once again thank you for the back story. The way Knopfler paints vignettes through his subtle lyrics is phenomenal.
@marieblue
@Sudeep Das Thank YOU!
@MrSudeepdas
@Marie Blue 🙏