Mark Freuder Knopfler, OBE (born 12 August 1949) is a British singer, guita… Read Full Bio ↴Mark Freuder Knopfler, OBE (born 12 August 1949) is a British singer, guitarist, composer, songwriter, record producer, and film score composer. He was the lead guitarist, lead singer, and songwriter for the rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded with his younger brother, David Knopfler, in 1977. He was born in Glasgow but raised near Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

Since Dire Straits disbanded in 1995, Knopfler has recorded and produced nine solo albums and, as with his previous band, produced many hit songs. He has composed and produced film scores for nine films, including Local Hero (1983), Cal (1984), The Princess Bride (1987), Wag the Dog (1997) and Altamira (2016).

In addition to his work with Dire Straits, Knopfler has, as a solo artist, recorded and performed with many prominent musicians, including B.B. King, Chet Atkins, Chris Botti, John Anderson, the Chieftains, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Bryan Ferry, George Jones, Phil Lynott, Donal Lunny, Van Morrison, Steely Dan, Sting, Emmylou Harris , James Taylor and Sonny Landreth , sometimes working as a session musician. He has produced albums for Tina Turner, Bob Dylan, and Randy Newman.

Knopfler is a fingerstyle guitarist and was ranked 27th on Rolling Stone's list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Knopfler and Dire Straits have sold in excess of 120 million records to date. A four-time Grammy Award winner, Knopfler is the recipient of the Edison Award, the Steiger Award and the Ivor Novello Award, as well as holding three honorary doctorate degrees in music from universities in the United Kingdom. Knopfler was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Dire Straits in 2018.

Vic and Ray
Mark Knopfler Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

A dirty motor with London plates
Sitting in the gutter outside your silent gates
Vic and Ray, Vic and Ray
Vic and Ray, Vic and Ray

Come to daddy baby, what is it worth
Come to daddy, the scum of the crying earth
Vic and Ray, Vic and Ray

Vic and Ray, Vic and Ray

Laughing at each other's pain
They run the heater in the morning rain
This'll pay the rent around the world
want to buy a picture of a girl

Christmas morning, there they are
Two rent boys wishing on a shining star

Vic and Ray, Vic and Ray
Vic and Ray, Vic and Ray

Overall Meaning

The song "Vic and Ray" by Mark Knopfler is a haunting tale of two hustlers or rent boys who are trying to survive in the streets of London. The lyrics of the song paint a vivid picture of the rough and dangerous life that they lead. The first two lines of the song “A dirty motor with London plates, Sitting in the gutter outside your silent gates” sets the tone for the rest of the song – the motor is a metaphor for their desperation, and the London plates suggest both their location and their nationality.

The refrain, “Vic and Ray” is repeated throughout the song as if to emphasize the intertwined nature of their relationship. The verses describe how they try to make a living by selling themselves to “the scum of the crying earth” (i.e. other desperate souls), and how they cope with the hardships of their existence, laughing at each other’s pain, and running the heater in the morning rain. Despite their situation, they still cling to some semblance of humanity and hope, wishing on a shining star on Christmas morning.

Overall, "Vic and Ray" is a poignant commentary on the underbelly of society and the struggles of those who are often ignored or dismissed by it. Knopfler's storytelling ability and poetic lyrics make this song an unforgettable portrayal of the human struggle for survival.

Line by Line Meaning

A dirty motor with London plates
An unclean car with number plates from London

Sitting in the gutter outside your silent gates
Parked in the drain outside the closed entrance to your house

Vic and Ray, Vic and Ray
Repeatedly mentioning two characters - Vic and Ray

Come to daddy baby, what is it worth
Addressing someone to ask the value of something to them

Come to daddy, the scum of the crying earth
Asking someone of lower status to come near, referring to them as worthless beings

Laughing at each other's pain
Finding humor in each other's suffering

They run the heater in the morning rain
Using the heater to keep warm in the rainy morning weather

This'll pay the rent around the world
Earning this amount of money will be enough to pay rent anywhere globally

want to buy a picture of a girl
Desire to purchase an image of a female

Christmas morning, there they are
Depicting the characters on Christmas morning

Two rent boys wishing on a shining star
Two male prostitutes wishing upon a bright celestial body