Jeff’s Playlist: Brothers in Arms

Another fine album by Dire Straits. This is their fifth stu­dio record­ing, and the great gui­tar work by Mark Knopfler con­tin­ues. Musical con­trib­u­tors include the Brecker Brothers on horns, Tony Levin on bass, Mike Mainieri on per­cus­sion, and Sting on vocals for “Money for Nothing.” This is an MTV video clas­sic, and I got a real kick out of it at the time because I was wrap­ping up my career of deliv­er­ing used appli­ances in St. Paul, Minnesota.

This is the fifth of six Dire Straits stu­dio albums.  Next week’s finale: On Every Street.

Album Information

All songs by Mark Knopfler except where noted.

1.         “So Far Away”                                                 3:59
2.         “Money for Nothing” (Mark Knopfler, Sting)    7:04
3.         “Walk of Life”                                                   4:12
4.         “Your Latest Trick”                                          4:46
5.         “Why Worry”                                                    5:22
6.         “Ride Across the River”                                  6:58
7.         “The Man’s Too Strong”                                 4:40
8.         “One World”                                                    3:40
9.         “Brothers in Arms”                                          6:59

Mark Knopfler – gui­tars and vocals
John Illsley – bass gui­tar and vocals
Alan Clark – key­boards
Guy Fletcher – key­boards and vocals
Omar Hakim – drums
Terry Williams – drum intro on “Money for Nothing“
Michael Brecker – sax­o­phone on “Your Latest Trick“
Randy Brecker
Malcolm Duncan
Neil Jason
Tony Levin – bass on “One World“
Jimmy Maelen
Mike Mainieri
Dave Plews
Jack Sonni – gui­tar syn­the­siz­er on “The Man’s Too Strong”[citation need­ed]
Sting – vocals on “Money for Nothing”

Released    May 13, 1985
Recorded    October 1984 – February 1985
Studio         AIR, Montserrat
Length        55:11
Label          Vertigo
Producer    Neil Dorfsman Mark Knopfler