Dire Straits Trivia

1. "Making Movies" was the third studio album from Dire Straits. What year was it released in?

From Quiz Making Movies

Answer: 1980

It was their first record released in the 1980s. It followed "Dire Straits" (1978) and "Communique" (1979). "Love over Gold" was the follow up album in 1982. The album was certified as gold or platinum in seven different countries.

From Quiz Classic Album Review: "Making Movies"

Answer: Carousel

The song opens with Roy Bittan's subtle tinkling of a few bars of "The Carousel Waltz" before his descending arpeggio introduces us to the song proper. From this point forward John Illsley and Pick Withers start building a wall of sound while Mark Knopfler fires response licks from his guitar in between a tumbling tale that tells of two "victims of the night", both "perfect strangers" and unspoken sex. And as the lovers part and the singer realises that he needs to leave the moment alone, Knopfler cleverly lets the sound descend to a moment's silence... a chance to let the listener soak it all in. You almost picture the carnival lights going dim before a single Knopfler note breaks the quiet... then come two and, with a gentle caress, he begins to build that sound into a two minute outro that cascades into a waterfall of emotional notes which spell out heartbreak and joy in a single beat until, finally, the masterstroke arrives as Bittan's piano brings in a conclusion that delivers the message that we had just borne witness to something more beautiful than a mere one-night stand. Footnotes: 1. The link aspired to in the question was that both the Carousel and the Tunnel of Love are carnival attractions. 2. "Tunnel of Love", because of its introduction, is one of only three Dire Straits songs that have a songwriting credit not solely attributed to Mark Knopfler. Question by Pollucci19

From Quiz Dire Straits: 'Brothers In Arms'

Answer: 1985

The 1980s were the heyday for the band, whose first, self-titled, album came out in 1978. The biggest hit from that album was 'Sultans of Swing', which became a hit in 1979. The 'Brothers in Arms' album was supported by a long-lasting world-wide tour, lasting from April 1985 until April 1986.

From Quiz Dire Straits Lyrics

Answer: Romeo and Juliet

From the album 'Making Movies'. (1980) 'Where you can fall for chains of silver, you can fall for chains of gold. You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold. You promised me everything. You promised me think and thin, yeah. Now you just say "Oh Romeo yeah, you know I used to have a scene with him."'

From Quiz Anatomy of a Song: "Sultans of Swing"

Answer: The south side

"South of the river you stop and you hold everything" Ordinarily, I would have told you which river this refers to, but to do so would betray another question in the quiz. So, I won't!

From Quiz How Well Do You Know Your Dire Straits?

Answer: Mark Knopfler

Mark Knopfler was born in Scotland. He now has a solo career. He is a great guitarist and songwriter. (I have seen him live; he was amazing!)

From Quiz Anatomy of a Song: "Industrial Disease"

Answer: Bette Davis

This fact is revealed when Dr Parkinson speaks: "Doctor Parkinson declared I'm not surprised to see you here You've got smokers cough from smoking Brewer's droop from drinking beer I don't know how you came to get the Bette Davis knees But worst of all young man, you've got Industrial Disease"

From Quiz Dire Straits Lyrics

Answer: Ravenous

From the song "On Every Street", from the album of the same name. The song was the third to be released from the album, but did not chart very highly in the UK - just missing the Top 40.

From Quiz Dire Straits, LEGENDS

Answer: 'Dire Straits'

The first album was fairly unsuccessful in the UK until the single 'Sultans Of Swing' took off in Holland and across Europe.

From Quiz Dire Straits - Mark Knopfler's Career

Answer: Glasgow

His family moved to Newcastle when he was very young and he was brought up there.

From Quiz Making Movies

Answer: Skateaway

"Solid Rock" reached number 56 on the Hot Rocks Tracks list, "Expresso Love" reached number 39 on the same list and "Romeo and Juliet" reached number eight on the UK charts. None of those three charted on the Hot 100 in the U.S. "Skateaway" reached number 58 on the Hot 100, 31 on the Hot Rocks list and 37 on the UK charts.

From Quiz "On Every Street" - Dire Straits

Answer: The queen

Relating to the UK miner's strike and the Battle of Orgreave, "Iron Hand" is the eighth track on the album "On Every Street". The song was written by Mark Knopfler and was first released in 1991. Knopfler commented on how much the battle reminded him of medieval times and wrote the song with this in mind. "Iron Hand" also appeared on the 1991 compilation album "Nintendo: White Knuckle Scorin'". Question by lones78.

From Quiz Classic Album Review: "Making Movies"

Answer: David Knopfler

The pressures of having to live up such a critically acclaimed debut album, which surfaced in the band's somewhat flawed second album "Communique" (1979), overflowed prior to the creation of "Making Movies". This was evident in the creative differences that separated David Knopfler from his elder brother Mark. The end result was that David walked away from the band to pursue a solo recording career, having minor success with the single "Soul Kissing" from his first album "Release", which was published in 1983. The band completed the album as a trio, though David had laid down some rhythm guitar tracks for "Making Movies"; however, these were re-recorded by Mark. Some video footage is available of David playing on tracks "Solid Rock" and "Les Boys" in concert, but these were, purportedly, recorded prior to the album. Question contributed by Pollucci19

From Quiz Dire Straits: 'Brothers In Arms'

Answer: So Far Away

'Here I am again in this mean old town; and you're so far away from me' are the opening lines of the song, which has Mark bemoaning his bad luck at being separated from her. Since he refers to her being 'in the sun, while he's in the rain, she might just be on holiday in Spain. Being stuck in a rainy UK is enough to make anyone feel bad.

From Quiz Dire Straits Lyrics

Answer: Heavy Fuel

From the album 'On Every Street'. (1991) 'Last time I was sober, man I felt bad. Worst hangover that I ever had. It took six hamburgers and Scotch all night. Nicotine for breakfast just to put me right.'

From Quiz Anatomy of a Song: "Sultans of Swing"

Answer: It's raining

Ah! But the weather is mentioned twice. "You get a shiver in the dark, It's raining in the park but meantime" and "And now you step inside but you don't see too many faces, Comin' in out of the rain you hear the jazz go down" Who'll stop the rain? "Sultans of Swing" was Dire Straits' first single release in 1979. The song reached number four in the U.S. and number eight in the U.K. The album from which the single was lifted, "Dire Straits", reached number two in the U.S. charts, and number five in the U.K. charts.

From Quiz Dire Straits Lyrics

Answer: Yo-yos

From the song "Money For Nothing", which was on the "Brothers in Arms" album. The song featured the uncredited extra vocals of Sting, and was a top 10 hit for the band.

From Quiz Dire Straits, LEGENDS

Answer: Glasgow and Newcastle

Mark was born in Glasgow but moved down to Newcastle, in the North East of England, where he was raised with brother and fellow band member David. He also spent time in Leeds before moving to London to form the band.

From Quiz Dire Straits - Mark Knopfler's Career

Answer: Teacher

He studied English literature at Leeds University, and was a junior reporter for a local paper, the "Yorkshire Evening Post", and then for a short while an Essex newspaper.

From Quiz Making Movies

Answer: United Kingdom

The album was certified platinum in the U.S. meaning it sold a million copies. It went double platinum in the UK, meaning it sold at least 1.2 million copies (they certify platinum at 600,000) The album was certified gold in Germany, meaning it sold at least 250,000 copies. It sold at least 100,000 copies in France to be certified gold there too. At the time the record was released, exact sales figures weren't reported publicly, instead data is used only from the sales certifications.

From Quiz "On Every Street" - Dire Straits

Answer: Elephant

The last couplet of the song starts with "Now don't talk to me about the POLAR BEAR // Don't talk to me about ozone layer // Ain't so much of anything these days, even the air // They're running out of RHINOS // What do I care? // Let's hear it for the DOLPHIN " I've capitalized the clue words. Alas, no elephant - it was Kamahl who sang in 1975 about the endangered elephant. Question by JanIQ.

From Quiz Classic Album Review: "Making Movies"

Answer: Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Mark Knopfler was born in Glasgow in 1949 but moved to Newcastle when he was seven and stayed until he went to college aged 19. "Tunnel of Love" mentions several Newcastle locations: The "Spanish City" is a fairground in Whitley Bay (also mentioned) located north east of the Newcastle city centre. "Cullercoats" is the train stop before Whitley Bay and the "Rockaway" is the breakwater in Cullercoat Bay. Once you know the geography the song makes sense. "Oh girl it looks so pretty to me just like it always did Like the Spanish City to me when we were kids... ...To rockaway rockaway from Cullercoats and Whitley Bay out to rockaway" "Down to The Waterline" (1979) from their debut eponymous album was another Newcastle song that told of a teenage romance. Imagine this author's surprise when in Newcastle in 2017, he came upon a stairway from the waterline to a road bridge across the Tyne with a modest rusty sign "Dog Leap Stairway" Question contributed by 1nn1

From Quiz Dire Straits: 'Brothers In Arms'

Answer: MTV

Not only do the lyrics of the 1985 single 'Money for Nothing' mention the music channel MTV, the song's video was the first one to appear on the MTV Europe channel when it launched two years later. The song is about two men discussing how music videos appear to be a good way to earn a lot of money for very little effort. The song featured guest vocals from Sting, who also received a co-writer credit.

From Quiz Dire Straits Lyrics

Answer: Brothers in Arms

From the album 'Brothers in Arms' (1985) 'There's so many different worlds. So many different suns. And we have just one world. But we live in different ones.'

From Quiz How Well Do You Know Your Dire Straits?

Answer: Communique

"Communique" didn't make a big splash, but this fan thinks it's an awesome album. There is no Dire Straits II album; both "Brothers in Arms" and "Making Movies" are later albums by Dire Straits. Some great songs from "Communique" are "Where Do You Think You're Going?" and "Portobello Belle".

From Quiz Anatomy of a Song: "Industrial Disease"

Answer: Fleas

"The watchdog's got rabies the foreman's got the fleas Everyone's concerned about Industrial Disease" I think the Foreman can still consider himself better off.

From Quiz Dire Straits Lyrics

Answer: Pretty

From "Romeo and Juliet", which was on the "Making Movies" album. This song was a top 10 hit in the UK. The song "Love Over Gold" from the following album is alleged to be the sequel to this song.

From Quiz Dire Straits, LEGENDS

Answer: 'Communique'

Jerry Wexler, Warner Bros. insisted that the band record the second album in a much more posh recording studio than the first, but he later said that he'd underestimated the potential of 'Dire Straits' saying: "It would have been a hit even if it had only been available in grocery stores"

From Quiz Dire Straits - Mark Knopfler's Career

Answer: Brewer's Droop

His main income at this time, though, was from teaching.

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