"On Every Street" - Dire Straits Quiz

Answer: Sayin' things that you didn't have to

"When It Comes To You" is a lament about a marriage or relationship gone cold. While the song is sung by a man and thus suggesting "you" is a female, there are no references to gender in the lyrics, so it could be used in any constellation. With its theme and tone, it's not much of a surprise that the song was quickly covered by a Country artist: John Anderson released his version in 1992, about six months after the original came out.

Question by WesleyCrusher.

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.

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.

Answer: I'm tryin' to place a tune

"Standin' on the corner
Of Toulouse and Dauphine
Waitin' on Marie-Ondine
I'm tryin' to place a tune
Under a Louisiana moonbeam
On the planet of New Orleans."

As with all the other songs on this album, this track was also written by Mark Knopfler. In 2001, a genus of dinosaur discovered on the island of Madagascar was named Masiakasaurus knopfleri, as a tribute to Knopfler, as the crew were fans of his music.

"On Every Street" was the sixth and final studio album by Dire Straits.

Question by zorba_scank.

Answer: The moon is hanging upside down

The last couplet of "On Every Street" starts out with
"A three-chord symphony crashes into space //
THE MOON IS HANGING UPSIDE DOWN //
I don't know why it is I'm still on the case //
It's a ravenous town."

I'm not sure what Mark Knopfler intended with this phrase that raises my eyebrows. On contemplating this statement, I'm not sure if there is an "upside down" in space. As Einstein would say, it's all relative.

Question by JanIQ.

Answer: You got my imagination working overtime

A rather bland soft rock song with forgettable words, but the guitar intro to "You and Your Friend" is beautiful, classy and very distinctive - in fact, the intro is Knopfler at his fingerstyle best. (He prefers to use his fingers rather than a plectrum, and this gives a more fluid quality to his playing).

"On Every Street" was the final album recorded by Dire Straits. Mark Knopfler continues to write and perform new work, being a highly-acclaimed movie soundtrack composer.

Question by windrush.

Answer: It took six hamburgers and scotch all night / Nicotine for breakfast just to put me right

"Heavy Fuel", the seventh track on Dire Straits' album "On Every Street" was written by Mark Knopfler. It reached number 1 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.

When Dire Straits was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018 neither Mark Knopfler nor his brother David attended, joining the ranks of those who opted not to participate in the ceremony, among them Paul McCartney, Jerry Garcia, Rod Stewart, and Joni Mitchell.

Question by pitegny.

Answer: Hound Dog

"Calling Elvis" is the first song on the Dire Straits' album "On Every Street". It is about an Elvis superfan who refuses to believe the King of Rock 'n' Roll is really dead. The lyrics make references to a number of Elvis' hits including "Heartbreak Hotel", "Don't Be Cruel", "Return to Sender" and "Love Me Tender". It even plays off of Elvis' line "Elvis has left the building" by asking "Did he leave the building".

Question by Joepetz.

Answer: But I wish I'd never been lassoed

Dire Straits didn't release 'Fade to Black' as a single along with some of the other songs on the album. It is a slow-placed moody piece in which Mark Knopfler sings a lament about the prospect of facing a partner's infidelity and the ending of the relationship. The line "But I wish I'd never been lassoed" implies regret at having started such a relationship in the first place and a later line - "I wish I'd never been tattooed" - could reflect a rather more practical problem!

Question by Fifiona81.

Answer: Stallin' me was wrong

"How long", the closing track of "On Every Street" shows strong country influences. The theme of the song and its short, simply lyrics is effectively "love me back already" with the second half being completely instrumental and ending the album on a rather sad, melancholic note.

Question by WesleyCrusher.