Artist: Dire Straits
Album: Brothers In Arms
Label: Vertigo (UK) / Warner Bros. (US)
Released: May 1985
UK Top 100 Albums: 1
US Billboard 200: 1
Produced: Neil Dorfsman & Mark Knopfler
File Under: Overblown adult rock for the masses.
🎧 Listening Status
Never darkened my earlobes with the whole album.
Yes, I know the hits — Walk of Life, Money for Nothing, all that jazz. But I’ve never listened to the whole album, front to back. Until now.
Back in the day, this record was inescapable. Everyone from your cousin to your nan seemed to own it. Awards, airplay, CD sales through the roof — the full shebang. I loathed it by default. The sheer abundance of it irritated me beyond belief. But, in the spirit of fair play, it’s finally time to give it a proper go.
🔎 Background
By 1985, Mark Knopfler was lurking on my personal musical enemies list — not quite in Michael Jackson or Phil Collins territory, but he was getting there. And Brothers in Arms was his masterstroke. A behemoth of a record. Polished, successful, and smugly sitting at number one while I cowered in my bedroom with The Smiths, The Fall and Cabaret Voltaire.
The truth? I hated it before even hearing it. But maybe — just maybe — 2025 ears will hear something different.
▶️ Track by Track
1. So Far Away
The opening single. A gentle shuffle of a tune — surprisingly likeable. A little country bounce, pristine production, and I even enjoy the drums (what’s happening to me?).
Clocking in at five minutes, it never offends. Was this the lockdown anthem of 2020? Knopfler, the prophet?
2. Money For Nothing
You know it. Sting wants his MTV. That guitar intro creeps in like a rock and roll thunderstorm — then, BAM. That riff. I’ll say it — I got goosebumps. Not kidding. I was shocked myself. Yes, I’ve spent years mocking this song. But in the full album context? It’s magnificent. Did I really just write that? Wow!
The interplay between Knopfler’s gravel and Sting’s falsetto? Works a treat. That extended outro? Glorious. I was not ready for this emotional betrayal. Wow… just wow!
3. Walk Of Life
You couldn’t escape it. Radio 1 had this on repeat like it was the law. It still amuses me to this day that Radio 1 used to play stuff like this. Their embarrassing past!
Bouncy, bright, and deeply irritating… and yet, not nearly as annoying as I remember. Catchy as hell. This really isn’t too bad at all. I can’t believe I’m enjoying these songs, given how much I loathed them when I was 16.
That “woo hoo” bit still grates, but this is undeniable pop craftsmanship. I hate that I don’t hate it more!
4. Your Latest Trick
Sax. So much sax. Eighties sax. It goes on and on — did the late Michael Brecker pass out mid-solo? Or all that blowing send the poor bloke to an early grave? Even more incredible, this made the charts. Hitting the heady heights of number 26. But, it was the final single from the album.
Smooth jazz meets midnight ITV drama vibes. A cover of the sax solo was used as the theme tune for an obscure 80’s Hong Kong legal drama, Files Of Justice, fact fans!
Oddly comforting and vaguely forgettable. Feels like a mid-album palate cleanser that overstays its welcome. I sighed a sense of relief when it was finally over.
5. Why Worry
And now, the dreaded album track slog begins. Eight minutes of mellow melancholy. Yes, the musicianship is lush — but it just drags. Seriously, really drags.
The title becomes ironic. I worry plenty — mostly about making it to the end. It’s beautiful (ok, I’m being a little generous here), but lifeless. Just how I envisaged some of the hardcore album tracks would sound like.
6. Ride Across The River
Pan pipes? Who the heck ordered PAN PIPE???. And then trumpets, shakers, odd ambient textures. It’s trying something — but it plods along like a soundtrack to a forgotten eco-documentary.
Atmospheric, sure, but utterly lost in itself. Look, let’s face facts, the album tracks are slow and boring. Sure, plenty of craft but they drone on making me lose the will to live.
I need some injection! A beat, something to stir the loins of my ears. That thrilling riff to Money For Nothing, seems an awful long time ago.
7. The Man’s Too Strong
That injection this album desperately needs is not here. Another melancholy song.
Acoustic strums. Country leanings. A bit of drama. Hints at something heavier but never fully commits. Knopfler’s delivery feels detached. Pleasant but forgettable.
8. One World
Roll the drums cos the drums are back! That injection is here. A fast song! Knew you had one more in you, Mr Knopfler!
Finally, some energy. Only three and a half minutes — a rare treat! Punchier than expected, and though it doesn’t blow me away, I admire the brevity and pace. Bonus points for those cracking drums.
9. Brothers In Arms
The title track. I wanted to hate this. I really did. Well I still do if truth be told but it does bring back some rather fond memories. I remember it playing endlessly at the Cambridge snooker club — all moody synths and brooding guitars.
I think the whole album was playing as I missed pot after pot but this is the one I remember vividly.
And it still drags. However, nostalgia has softened the blow. I still wouldn’t choose to listen to it, but I no longer actively want to throw chalk at the speakers. Which is a result of sorts.
Closing Thoughts
So… am I a Brothers in Arms convert? Not quite. But there were far more enjoyable moments than expected. The full version of Money for Nothing is a revelation. So Far Away is disarmingly pleasant.
That said, the middle section of the album is a trudge — and while I respect the production and musicianship, I’m not rushing back for another spin.
But hey — I gave it a fair shot. And I’m glad I did.
🎸 Sleeve Notes
🏆 A Grammy… 21 years later
Brothers in Arms finally bagged a Grammy in 2006 — not for songwriting or performance, but for Best Surround Sound Album. Proof that pristine production never goes out of style.
🥁 Enter Omar Hakim
When the original drum tracks didn’t quite cut it, Omar Hakim was flown in. He re-recorded most of the album’s drums in just two days, bringing a slick, precise feel to the sessions.
💿 Chart-topping and radio-friendly
Five of the nine tracks became UK Top 30 singles, including Money for Nothing and Walk of Life. A rare blend of guitar virtuosity and mainstream appeal.
📼 CD pioneer
At the time, this was the biggest-selling compact disc album ever — thanks in part to its audiophile-level clarity, which made it a must-have for early CD collectors.
The Listening Log 
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