Playtime deluxe

[Love Expresso]

I think 5.15am or Basil are worth to be called Masterpieces. So he is still able to deliver. Although it gets thinner year after year.

LE

[Rail King]

I love this.

Yes, it's traditional, but Mark always had songs like that (Eastbound Train wasn't anything new, either), ALONG with truly outstanding songwriting. Traditional music has informed his more inventive stuff, and vice versa he was alway able to add his magic touch to traditional songs, like he does here.

I disagree that there have been less "great" songs lately. Songs like Silver Eagle, Lights of Taormina, Red Bud Tree or Seattle are among his all-time best, including the Dire Straits period. I also disagree that he's less of a songwriter than a guitar player. Just try to think of a BETTER songwriter than he is. Can you? I can't.

This track is pure fun, and I don't even care whether it'll end up on an album (along with some masterpieces, I'm sure) or not. This version is so good, it'll do it for me anytime. Holy smoke, indeed!

[Jules]

I can think in many many many better songwriters than him, well, I might correct, some better, some equal, and lot of them different.

Let´s say, just for a start, Bob Dylan, Leonhard Cohen, Paul Simon... the list is endless.

[superval99]

I can think in many many many better songwriters than him, well, I might correct, some better, some equal, and lot of them different.

Let´s say, just for a start, Bob Dylan, Leonhard Cohen, Paul Simon... the list is endless.

There are, indeed, many great songwriters and MK is up there with them, but it is MK's songwriting that gives me the greatest pleasure - his songs are playing every day in my house more than anyone else's.   Mark's songs changed my life - no other songwriter could do that.

[Jules]

I can think in many many many better songwriters than him, well, I might correct, some better, some equal, and lot of them different.

Let´s say, just for a start, Bob Dylan, Leonhard Cohen, Paul Simon... the list is endless.

There are, indeed, many great songwriters and MK is up there with them, but it is MK's songwriting that gives me the greatest pleasure - his songs are playing every day in my house more than anyone else's.   Mark's songs changed my life - no other songwriter could do that.

That´s another completely different thing. MK has shown his songwritting abilities in many songs that will stay as some of the best songs of rock history, like TR, for instance, but saying he´s the best and there is no one better... that´s too far from reality.

You can say that, "for me, there is not better songwritter than MK", that is a truth that applies to you, but it´s not a general truth.

[superval99]

I can think in many many many better songwriters than him, well, I might correct, some better, some equal, and lot of them different.

Let´s say, just for a start, Bob Dylan, Leonhard Cohen, Paul Simon... the list is endless.

There are, indeed, many great songwriters and MK is up there with them, but it is MK's songwriting that gives me the greatest pleasure - his songs are playing every day in my house more than anyone else's.   Mark's songs changed my life - no other songwriter could do that.

That´s another completely different thing. MK has shown his songwritting abilities in many songs that will stay as some of the best songs of rock history, like TR, for instance, but saying he´s the best and there is no one better... that´s too far from reality.

You can say that, "for me, there is not better songwritter than MK", that is a truth that applies to you, but it´s not a general truth.

I didn't say that there isn't a better songwriter than MK, just that his songwriting gives me more pleasure than many others.   

[Love Expresso]

Relevance seems to be the key word. And relevance to the world and to history, not only to fans.
What a Wonderful World will stay forever, Yesterday will, Smells Like Teen Spirit is relevant for a whole decade, too. In that department, I am afraid MK has not written one relevant song in his life. Sultans got references by very first critics that it had a "Dylanesque voice and a J.J. Cale sounding guitar".., Money For Nothing is famous for being played as first song on MTV Europe and because Sting sings on it. Ask a person from the street (no fan) to quote a couple of lines from a Mark Knopfler song. The answer will be "Mark who?".

Not that I care about that. Gives me the feeling more that he writes especially for me. I know that his writing is excellent and that he is a wordsmith and a man of words. But relevant in any form? No.

LE

[quizzaciously]

Apart from many other songwriters Mark usually have great lyrics AND great music under it. And this is truly amazing.
This is especially great for non-native speakers, because for the most part, for them it's just "words" over the music.

How Mark once said on Bob Dylan, "the music just tends to be a vehicle for that poetry". But not for MK.

UPD. With that being said, it's truly remarkable how over-the-world Mark's music is, just look at this forum.

And what about Paul Simon, Bob Dylan or Leonard Cohen or Bruce Springsteen? Bob Dylan came to Russia in 2008 and it was a disaster. Nobody came to his concert, because nobody would understand a word. In other hand, Mark was there 3 times and played here very well.

[Jules]

I can think in many many many better songwriters than him, well, I might correct, some better, some equal, and lot of them different.

Let´s say, just for a start, Bob Dylan, Leonhard Cohen, Paul Simon... the list is endless.

There are, indeed, many great songwriters and MK is up there with them, but it is MK's songwriting that gives me the greatest pleasure - his songs are playing every day in my house more than anyone else's.   Mark's songs changed my life - no other songwriter could do that.

That´s another completely different thing. MK has shown his songwritting abilities in many songs that will stay as some of the best songs of rock history, like TR, for instance, but saying he´s the best and there is no one better... that´s too far from reality.

You can say that, "for me, there is not better songwritter than MK", that is a truth that applies to you, but it´s not a general truth.

I didn't say that there isn't a better songwriter than MK, just that his songwriting gives me more pleasure than many others.   

I know, with "you" I wasn´t pointing at you, but a "general and impersonal you"

It's hard to express yourself in another language sometimes 

[Masiakasaurus]

I think you all bring up good points so far. About the relevance thing, I think that some of his "bad love" songs could be considered timeless and relevant, at least for me. LoG is probably his best both musically and lyrically IMHO, and more recently I think that "A place where..." is an example of how he manages to write about stuff that's relatable to alot of people (think of how many divorced middle aged people there are).

The comparison of Mark with classic wordsmiths like Dylan, Cohen and Springsteen is also interesting. Mark is not considered a poet like those guys are, maybe rightly so. But none of those guys were a guitar hero who influenced generations of guitar players either. That's probably Marks big selling point, that he was one of the top players ever, and who could actually sing and write good lyrics. I can't think of any other player of that caliber who did the same at the top of my head. (Well, Rory Gallagher would qualify for me personally, but I'm thinking in terms of general opinion).

[Jules]

I think you all bring up good points so far. About the relevance thing, I think that some of his "bad love" songs could be considered timeless and relevant, at least for me. LoG is probably his best both musically and lyrically IMHO, and more recently I think that "A place where..." is an example of how he manages to write about stuff that's relatable to alot of people (think of how many divorced middle aged people there are).

The comparison of Mark with classic wordsmiths like Dylan, Cohen and Springsteen is also interesting. Mark is not considered a poet like those guys are, maybe rightly so. But none of those guys were a guitar hero who influenced generations of guitar players either. That's probably Marks big selling point, that he was one of the top players ever, and who could actually sing and write good lyrics. I can't think of any other player of that caliber who did the same at the top of my head. (Well, Rory Gallagher would qualify for me personally, but I'm thinking in terms of general opinion).

To me, the "MK Guitar Hero" comes more from him composing great guitar solos and melodies more than playing so good as he plays.

Anyone can play as good or even better than MK, but only MK can write a so beautiful guitar solo as the one at the end of Tunnel Of Love, or in "telegraph road"...

[superval99]

MK is the complete musician.  He writes the music and the lyrics, plays the guitar and sings the songs and he is one of the very few guitarists who are instantly recognisable.   These things don't usually come from one person, but they do with MK.   Such wonderful songs too!   

[superval99]

I can think in many many many better songwriters than him, well, I might correct, some better, some equal, and lot of them different.

Let´s say, just for a start, Bob Dylan, Leonhard Cohen, Paul Simon... the list is endless.

There are, indeed, many great songwriters and MK is up there with them, but it is MK's songwriting that gives me the greatest pleasure - his songs are playing every day in my house more than anyone else's.   Mark's songs changed my life - no other songwriter could do that.

That´s another completely different thing. MK has shown his songwritting abilities in many songs that will stay as some of the best songs of rock history, like TR, for instance, but saying he´s the best and there is no one better... that´s too far from reality.

You can say that, "for me, there is not better songwritter than MK", that is a truth that applies to you, but it´s not a general truth.

I didn't say that there isn't a better songwriter than MK, just that his songwriting gives me more pleasure than many others.   

I know, with "you" I wasn´t pointing at you, but a "general and impersonal you"

It's hard to express yourself in another language sometimes 

Don't worry jbaent, I understood!   

[Darling Pretty]

MK is the complete musician.  He writes the music and the lyrics, plays the guitar and sings the songs and he is one of the very few guitarists who are instantly recognisable.   These things don't usually come from one person, but they do with MK.   Such wonderful songs too!   

That's exactly it.
MK does it all.
He writes all the songs, and that pretty well. OK of course there is Bob Dylan or Van Morrison etc. There are a lot great, brilliant Songwriters
He writes the melodies, the most beautiful melodies on Earth. At least for me
He plays the Guitar. Sure there are more technical or faster guitarists. I like Joe Bonamassa or Ryan McGarvey as well
But no one has this feel or SOUND.
And he produces all this in his own Studio and reproduces it later on stage.

He is a hell of a Musician. He knows it all. He is the MAN.
Captain out...

[Jules]

Yeah