(07) My Bacon Roll

[Jules]

But still the lyrics are
When dealing with a toastie what do you prefer, brown or red

So what do you make out of it?

Is it maybe indeed him showing no interest so far in toasties as he is a "man out of time"?

LE

Maybe means the character is asking the other people that about the toastie (Brexit) what's his opinion brown or red ( favour or against)?

Being the bacon roll the good old times to the main character?

[quizzaciously]

S'cuse me, have you got my roll? My bacon roll?

[PensaGhost]

top 3 of the album imo, if not the best one

[Love Expresso]

Agree.

LE

[Pyroaction]

But still the lyrics are
When dealing with a toastie what do you prefer, brown or red

LE

Brown is maybe a toastie with nothing on it ?

[Nick14]

I liked the way MK spoke about this today - with real affection not some snide piece - and also what I got from the song - which I wrote earlier in this thread - was pretty spot on with what he was saying - but from a different point of view. Sums up how I feel alot of the time so this one feels quite personal.

[Robson]

Number one

[Shai]

From the sounds in the background at the beginning of the song, I detect silverware being cleared of plates, plates probably going from the busboy to the dishwasher; if so, this would lead me to believe that the protagonist is on the kitchen side of the counter - an order taker. It appears that the customer had already requested a bacon roll, since he didn't ask for "a" bacon roll, but instead for "my" bacon roll. That then leads me to believe that he had been sitting at the lunch counter for a while, listening to the order taker complaining about being "Basil", a square peg in a round hole, in the corporate world. The customer is probably impatient and not really interested in a conversation, so he interrupts the man and asks another order taker, probably the one whom he ordered the bacon roll from in the first place, where it is!   

Saul

[Knopflerfan]

From the sounds in the background at the beginning of the song, I detect silverware being cleared of plates, plates probably going from the busboy to the dishwasher; if so, this would lead me to believe that the protagonist is on the kitchen side of the counter - an order taker. It appears that the customer had already requested a bacon roll, since he didn't ask for "a" bacon roll, but instead for "my" bacon roll. That then leads me to believe that he had been sitting at the lunch counter for a while, listening to the order taker complaining about being "Basil", a square peg in a round hole, in the corporate world. The customer is probably impatient and not really interested in a conversation, so he interrupts the man and asks another order taker, probably the one whom he ordered the bacon roll from in the first place, where it is!   

Saul

Absolutely spot on there... 

[Silvertown]

Yes I agree with Saul.

[skydiver]

German newspaper "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" has an interview with Mark in which he tells about the initial inspiration for the song.
He was sitting in a cafe when he heard a Brexit man asking "Have you got my roll, my bacon roll?"
And that such scences tell him something about people and he uses these scences for songs like in Money for Nothing.

Link to the interview:
http://www.faz.net/aktuell/gesellschaft/menschen/mark-knopfler-von-dire-straits-ich-spiele-wie-ein-klempner-15896198.html

"So saß ich etwa in einem Café, als ich einen Mann, so einen Brexit-Typen, fragen hörte: „Have you got my roll? My bacon roll?“ Für mich klingt das wie Poesie. Vermutlich bin ich daher kein Dichter, aber als Songwriter gefällt mir diese Szene, weil sie mir etwas über den Menschen sagt und ich sie für den Einstieg in einen Song verwenden kann. Der heißt dann auch „My Bacon Roll“ und ist auf dem neuen Album. Solche Momente gibt es immer wieder. Zumindest geht es mir so. Aber man braucht das Gespür, die Empathie oder das Mitgefühl, damit der Songwriter einen dieser Momente bemerkt. Es ist nicht das Gleiche wie bei einem Bühnen- oder Romanautor oder gar einem Lyriker. Der verwendet Wörter, die poetisch sind, aber niemals für einen Song genutzt werden könnten."

[Dale]

Just received the album for Christmas and was thinking this might be one of the songs I wasn't feeling (semi-spoken-word singing, lame title, strange lyrics, a bit plain sounding).

After a few more listens, I really like it. Musically/rhythmically it reminds me of Sucker Row which is great, lyrically it recalls a bit of the feelings of Punish the Monkey.

Definitely a crap title, but what's in a name, really? If a woman had the unfortunate name Khaleesi but was pretty and was into MK it would all be okay!

Not my favourite, but growing on me with every listen.

[kaleo74]

Just received the album for Christmas and was thinking this might be one of the songs I wasn't feeling (semi-spoken-word singing, lame title, strange lyrics, a bit plain sounding).

After a few more listens, I really like it. Musically/rhythmically it reminds me of Sucker Row which is great, lyrically it recalls a bit of the feelings of Punish the Monkey.

Definitely a crap title, but what's in a name, really? If a woman had the unfortunate name Khaleesi but was pretty and was into MK it would all be okay!

Not my favourite, but growing on me with every listen.

Welcome to the forum Dale,

Wait to hear it on stage, I’m sure Mark will provide a new recipe for the bacon roll.

[shangri la 1]

Those that have seen the made for A.M.I.T. TV video's of this, the "Video" blocked section starts at 3:37, which is about 1-minute after the 5-second cameo appearance of our man.

[Quality shoe]

This is my favourite song in DTRW.
I think BR is pure emotion from an old man who falls out of a very fast changing time. He does not know how to live in it. And he is alone. Very beautiful and emotional song, I heard it at a concert. Mark chose her for his set list is no coincidence.