Brothers in Arms (song)
1985 single by Dire Straits
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"Brothers in Arms" is a song by British rock band Dire Straits, the closing track on their fifth studio album of the same name, released in May 1985. It was written in 1982, the year of Britain's involvement in the Falklands War.
- "Going Home (Live)"
- "Why Worry (Instrumental segment)"
| "Brothers in Arms" | ||||
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| Single by Dire Straits | ||||
| from the album Brothers in Arms | ||||
| B-side |
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| Released | 18 October 1985[1] | |||
| Studio | AIR (Salem, Montserrat) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length |
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| Label | Vertigo | |||
| Songwriter | Mark Knopfler | |||
| Producers |
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| Dire Straits singles chronology | ||||
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In 2007, the 25th anniversary of the war, Mark Knopfler recorded a new version of the song at Abbey Road Studios to raise funds for British veterans who he said "are still suffering from the effects of that conflict."[2] "Brothers in Arms" has become a favourite at military funerals.[3]
Description
This song was written during the Falklands War and is described by some as an anti-war song.[4] "Brothers in Arms" was first released as a single on 18 October 1985. The song is reported to be the first CD single ever released;[5][better source needed] it was released in the United Kingdom in 1986. The song's lyrics, influence, and impact were discussed from a variety of musical and personal perspectives in the BBC radio programme and podcast Soul Music first broadcast in September 2012.[6]
Classic Rock critic Paul Rees rated "Brothers in Arms" to be Dire Straits' fifth greatest song, citing its "dignified but lasting power" and a "stunning guitar solo."[7] Spin noted the "political theme with outstanding craftsmanship in the words and music", the "quiet but authoritative" singing, and the "dark swath of Knopfler's Les Paul".[8]
The music video, directed and animated by Bill Mather, produced by Simon Fields through Limelight Films and cinematographed by Francis Kenny,[9] uses rotoscoping and shows the band performing, overlaid with images of the First World War. In contrast with the at-that-time very modern clip in "Money for Nothing", the video clip has a very classic appearance in noisy black and white images.[10] It won the Grammy Award for Best Music Video at the 29th Annual Grammy Awards on 24 February 1987.
The song has appeared in several television episodes including the Due South episode "I Coulda Been a Defendant", "Two Cathedrals", the second season finale of The West Wing,[11] and "One for the Road", the last episode of The Grand Tour presented by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May[12] and the Miami Vice episode "Out Where the Buses Don't Run".
Track listings
7" single (DSTR 11)
- "Brothers in Arms" – 6:04
- "Going Home (Theme of the Local Hero)" (Live) – 4:45
12" Maxi-Single (DSTR 1112)
- "Brothers in Arms" (Full Length Version) – 6:58
- "Going Home (Theme of the Local Hero)" (Live) – 4:45
- "Why Worry" (Instrumental Segment)
Charts
| Chart (1985/88) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 16 |
| Australian Singles Chart | 57 |
| Dutch Top 40[13] | 59 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 10 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 5 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[14] | Platinum | 90,000‡ |
| Germany (BVMI)[15] | Gold | 250,000‡ |
| Italy (FIMI)[16] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
| Spain (Promusicae)[17] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[18] | 3× Platinum | 90,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[19] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
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‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||