DIRE STRAITS - WHY WORRY

WHY WORRY

DIRE STRAITS

SONGWRITER: MARK KNOPFLER

COUNTRY: U. K.

ALBUM: BROTHERS IN ARMS

LABEL: VERTIGO RECORDS

GENRE: POP ROCK

YEAR:1985

 

         Dire Straits were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), John Illsley(bass guitar and backing vocals), and Pick Withers (drums and percussion). They were active from 1977 to 1988 and again from 1991 to 1995.

        Their first single, "Sultans of Swing", from their 1978 self-titled debut album, reached the top ten in the UK and US charts. It was followed by hit singles including "Romeo and Juliet"(1981), "Private Investigations"(1982), "Twisting by the Pool" (1983), "Money for Nothing" (1985), and "Walk of Life"(1985). Their most commercially successful album, Brothers in Arms(1985), has sold more than 30 million copies; it was the first album to sell a million copies on compact disc, and is the eighth-bestselling album in UK history. According to the Guinness Book of British Hit Albums, Dire Straits have spent over 1,100 weeks on the UK albums chart, the fifth most of all time.

      Dire Straits' sound draws from various influences including country, folk, the blues rock of J. J. Cale, and jazz. Their stripped-down sound contrasted with punk rock and demonstrated a roots rock influence that emerged from pub rock. There were several changes in personnel, with Mark Knopfler and Illsley being the only members who lasted from the beginning of the band's existence, to the end. After their first breakup in 1988, Knopfler told Rolling Stone: "A lot of press reports were saying we were the biggest band in the world. There's not an accent then on the music, there's an accent on popularity. I needed a rest." They disbanded for good in 1995, after which Knopfler launched a solo career full-time. He has since declined reunion offers.

         Called "the biggest British rock band of the 80s" by Classic Rock magazine, their 1985–1986 world tour, which included a performance at Live Aid in July 1985, set a record in Australasia. Their final world tour from 1991 to 1992 sold 7.1 million tickets. Dire Straits won four Grammy Awards, three Brit Awards(Best British Group twice), two MTV Video Music Awards, and various other awards. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018. Dire Straits have sold an estimated 100 million units worldwide, including 51.4 million certified units, making them one of best-selling music artists.

        Brothers in Arms is the fifth studio album by British rock band Dire Straits, released on 13 May 1985 through Vertigo Records internationally and through Warner Bros. Records in the US. It spent a total of 14 non-consecutive weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart (including ten consecutive weeks between 18 January and 22 March 1986), nine weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 in the US and 34 weeks at number one on the Australian Albums Chart. Brothers in Arms was the first album certified ten-times platinum in the UK and is the eighth-best-selling album in UK chart history. It is certified nine-times platinum in the US and is one of the world's best-selling albums, having sold more than 30 million copies worldwide.

          The album won a Grammy Award in 1986 for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical and Best British Album at the 1987 Brit Awards; the 20th Anniversary Edition won another Grammy in 2006 for Best Surround Sound Album. Q magazine placed the album at number 51 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever. It was also among ten albums nominated for the best British album of the previous 30 years by the Brit Awards in 2010, ultimately losing to (What's the Story) Morning Glory? By Oasis.

Baby I see this world has made you sad

Some people can be bad

The things they do, the things they say

But baby I'll wipe away those bitter tears

I'll chase away those restless fears

That turn your blue skies into grey

 

Why worry, there should be laughter after pain

There should be sunshine after rain

These things have always been the same

So why worry now

 

Baby when I get down I turn to you

And you make sense of what I do

I know it isn't hard to say

But baby just when this world seems mean and cold

Our love comes shining red and gold

And all the rest is by the way

 

Why worry, there should be laughter after pain

There should be sunshine after rain

These things have always been the same

So why worry now.