A brief interruption

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Dire Straits, mp3, Music, The West Wing

After a decade of begging and pleading, my family finally got me to sit down and watch The West Wing.

I’ve only just started Season 3… so shhhh… but it’s amazing that a decade on, all the battles and challenges and events and story lines are just as poignant and touching and relevant today.

Haven’t we learnt anything yet?

I spent last night crying over the death of Mrs Landingham and playing and replaying that final scene where Jed strides in from the rain, faces the barrage of reporters and hands in pockets, jaw set and eyes clear, states that he is in fact going to run for a second term.

And the soundtrack to this wonderful piece of television?

Brothers In Arms – Dire Straits

These mist covered mountains
Are a home now for me
But my home is the lowlands
And always will be
Some day you’ll return to
Your valleys and your farms
And you’ll no longer burn
To be brothers in arms

Through these fields of destruction
Baptisms of fire
I’ve witnessed your suffering
As the battles raged higher
And though they hurt me so bad
In the fear and alarm
You did not desert me
My brothers in arms

There’s so many different words
So many different songs
We have just one world
But we live in different ones

Now the sun’s gone to hell
And the moon’s riding high
Let me bid you farewell
Every man has to die
But it’s written in the starlight
And every line on your palm
We’re fools to make war
On our brothers in arms

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A Killer Surprise – Romeo & Juliet

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Coverage, Dire Straits, mp3, Music, The Killers

I’m not a fan of The Killers. It’s not that I don’t like them as such, I’m just not that into them. I do admit to liking ‘Mr Brightside’, but that’s about as far as it goes. I certainly don’t think they’re a great band.

So imagine my surprise when I came across their cover of Dire Straits’ ‘Romeo and Juliet’, a song that I’ve loved for years, and didn’t hate it.

It’s always a worry when you hear that someone has covered a song that you love. ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is a favourite of mine (I have hundreds, nay thousands, of ‘favourites’). I love the instantly recognisable intro, love Mark Knopfler’s dejected/rejected vocal delivery, love the lyrics that never fail to paint a vivid picture of poor Romeo doing his best to win back a Juliet that is never quite as sweet as Shakespeare’s version.

This bit makes me smile. 

Juliet says hey it’s Romeo you nearly gimme a heart attack
He’s underneath the window she’s singing hey la my boyfriend’s back
You shouldn’t come around here singing up at people like that

And this bit makes me want to beat Juliet about the head with a baldrick (a belt) or a batler (flat piece of wood women used to beat linen) or a neaf (a fist) in order to make her see sense!

I can’t do the talk like they talk on tv
And I can’t do a love song like the way it’s meant to be
I can’t do everything but I’d do anything for you
I can’t do anything except be in love with you

Stupid girl.

Anyhoo, back to the topic at hand…you can see why I was a bit reluctant to listen to The Killers version, for fear that they would butcher the hell out of it. I had nothing to worry about. Their version is faithful to the original and doesn’t muck around with the delivery. All in all, pleasant listening.

Romeo & Juliet (Live) – Dire Straits

Romeo & Juliet – The Killers