Brothers in Arms (song)

This melancholic song was written during the Falkland War, and is described by some as an anti-war song; though more accurately, it curates the experience of soldiers in wartime, and their need for solidarity; which in the final stanza includes their "Brothers" on the other side of the trenches. The war time motif is rather underwritten; but more offered as a natural backdrop ("these mist covered mountains"), increasingly marked by destruction ("these fields of destruction - Baptisms of fire") and death ("Now the sun's gone to hell - And the moon's riding high - Let me bid you farewell - Every man has to die"), suggesting the insanity of war: "We're fools to make war - On our brothers in arms." Mark Knopfler explains that the song is sung by a soldier dying on the battlefield; as a real singer he has to immerse himself, so to speak, in his view and feelings.[2] In the first two verses it is the own comrades to whom the speaker turns, i.e. the "brothers in arms". Only in the final line does it become clear that all enemy soldiers are included within "brothers in arms".

There are two studio recorded versions of this song: the album version which is 6:55 minutes, and the shorter version which is 6:05 minutes and features slightly different (and shorter) solos at the beginning and end of the song. The version that appears on Dire Straits' greatest hits album, Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits, is 4:55. The version included on the live album On the Night contains an extra pedal steel guitar solo and is 8:55. The full-length, studio album version (6:55) was also included on the 2005 compilation Private Investigations.

Mark Knopfler recorded and usually played the song on a Gibson Les Paul Standard guitar, rather than his usual Fender "Stratocaster",[3] and the sunburst Les Paul appears in the distinctive promo video, which is in the style of a charcoal drawing, interspersing scenes of the band playing with scenes of war. During Dire Straits' 1992 "On Every Street" tour, Knopfler used his Pensa-Suhr MK1 for this song, like most of the others.

The song is reported to be the first CD single ever released;[4] it was released in the United Kingdom in 1985.

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.[5]

The music video uses rotoscoping and shows the band performing, overlaid with images of the First World War.[6] 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.[7]

"Brothers in Arms" won Grammy Award for Best Music Video at the 29th Annual Grammy Awards in 24 February 1987.

The song appeared in the second season episode "Out Where the Buses Don't Run" of Miami Vice, the third season episode "I Coulda Been a Defendant" of Due South, and the second season finale of The West Wing, "Two Cathedrals".[8] In each instance, it is used over the climactic scenes of the episode. It was also featured in the 2001 movie Spy Game and most recently in the series finale, "START", of The Americans as well as the episode "Say Again Your Last" in SEAL Team.

It was also used as the title music to the 1992 BBC drama series Civvies.

7" Single (DSTR 11)

1. "Brothers In Arms" - 6:04
2. "Going Home (Theme of the Local Hero)" (Live) - 4:45

12" Maxi-Single (DSTR 1112)

1. "Brothers In Arms" (Full Length Version) - 6:58
2. "Going Home (Theme of the Local Hero)" (Live) - 4:45
3. "Why Worry" (Instrumental Segment)

• Gregorian covered the song for their album Masters of Chant, Chapter 1-3
• Vienna Symphonic Orchestra Project did an instrumental cover for their 1986 VSOP, Vol. 1 album
• Folk singer Joan Baez covered the song for her 1987 album, Recently[13] and also included it at the start and end of her 1991 compilation album Brothers in Arms.[14]
• Serbian rock band Galija covered the song, with lyrics in their native language, entitled "Kad me pogledaš" on their 1989 album Korak do slobode
• Ann Corfield performed this as the opening theme to the 1991 film McBain[15]
• Metallica covered the song at the 2007 Bridge School Benefit fundraiser[16]
• The Finnish Symphonic power metal band Northern Kings covered the song on their 2007 album Reborn
• Ryan Kelly covered this song as part of the 2007 Celtic Thunder DVD and during the 2008 tour
• The Finnish a cappella band Club for Five covered the song on their 2009 album You're the Voice
• Nina Persson and Georg Wadenius performed a version on Wadenius' 2009 album Reconnection
• Alex Cornish performed a cover of the song on The Dermot O'Leary Show on BBC Radio 2 in May 2010: the recording was included on the Dermot O'Leary Saturday Sessions CD[17]
• A remixed version of the instrumental was used by Ghetts for his track "Brothers In Arms"[18]
• An a capella version by The Sons of Pitches, winners of BBC2 show The Naked Choir.

• List of anti-war songs

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics