Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits

Dire Straits

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 27, 1998)
• Original Release Date: October 27, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B00000DGUY
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (116 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,072 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This compilation repeats seven tracks from 1988's Money For Nothing anthology. Given that Mark Knopfler and crew have recorded one new album during the decade between best-of collections, how different could Sultans of Swing be? For one thing, CD dominance has made for longer compilations, and this one is fleshed out by singles, three tracks from 1991's On Every Street, and Knopfler's solo "Local Hero" theme, performed live. More importantly, the second track here is the band's terrific second single, "Lady Writer," previously only available on the otherwise dismal Communiqué LP. Five tracks from Dire Straits' huge Brothers in Arms LP appear here, but only two tracks surface from Making Movies, the group's pinnacle achievement. Ultimately, if you own Making Movies and this compilation, you own the essential Dire Straits. --Bill Holdship

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy The Whole Collection, September 5, 2003

By	Robert I. Hedges - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I count myself among the biggest of fans of Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler and consider him to be the greatest guitarist of all time (certainly the greatest non-classical guitarist) so on that alone I gave this CD a 5 star score.

I would just mention one potential drawback, that being the editing. Several of the songs, for instance "Money For Nothing", are in their 'single' form, which is to sat edited for time to fit into an FM radio broadcast, therefore, if you really want the whole song you need to buy the original CD. So this is a plug to buy the whole collection. More expensive, surely, but totally worth it.

I am a bit unsure who picked the songs for this CD, but the mix is a bit tilted to newer stuff. I think it might have been improved if a couple of tracks ("Heavy Fuel" comes to mind) had been left out and the unedited versions had been put on the CD.

Of course, this is all quibbling. I still recommend the CD, the sound quality is superb and the mix of old and new makes it an interesting career retrospective (to date). I have seen Dire Straits and Mark in concert several times and "Local Hero/Wild Theme" live at the close of the CD still gives me goosebumps when I hear it.

37 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Anthology Of Dire Straits Music!, September 4, 2000

By	Barron Laycock "Labradorman" (Temple, New Hampshire United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I was lucky enough to be living in England just outside London in a little town called West Ruislip just down the cobbled streets from the "T" station near the famous "Orchards" pub when Dire Straits released their "Love Over Gold" album in 1982, and the young English couple living in the flat upstairs played it over and over, introducing me both to their good taste in music and the terrific group called "Dire Straits" in the process. Of course, as I think back upon it, I was familiar with their hit "Sultans Of Swing", but never really paid much attention until hearing this terrific album and Mark Knopfler's unbelievably stirring, crisp and innovative guitar solos. Soon I was down at the music shoppe buying all their other albums. By that time I was familiar with their unique and unforgettable sound and also their very introspective lyrics. I came to love all their albums as much as "Love Over Gold", and I was pleased when they recently released this anthology of many of their hits, even including a theme from Knopfler's "Local Hero" movie score.

I really like all the cuts here, from "Sultans Of Swing' to "Romeo And Juliet" to "Lady Writer". In each, Knopfler's distinctive twanging guitar sound echoes in my house till all hours of the morning, along with "Private Investigations, " Tunnel Of Love", and "So Far Away". My own personal favorites here are the live version of "Love Over Gold" and "Money For Nothing". In the time since the band was actively recording in the mid 1980s, Knopfler has become a kind of institutionalized artistic force everywhere one looked, writing soundtrack music for (among other films) "Local Hero" and "Cal", performing both alone and with Dire Straits, and collaborating with other artists, as well. The music here is very and innovative progressive rock, and the electric guitar work literally sings by itself. When I listen to the album now, it is a source of continuing amazement to me that Knopfler could make the sounds that emanated out of that instrument so uniquely animated as he did. The whole band is terrific, and it is sad that they made so few albums before internal frictions broke them apart. Enjoy this and their other wonderful albums. Dire Straits made an indelible stamp on modern rock that I am sure you will find entertaining and entrancing. Enjoy!

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly beautiful!, December 9, 1999

By	"roadtripper" (Vancouver Canada) - See all my reviews

Dire Straits was made great by Mark Knopfler's relentless pursuit of technical guitar excellence and mastery of the subtleties of the English language. Great music AND meaningful lyrics--an increasingly rare breed these days!

This is a wonderful compilation of some of Dire Straits best work, from the raw energy of their classic "Sultans Of Swing" of 1978 to their hauntingly enchanting closer to the film Local Hero, "Wild Theme". Every song is an artistic gem, with layers of meaning to be gleaned only from repeated listens.

The only disappointment here is the exclusion of Telegraph Road, which can be found on the Love Over Gold CD--another classic!

Kudos!