RE: Brothers in Arms Lyrics -- Israel?

[Robert Wiener <wiener...>]

Is it possible that any connection made in the video you mention was not made 
by Knopfler, but someone else?  If so, is it possible that any intention was 
not Knopfler's, but a videographer's (correct word?).  See excerpts below from 
an interview with Knopfler.

Bob


Mark Knopfler / RockLine interview: 93.05.10

The following is a rough transcript of an interview with Mark Knopfler on
RockLine, a "rock radio network" call-in show, broadcast live on May 10,
1993.  The occasion was the release of Dire Straits' live album ON THE
NIGHT. 

.....

Michael: My question is with regard to the song "Brothers in
Arms", more specifically, the video. I'm wondering what input
you had to make that video?

MK: Not an awful lot, I didn't have much to do with videos until
"Money for Nothing". I sort of foolishly thought that I'd go on
and play music and film-makers should go on and make their
films. And to a certain extent that was true all the way up
until - I just didn't like the way videos were turning out, so
for "Money For Nothing" I started taking a bit more interest and
worked more closely with them. But the "Brothers" thing, yeah, a
little bit. You know, people come up with new ideas and things
and you do get involved. I kind of liked the idea of making the
guitars into guns and the guns into guitars and all the other
kind of things.  But I can't remember really how much input I
actually put into it.  You know, usually you're off doing
something else when people are getting involved in all of that
anyway so it's quite difficult to stay absolutely in touch with
it. And, I'm pretty ambivalent about videos anyway, I mean I
prefer the RADIO.

http://www.superseventies.com/faq_direstraits.html


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Seth Rogovoy 
To: wiener (at) mindspring(dot)com;jewish music list \(jewish music list\)
Sent: 3/21/2004 10:00:45 AM 
Subject: RE: Brothers in Arms Lyrics -- Israel?


There is definitely some intention on Knopfler's part to connect this to 
Israel. There was a video made for this song (which may not have been the main 
video aired when it was a single) that aired on MTV at one point, maybe on a 
Dire Straits special, or something, in which it comprised in large part of 
scenes from an early Israeli war ('48?, '56?). The Magen David Adom trucks were 
the most blatant specific reference.

somewhere i think i have a copy of this video, but I don't know if i could 
track it down easily.

I've never been able to pin down anything more about this. ANd I've gotten 
conflicting information as to whether or not Knopfler is even Jewish.
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org [mailto:owner-jewish-music (at) 
shamash(dot)org] On Behalf Of Robert Wiener
Sent: Sunday, March 21, 2004 7:19 AM
To: World music from a Jewish slant
Cc: Avi Finegold
Subject: Brothers in Arms Lyrics -- Israel?


Avi Finegold mentioned some time back that the song "Brothers in Arms" by Dire 
Straits is related to Israel.  Below are his comments on how its lyrics relate 
to war in Israel.  Avi has suggested that I ask the list what you think about 
that idea -- based on the lyrics themselves or other material (such as hearsay, 
interviews, live concert intros -- for example, in a video of concert in 
Israel)?

Thanks,
Bob


Brothers In Arms Lyrics

These mist covered mountains
Are a home now for me
But my home is the lowlands
And always will be

-fighting in the golan, but the soldier lives elsewhere-


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 did hurt me so bad
In the fear and alarm
You did not desert me
My brothers in arms

-the strong feeling of close kin when fighting next to one in war-


There's so many different worlds
So many differents suns
And we have just one world
But we live in different ones

-wo this one's a cincher, the soldier realizes that though there is but one 
area that they inhabit they
come from vastly different worldviews and this affects their lives and who they 
fight for profoundly-


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

-even though the above is true the soldier still sees the futility of fighting 
against one who will never come to see his worldview or vice versa-
(aside from the references made above it is quite clear that the song is about 
war and battle)

(comments by Avi Finegold)