Brizz Record Bin- Dire Straits “Down to the Waterline” [VIDEO]

Today's song for the Brizz Record Bin is the first song I ever heard by Dire Straits. My dad brought their debut album home in 1978 and put on Side 1. For thirty seconds, it's all atmosphere. The song begins by setting a mood. Audio fog rolling over the record grooves at thirty three revolutions per minute. When the band kicked in, it grabbed me. It is still my favorite song by the group, and truth be told, I love just about everything they did. Lead guitarist/vocalist Mark Knopfler sings with a 'Dylan' voice. In fact, it's reported that when Bob Dylan was putting a band together for the album that ended up being Slow Train Coming (1979), he exclaimed that Knopfler, "did a good me."

The lyrics tell the tale of two lovers, secret meetings, interaction with the police and an open invitation to head on down to the waterline. Knopfler's guitar work is a great example of his expert picking. It reminds me of a mix of Jerry Garcia and David Gilmour. Clear, bright, and full of language. Enjoy this one, it's easy to do.