Golden Heart

Last updated

Golden Heart
MK Golden Heart.jpg
Studio album by
Mark Knopfler
Released25 March 1996 (1996-03-25)
Recorded1994–1996
StudioEmerald Sound Studios,
Javelina Recording Studios,
AIR Studios,
Windmill Lane Studios
Genre Roots rock, folk rock, country
Length70:18
Label Vertigo
Warner Bros. (USA)
Producer Mark Knopfler, Chuck Ainlay
Mark Knopfler chronology
Screenplaying
(1993)		Golden Heart
(1996)		 Wag the Dog
(1998)

Golden Heart is the debut solo studio album by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler, released on 25 March 1996 [1] by Vertigo Records internationally and Warner Bros. Records in the United States. Following a successful career leading British rock band Dire Straits and composing a string of critically acclaimed film soundtrack albums, Knopfler recorded his first solo album, drawing upon the various musical influences he'd engaged since emerging as a major recording artist in 1978. [2] The album reached the top-10 position on charts in Austria, Belgium, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. [3] [4] The album peaked at 105 on the Billboard 200 in the United States.

Contents

Background

Following the release of Dire Straits' final studio album, On Every Street , and a grueling 15-month world tour of Europe, North America and Australia—a tour seen by 7.1 million people that ended in October 1992—Knopfler quietly dissolved the popular British rock band that had become one of the world's most commercially successful bands, with worldwide album sales of more than 120 million. [5] He would later recall, "I put the thing to bed because I wanted to get back to some kind of reality. It's self-protection, a survival thing. That kind of scale is dehumanizing." [6] He spent two years recovering from the experience, which had taken a toll on his creative and personal lives. In 1994, he began work on what would become his first solo album.

Singles

"Darling Pretty"

Darling Pretty Darlingpretty.jpg
Darling Pretty

"Darling Pretty" is the first single from the album. It reached number 33 in the UK Singles Chart, and was featured in the 1996 film Twister . "Gravy Train", the second track on the maxi-single, was featured in the 2001 film America's Sweethearts . [7]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Mark Knopfler

No.TitleLength
1."Darling Pretty"4:27
2."Gravy Train"6:19
3."My Claim to Fame"4:39
Total length:15:25

"Cannibals"

Cannibals Cannibals.jpg
Cannibals

"Cannibals" is the second single from the album. It is very similar in sound and structure to the Dire Straits hit single "Walk of Life", also written by Knopfler. "Cannibals" is taken from the album. "Tall Order Baby" and "What Have I Got to Do" are outtakes from the album. The song was the concert opener for the Kill to Get Crimson Tour in 2008. [8]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Mark Knopfler

No.TitleLength
1."Cannibals"3:38
2."Tall Order Baby"2:53
3."What Have I Got To Do"5:20
Total length:11:51

"Rüdiger"

Rudiger single cover Rudiger.gif
Rudiger single cover

"Rüdiger" is the third and final single from the album. "Rüdiger" is taken from the album. Rudiger was used on the soundtrack for the film The Bandits. "My Claim to Fame", "Tall Order Baby", and "What Have I Got to Do" are outtakes from the album. [9]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Mark Knopfler

No.TitleLength
1."Rüdiger"5:59
2."My Claim to Fame"4:39
3."Tall Order Baby"2:53
4."What Have I Got to Do"5:20
Total length:18:51

Touring

Knopfler supported the release of Golden Heart with the Golden Heart Tour of Europe, which started on 24 April 1996 in Galway, Ireland, and included 84 concerts in 66 cities, ending in Antibes, France, on 4 August 1996. [10] The tour lineup included Mark Knopfler (guitar, vocals), Guy Fletcher (keyboards), Richard Bennett (guitar), Glenn Worf (bass), Chad Cromwell (drums) and Jim Cox (keyboards). This initial touring group later became known to Knopfler fans as the 96-ers. [11] A preview performance with an expanded lineup of players was given on 15 April 1996 at the BBC Building in London. This show was recorded and later released on video as A Night in London . [11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]

In his review for AllMusic, William Ruhlmann found that despite Knopfler's trademark guitar work and sardonic lyrics, there was "little on the album that was new or striking, and Knopfler seemed to fall back on familiar guitar techniques while intoning often obscure lyrics. [2] Ruhlmann set aside any reference to the musical effect of Knopfler's eclectic and newly introduced acoustic bass, string arrangements or traditional Irish accompaniments and concluded:

Knopfler hadn't used the opportunity of a solo album to challenge himself, and at the same time he had lost the group identity (however illusory) provided by the Dire Straits name. The result was listenable but secondhand. [2]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Mark Knopfler

No.TitleLength
1."Darling Pretty"4:31
2."Imelda"5:26
3."Golden Heart"5:01
4."No Can Do"4:54
5."Vic and Ray"4:36
6."Don't You Get It?"5:16
7."A Night in Summer Long Ago"4:43
8."Cannibals"3:41
9."I'm the Fool"4:28
10."Je Suis Désolé"5:14
11."Rüdiger"6:03
12."Nobody's Got the Gun"5:25
13."Done with Bonaparte"5:06
14."Are We in Trouble Now"5:54
Total length:70:18 [2] [12]

Personnel

Music

Production

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [33] Gold35,000^
Canada (Music Canada) [34] Gold50,000^
Netherlands (NVPI) [35] Gold50,000^
Norway (IFPI Norway) [36] Gold25,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [37] Platinum100,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [38] Gold25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [39] Gold100,000^
Summaries
Europe (IFPI) [40] Platinum1,000,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>Dire Straits</i> (album) 1978 studio album by Dire Straits

Dire Straits is the debut studio album by the British rock band Dire Straits, released on 9 June 1978 by Vertigo Records internationally, Warner Bros. Records in the United States and Mercury Records in Canada. The album features the hit single "Sultans of Swing", which reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 8 on the UK Singles Chart. The album reached the top of the album charts in Germany, Australia and France, number 2 in the United States and number 5 in the United Kingdom. Dire Straits was later certified double platinum in both the United States and the United Kingdom by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) respectively.

<i>Communiqué</i> (Dire Straits album) 1979 studio album by Dire Straits

Communiqué is the second studio album by British rock band Dire Straits, released on 5 June 1979 by Vertigo Records internationally, Warner Bros. Records in the United States and Mercury Records in Canada. The album featured the single "Lady Writer," which reached number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 51 on the UK Singles Chart. The album reached number one on album charts in Germany, Spain, New Zealand, and Sweden, number 11 in the United States and number 5 in the United Kingdom. Communiqué was later certified gold in the United States, platinum in the United Kingdom and double-platinum in France.

<i>Brothers in Arms</i> (album) 1985 studio album by Dire Straits

Brothers in Arms is the fifth studio album by the British rock band Dire Straits, released on 17 May 1985 through Vertigo Records internationally and Warner Bros. Records in the United States. It was the first album in history to sell over one million copies in CD format.

<i>Making Movies</i> 1980 studio album by Dire Straits

Making Movies is the third studio album by British rock band Dire Straits, released on 17 October 1980 by Vertigo Records internationally, Warner Bros. Records in the United States and Mercury Records in Canada. The album includes the single "Romeo and Juliet", which reached number 8 on the UK Singles Chart, as well as “Tunnel of Love,” featured in the 1982 Richard Gere film An Officer and a Gentleman.

<i>On Every Street</i> 1991 studio album by Dire Straits

On Every Street is the sixth and final studio album by British rock band Dire Straits, released on 9 September 1991 by Vertigo Records internationally, and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The follow-up to the band's massively successful album Brothers in Arms, On Every Street reached the top of the UK Albums Chart and was also certified platinum by the RIAA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sultans of Swing</span> 1978 single by Dire Straits

"Sultans of Swing" is a song by British rock band Dire Straits, written by lead vocalist and guitarist Mark Knopfler. The demo of the song was recorded at Pathway Studios, North London, in July 1977 and quickly acquired a following after it was put in rotation on BBC Radio London. Its popularity soon reached record executives, and Dire Straits were offered a contract with Phonogram Records. The song was then re-recorded in February 1978 at Basing Street Studios for the band's eponymous debut album.

<i>Sailing to Philadelphia</i> 2000 studio album by Mark Knopfler

Sailing to Philadelphia is the second solo studio album by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler, released on 25 September 2000 by Vertigo Records internationally, and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album contains featured vocal performances by James Taylor, Van Morrison, and Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze.

<i>Love over Gold</i> 1982 studio album by Dire Straits

Love over Gold is the fourth studio album by British rock band Dire Straits, released on 24 September 1982 by Vertigo Records internationally and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album featured two singles: "Private Investigations," which reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart, and "Industrial Disease," which reached No. 9 on Billboard's Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in the United States. The title track was never released as a single, but two years later a live version from Alchemy: Dire Straits Live reached #15 in France, #29 in New Zealand, #43 in the Netherlands and #50 in the band's native United Kingdom. The album reached number one on album charts in Australia, Austria, Italy, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom, as well as number 19 in the United States. Love over Gold was later certified gold in the United States, platinum in France and Germany and double-platinum in Canada and the United Kingdom.

<i>Alchemy: Dire Straits Live</i> 1984 live album by Dire Straits

Alchemy: Dire Straits Live is the first live album by the British rock band Dire Straits, released on 16 March 1984 by Vertigo Records internationally, and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. Recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon in London on 22–23 July 1983, the double album features songs from the band's first four albums, the ExtendedancEPlay EP and Mark Knopfler's Local Hero soundtrack. Many of the songs have reworked arrangements and extended instrumental segments. The album cover is taken from a painting by Brett Whiteley.

<i>Shangri-La</i> (Mark Knopfler album) 2004 studio album by Mark Knopfler

Shangri-La is the fourth solo studio album by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler, released on 28 September 2004 by Mercury Records internationally and Warner Bros. Records in the United States. Shangri-La received generally favorable reviews.

<i>The Ragpickers Dream</i> 2002 studio album by Mark Knopfler

The Ragpicker's Dream is the third solo studio album by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler, released on 30 September 2002 by Mercury Records internationally, and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album received generally favorable reviews upon its release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Money for Nothing (song)</span> 1985 single by Dire Straits

"Money for Nothing" is a song by British rock band Dire Straits, being the second track on their fifth studio album, Brothers in Arms (1985). It was released as the album's second single on 28 June 1985 through Vertigo Records. The song's lyrics are written from the point of view of two working-class men watching music videos and commenting on what they see. The song features a guest appearance by Sting who sings the signature falsetto introduction, background vocals and a backing chorus of "I want my MTV". The groundbreaking video was the first to be aired on MTV Europe when the network launched on 1 August 1987.

<i>On the Night</i> 1993 live album by Dire Straits

On the Night is the second live album by the British rock band Dire Straits, released on 10 May 1993 by Vertigo Records internationally, and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album features many of the band's later hits, including the singles "Walk of Life" and "Money for Nothing". The cover art of the album features dishes of the Very Large Array in central New Mexico.

<i>Live at the BBC</i> (Dire Straits album) 1995 live album by Dire Straits

Live at the BBC is a live album by British rock band Dire Straits, released on 26 June 1995 on Vertigo Records internationally, and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album was recorded on 22 July 1978 at BBC Studios in London, with one track recorded on 31 January 1981. The studio versions of the first six songs were released on Dire Straits. Live at the BBC was the band's third live album, preceded by Alchemy: Dire Straits Live (1984) and On the Night (1993).

<i>All the Roadrunning</i> 2006 studio album by Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris

All the Roadrunning is a collaboration between British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler and American singer-songwriter Emmylou Harris, released on 24 April 2006 by Mercury Records and Universal Music internationally, and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album received favorable reviews, and reached the number one position on album charts in Denmark, Norway, and Switzerland. The album peaked at number eight in the United Kingdom, and number 17 on the Billboard 200 in the United States. The title track, which actually was released the year before as a new track on the compilation album Private Investigations, was released as a single and reached number 8 in the UK.

<i>Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits</i> 1998 greatest hits album by Dire Straits

Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits is the second greatest hits compilation by the British rock band Dire Straits, released on 19 October 1998 by Mercury Records internationally, and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album was originally released, featuring liner notes by Robert Sandall, as both a single CD and a limited edition double CD, with the second CD containing live recordings from Mark Knopfler's first solo tour in 1996. A DVD of the same name was also released, featuring the music videos of all the songs on the single CD version, in addition to short interviews with Mark Knopfler about each song. The album is named after the band's 1978 hit single of the same name. In 2002, a limited edition box set, comprising the two CDs and the DVD, was released as part of Universal's "Sight and Sound" series.

<i>Private Investigations</i> (album) 2005 compilation album by Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler

Private Investigations: The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler is the third compilation album by Dire Straits and Scottish-born British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler, released in 2005 by Mercury and Vertigo internationally, and Warner Bros. in the United States. Named after their 1982 hit single, the album consists of material by Dire Straits, with songs selected from the group's six studio albums from 1978 up through the group's dissolution in 1995. It also features work from the solo career of the group's singer, songwriter, and guitarist Mark Knopfler, including some of his soundtrack material.

<i>Kill to Get Crimson</i> 2007 studio album by Mark Knopfler

Kill to Get Crimson is the fifth solo studio album by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler, released on 17 September 2007 by Mercury Records internationally and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album's title comes from a line in the song "Let It All Go." The album cover image is taken from the painting Four Lambrettas and Three Portraits of Janet Churchman by John Bratby, painted in 1958. The first singles from the album were "True Love Will Never Fade" in Europe and "Punish The Monkey" in North America. The album debuted at number 26 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling about 23,000 copies in its first week. The Kill to Get Crimson Tour promoting the album started on 29 March 2008 in Amsterdam, Netherlands and ended on 31 July 2008 in Miami, Florida. The album was released on CD, CD/DVD, double vinyl LP, and a Deluxe Set of 180g vinyl LP and CD.

<i>A Night in London</i> 1996 video by Mark Knopfler

A Night in London is a live concert video by Mark Knopfler released on VHS tape and Laserdisc in 1996 by PolyGram Music and on DVD in 2003 by Universal Music. The setlist includes songs from Knopfler's first solo album, Golden Heart, along with well-known Dire Straits numbers and film themes composed by the artist.

<i>Down the Road Wherever</i> 2018 studio album by Mark Knopfler

Down the Road Wherever is the ninth solo studio album by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler, released on 16 November 2018 by British Grove Records via Virgin EMI in the UK and via Blue Note in the US.

References

  1. ↑ "BPI".
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Ruhlmann, William. "Darling Pretty". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  3. ↑ "Mark Knopfler (Chart Entries)". Tsort. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  4. ↑ "Mark Knopfler: Golden Heart". Australian Charts. Archived from the original on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  5. ↑ "Dire Straits given plaque honour". BBC News. 4 December 2009. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  6. ↑ McCormick, Neil (5 September 2012). "Mark Knopfler: how did we avoid disaster?". The Telegraph. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  7. ↑ "Darling Pretty". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  8. ↑ "Cannibals". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  9. ↑ "Rüdiger". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  10. ↑ "Golden Heart 1996 Tour Dates". Mark Knopfler News. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  11. 1 2 "Golden Heart tour 1996". Mark Knopfler. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  12. 1 2 3 Golden Heart (booklet). Mark Knopfler. Burbank, California: Warner Bros. Records. 1996. pp. 2–15. 946026-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Mark Knopfler – Golden Heart". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  14. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Mark Knopfler – Golden Heart" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  15. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Mark Knopfler – Golden Heart" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  16. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Mark Knopfler – Golden Heart" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  17. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Mark Knopfler – Golden Heart" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  18. ↑ "Mark Knopfler: Golden Heart" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  19. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Mark Knopfler – Golden Heart". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  20. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Mark Knopfler – Golden Heart" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  21. ↑ "Charts.nz – Mark Knopfler – Golden Heart". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  22. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Mark Knopfler – Golden Heart". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  23. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  24. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Mark Knopfler – Golden Heart". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  25. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Mark Knopfler – Golden Heart". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  26. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  27. ↑ "Mark Knopfler Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  28. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1996". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  29. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1996". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  30. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment . Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  31. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1996". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  32. ↑ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 1996". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  33. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1996 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  34. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Mark Knopfler – Golden Heart". Music Canada . Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  35. ↑ "Dutch album certifications – Mark Knopfler – Golden Heart" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers . Retrieved 13 July 2019.Enter Golden Heart in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1996 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  36. ↑ "IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  37. ↑ Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (PDF) (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. p. 942. ISBN   84-8048-639-2 . Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  38. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Golden Heart')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  39. ↑ "British album certifications – Mark Knopfler – Golden Heart". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  40. ↑ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 1997". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 2 February 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.