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| A Place Where We Used To Live; A Translation Problem | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Thursday, 27. December 2012, 16:29 (287 Views) | |
| ElinaFinn | Thursday, 27. December 2012, 16:29 Post #1 |
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Dire Straits
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Hi all, I've never fully understood the meaning of these four lines in the song: If this old neighbourhood Survived us both alright Don't know that it withstood All the things that took our light I'd be happy if someone could rephrase it for me. This song is one of my favourites on the album for lots of reasons. The touching lyrics, the beautiful melody, the delicate touch that Jim Cox plays his piano with, the lovely gentle sound of Mark's guitar, and his soft thoughtful vocal. If only the outro had been longer! It's difficult to find any other song with as beautiful a combination of piano and guitar as this ... so melodic and fragile. You may call me sentimental, but this song brings a tear to my eye almost every time I listen to it. And so does the song The Ragpicker's Dream, too. |
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| suprlinda | Thursday, 27. December 2012, 18:44 Post #2 |
Making Movies
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Hi, Elina, I don't recall reading any discussions on this song, but maybe there have been on the red pages or AMIT. That being said, my take on those lines would be something like this. The storyteller was married, but now divorced. He has come back to the neighborhood they lived in while married. I would guess there had been marital fights of one sort or another, and he says that if the neighborhood as a whole made it through those times okay, he doesn't know whether their neighbors stood all of the things that went on and "took our light," the positive side of their marriage. He goes on to say that the old house holds nothing of them any more, it is now someone else's house, relagated to memory on his part, maybe, finally. And you are right, it is a bit of a tear jerker. I also like all of the songs on Ragpicker, too. Hopefully, this helps a bit. :unsure: |
| A pack of dog jackals and a rabble of ravens | |
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| ElinaFinn | Thursday, 27. December 2012, 20:06 Post #3 |
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Dire Straits
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Thanks, Linda! Your explanation solved my problem. You see, I had only thought of the word 'neighbourhood' as referring to the residential area, not to the people, the neighbours! :uhoh: But now it all makes sense, thanks again! :) |
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| Emily X | Sunday, 29. April 2018, 04:12 Post #4 |
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Monkey Girl
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Hi ElinaFinn, and thanks for posting about the lyrics of this song... "A Place Where We Used to Live" is one of my favourites too. The words say just enough but leave a lot to the imagination. I like superlinda's analysis. The narrator has come back to the old house or flat where he and his partner used to live and he is picturing things that used to be there - the way it was when they were together. I didn't infer that there might have been any real marital fights - just that they drifted apart, or that she left for someone else. And he is missing her. "Here in the dust, There's not a trace of us Everything is gone, But my heart is hanging on" I just listened to it again and got choked up too. Wow. Good song! |
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"If there was a better way to go then it would find me I can't help it, the road just rolls out behind me Be kind to me, or treat me mean I'll make the most of it, I'm an extraordinary machine" | |
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| qjamesfloyd | Monday, 30. April 2018, 08:45 Post #5 |
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Administrator
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Yes, a beautiful song, I love the gentle acoustic guitar playing from Mark. |
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"Yeah, me and my mate like ac-dc Hot & sweaty, loud & greasy" Mark Knopfler. | |
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| Emily X | Wednesday, 2. May 2018, 06:27 Post #6 |
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Monkey Girl
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Yeh, but what about the lyrics.... ? That's the song, right there. I never really noticed the guitar. I like the shaker. I like the jazzy piano riffs more. Jim Cox, I guess.... Looking at the notes. |
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"If there was a better way to go then it would find me I can't help it, the road just rolls out behind me Be kind to me, or treat me mean I'll make the most of it, I'm an extraordinary machine" | |
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| Stanko | Thursday, 3. May 2018, 10:59 Post #7 |
Communique
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Hi Emily X, I can recall of a documentary where Mark stood at the location talking about the lyrics and a school "that used to be there" I bet we find the one soon! |
| ... always at your boots, the mud behind the byre with its clammy hold ;-) | |
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2:15 PM Jul 11