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| Monteleone; Beautiful song | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Saturday, 30. March 2013, 13:58 (384 Views) | |
| qjamesfloyd | Saturday, 30. March 2013, 13:58 Post #1 |
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I guess it is hard to name the most beautiful song Mark has written, but in my mind not many get close to Monteleone, and for me it says everything about why I love Mark as an artist, the fact that one of the world's greatest luthiers choose to make a guitar for Mark is an honour, but for Mark then to return the honour by writing Mr Monteleone a song is a wonderful thing. The words are taken from Mr Monteleone himself from e-mail's he was sending Mark as he was making Mark a guitar. The string orchestration in the song is beautiful, and Mark's finger picked guitar compliments that, his singing is probably the best I've heard him, and the solo is understated but gorgeous. It is almost like a film score. In the Guitar Stories documentary Mr Monteleone talks about what an honour it was for him to hear this song in Mark's studio, and how it affected him. This for me is one of Mark's greatest moments :) |
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"Yeah, me and my mate like ac-dc Hot & sweaty, loud & greasy" Mark Knopfler. | |
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| Hophead | Saturday, 30. March 2013, 15:50 Post #2 |
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Couldn't agree more QJF...some people think "Monteleone" is a skipper...personally I feel that it is one of the most beautiful songs Mark has ever written. It's simple beauty may be a way to express John's humility as an artist. Sounds like someone else we know...doesn't it? |
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| 3Strats | Saturday, 30. March 2013, 17:41 Post #3 |
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I agree, it's a beautiful song & very cleverly thought out as it's about someone of Italian descent - the melody & picked guitar style make me think of 50's & 60's films shot in Italy (Think Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida) .. ( & then possibly think . . cold shower !) :) l :P :lol: I'm sure you know the sort of films I mean - stylish people driving around in open topped sports cars etc. |
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When you point your finger 'cause your plan fell through, You've got 3 more fingers pointing back at you. I reserve the right to change my opinion at a moment's notice - Why should it just be a woman's prerogative? | |
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| qjamesfloyd | Sunday, 31. March 2013, 08:10 Post #4 |
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Lol, I hear you on the cold shower front :shock: It would be lovely to see and hear Mark play this with an orchestra. |
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"Yeah, me and my mate like ac-dc Hot & sweaty, loud & greasy" Mark Knopfler. | |
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| suprlinda | Monday, 1. April 2013, 13:31 Post #5 |
Making Movies
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I have always loved this song too - the orchestration is so "lush." (Maybe that lushness is what 3Stats and QJF are thinking about with their cold showers :lol: ) I have noticed in particular with the film music that same lushness comes through in some of them - Local Hero and Princess Bride in particular. And it definately is a fitting tribute to John M. :waytogo: |
| A pack of dog jackals and a rabble of ravens | |
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| ElinaFinn | Monday, 1. April 2013, 21:00 Post #6 |
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I agree with you all. Monteleone is also one of my favourite Get Lucky songs. But I hadn't realised that it actually resembles film music of the 50's and 60's. When you mentioned it, I put my headphones on, closed my eyes and listened to it once again, imagining I was watching an old Italian film ... and yes, you're right, it would be a perfect film score! The strings, the piano, the guitar, the leisurely pace ... it all evokes an image of an unhurried summer day somewhere in the Italian countryside. Thanks to you, fellow forumers, I've once again gained new insight into Mark's music! :) And QJF, you're absolutely right about Mark's singing in this particular song, it's beautiful ... "sends shivers up my spine". :wub: |
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| qjamesfloyd | Tuesday, 2. April 2013, 06:20 Post #7 |
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Yes, I've never been one to subscribe to the MK can't sing club, saying he is too much like Tom Waits, Bob Dylan. I admit his voice is different, and he's never win a singing contest :) however since he gave up smoking, his voice has improved so much, and I don't think he'd sing a song like Monteleone back when he was a full time smoker, compared to Dylan's singing voice now, Mark sings like an angel :) |
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"Yeah, me and my mate like ac-dc Hot & sweaty, loud & greasy" Mark Knopfler. | |
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| suprlinda | Tuesday, 2. April 2013, 13:14 Post #8 |
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You pegged that one right about BD! And yes, Mark's voice quality has improved vastly over the years. I have always thought it was probably due to several factors, though. The smoking issue is there, of course, but I also think that as he has matured, his voice has, too. I know men's voices tend to mature later when they are in the bass - baritone range. I also think the songs he writes now are not in the same register or keys as they were when he started out. I think all these things have helped a lot. :P |
| A pack of dog jackals and a rabble of ravens | |
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| 3Pints | Sunday, 22. September 2013, 17:33 Post #9 |
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Old Pigweed
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Agreed. And well said, QJF. (Please pardon my edits for brevity.) I've long found it particularly interesting how Mark is so often inspired by words and language. Whether it comes from reading a Thomas Pynchon novel; from over-hearing a couple of blue collar workers talking in an appliance store, or in this case from an exchange of emails with another craftsman and artist - language and words are what turns on the creative light-bulb in Mark's head. |
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Cheers, 3Pints "It’s a quiet life from here on in, You’ve dropped your poisoned cup The telephone is ringing, but you’re not picking up" | |
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| qjamesfloyd | Saturday, 2. November 2013, 15:17 Post #10 |
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Yes, there are so many of Mark's song that are about his observations, and they could be observations from any time in his life. In another thread we mused over weather or not Mark could write a novel, and if you think about it, his songs are his novel, when you look back over his amazing songs, there are a lot of connections, and some recurring characters, I guess he is slowly writing the novel of his own life and what he observes in it. |
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"Yeah, me and my mate like ac-dc Hot & sweaty, loud & greasy" Mark Knopfler. | |
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| Stanko | Tuesday, 21. April 2015, 19:24 Post #11 |
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May I do a praise on this thread? One of the finest in my humble opinion. |
| ... always at your boots, the mud behind the byre with its clammy hold ;-) | |
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| qjamesfloyd | Wednesday, 22. April 2015, 11:16 Post #12 |
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Exaclty stanko. This is one of Mark's greatest songs, it would be on my 2 CD Best of Mark Knopfler album :) |
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"Yeah, me and my mate like ac-dc Hot & sweaty, loud & greasy" Mark Knopfler. | |
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| qjamesfloyd | Wednesday, 28. September 2016, 13:18 Post #13 |
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I have been listening to this song a lot lately, and I still stand by my original comments about the song, it is wonderful. It really is a great observation by Mark in terms of his lyrics, the music, arrangement, strings, guitar, production, everything is just so right with this song. |
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"Yeah, me and my mate like ac-dc Hot & sweaty, loud & greasy" Mark Knopfler. | |
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| suprlinda | Wednesday, 28. September 2016, 18:32 Post #14 |
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I have to agree with everything you said, James. Around the time Get Lucky came out, imagine my surprise to watch a documentary on John Monteleone, and including a visit to his work shop! What was even better was that my brother had seen it before, when he was building an instrument for himself, and he was the one to first mention JM, then the song and me seeing the video. It was really cool that Mark pegged him perfectly. |
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| Stanko | Wednesday, 28. September 2016, 21:33 Post #15 |
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So if I got you right, you visited his work shop personally after your brother had visited it already, all before Mark has written the song? It's very excited! Did you meet him actually? Here's an interesting interview with JM that I found (there is a part where he said how he came in contact with MK). http://users.skynet.be/markknopfler/JohnMo...neinterview.htm |
| ... always at your boots, the mud behind the byre with its clammy hold ;-) | |
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| suprlinda | Wednesday, 28. September 2016, 22:24 Post #16 |
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Hi, Stanko. Sorry, just a "mental" visit. My brother was telling me about a video he had watched about JM, probably the same one that both you and I saw. At the time, I didn't know anything about Monteleone. Then, later the song came out and within days of my hearing it for the first time, I saw the video, too. I realized that the guy my brother talked about was the same one as Mark wrote about. It was pretty cool, anyway. |
| A pack of dog jackals and a rabble of ravens | |
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| qjamesfloyd | Thursday, 29. September 2016, 09:36 Post #17 |
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Thanks for the interview link Stanko, that was a new one to me :waytogo: |
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"Yeah, me and my mate like ac-dc Hot & sweaty, loud & greasy" Mark Knopfler. | |
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| ponysoldier12 | Sunday, 11. March 2018, 05:47 Post #18 |
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wow awesome....i did the hear the interview mark had about the song and about the guitar that was made fro him. what an honor for both mark for the ultimate gift from the ultimate maker of our time. and then to hear how monteleone was honored for a song> just wow. and what a beautiful song it is. a master piece. |
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