"Through these fields of destruction/Baptisms of Fire," his friends saw the hopelessness of the situation and "did not desert me," and just the knowledge that "Someday you'll return to your valleys and farms" is enough to grant a dying man solace. This one transcends it all by showing that, although "Every man has to die," in this case by the foolish acts of forces far too powerful for him to be anything but helpless, that man lives on in his Brothers in Arms. Lots of songs speak of losing everything. It speaks of losing everything ("These mist-covered mountains are a home now for me/But my home is the lowlands, and it always will be"). The protagonist could be a fighter in Afghanistan when the Soviets attacked, or a Muslim in Boznia, or a Jew in Warsaw. It brings up images of the life of pawns.
For a long time, I avoided reading the lyrics, afraid it would cheapen the song somehow, but they only strengthen it's message. each soldiers has his own family, life and universe. It also has meaning that transcends any specific battle and speaks to the tragedy of war and highlights the individual nature of war i.e. Whether this is a specific battle or a general battle it strikes me that it is much more likely to be referring to a Scottish battle field and most likely to be near the 16th century, during the periods when farmers and family mean left their families, farms and fields to fight together in battle, as brothers in arms. This leads me to believe that this song is specifically about a Scottish battle, most like post-15th century, potentially against the Jacobites or maybe even under Queen Mary ("Bloody Mary") prior to the Scottish reformation in 1560. And finally, baptism may refer to the protestant practice of Baptising following the breaking away from the Vatican in the 16th century - this expression could highlight the "Baptism of fire" for both the new religion and the introduction to battle, bonding the "brothers in arms". Fourthly, brother in arms is a British expression used by Shakespeare to describe a strong male bond developed serving joint service and battle (16th century). Thirdly, the Low Lands is most well known for one country, Scotland, and one region The European Lowlands (scenes of many terrible religious battles during the 16th century). Secondly, Mark Knopfler was born in Glasgow, Scotland and the Civil War would be unlikely to have been prominent in the British history curriculum (I think of the many wars fought on British soil over the 2000 years and that is not counting other European countries or ancient Europe). While the lyrics are general enough to have relevance to any war, country or period in history, I think the likelihood it has anything to do with the US Civil War is very low.įirstly, Dire Straits are a UK band and their life experiences are British not American. Most people think about mist-covered mountains, low lands, valleys and farms and brothers in arms, and apply this to their knowledge base, and for US listeners, namely the United States and the Civil War.
General CommentNo offence to the many US comments, but this seems to be a case of the similarity heuristic at work, where people find similarities that are easy and most obvious, and therefore more productive decision making - but not necessarily correct. The song is about the overwhelming sadness that despite our shared humanity we just don't seem to be able to get along with each other despite the observation that in the greater scheme of things are similarities far outweigh our differences.įinally I believe that there is a note of regret that we do not seem to apply this sense of loyalty, courage and love to the good of all humanity.
Then he ironically notes that the soldiers of the opposing army are very similar and have the same emotions when they go into battle. Mark sings about the feeling of comradeship of the soldiers, the fact that they would give their lives for each other, a testiment for their love for each other. I believe this song specifically addresses the tragic irony that the source of many of humanities' greatest acts of loyalty, bravery and even love is often it's most futile endevour, namely war. Personally I agree with previous posters that the song is not about any specific war but is more generic, although I can see that it's meaning might be more immediately accessible to in terms of a civil war. My InterpretationWhen I listen to this song it has always given me the same feeling, and until I read the comment by Mikhailbacunin I thought that I was the only person to have picked up on this (sorry to any other posters who might have expressed the same sentiment.
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