History
The single "Sultans of Swing" first broke the US top five early spring 1979 (being a hit a full five months after the album was released there) and then rose to #8 in the British charts. "Water of Love" was also released as a single in some countries, and charted in Australia, reaching #54, and in the Netherlands, reaching #28. In Europe, the album sold four million copies while in the U.S. it sold two million copies.
The album was remastered and released with the rest of the Dire Straits catalogue in 1996 to most of the world excluding the U.S. and on 19 September 2000 in the United States.
The cover image is taken from a painting by Chuck Loyola, while the Dire Straits Fender icon was designed by Geoff Halpern.
See also: Dire Straits tourA small number of guitars were used on the album by Mark Knopfler. These included a pair of red Fender Stratocasters (one from 1961-serial number #68354 and one from 1961/62-serial number #80470). He played his 1928 National and 1937 National steel guitars on tracks "Water of Love" and "Wild West End", respectively. A black Fender thinline Telecaster was played on "Setting Me Up". Mark and David also played Mark's sunburst Fender Telecaster. There was also an unidentified acoustic guitar used on several tracks.
Read more about this topic: Dire Straits (album)
Famous quotes containing the word history:
““And now this is the way in which the history of your former life has reached my ears!” As he said this he held out in his hand the fatal letter.”
—Anthony Trollope (1815–1882)
“It’s not the sentiments of men which make history but their actions.”
—Norman Mailer (b. 1923)
“The custard is setting; meanwhile
I not only have my own history to worry about
But am forced to fret over insufficient details related to large
Unfinished concepts that can never bring themselves to the point
Of being, with or without my help, if any were forthcoming.”
—John Ashbery (b. 1927)