Carátula del álbum Alchemy: Dire Straits Live de Dire Straits

Alchemy: Dire Straits Live de Dire Straits

Álbum de Dire Straits

  • Fecha de lanzamiento: 16 de Marzo de 1984
  • Compositores: Mark Knopfler
  • Productores: Mark Knopfler

Valora este álbum

Alchemy: Dire Straits Live es un álbum de Dire Straits, publicado en 1984. El disco incluye 11 canciones, entre ellas «Once Upon A Time In The West», «Expresso Love», «Romeo And Juliet» y «Love Over Gold».

Lanzado en 1984, Alchemy: Dire Straits Live es el primer álbum en directo de la banda británica Dire Straits. Grabado durante los dos últimos conciertos de su gira "Love over Gold Tour" en el Hammersmith Odeon de Londres, este disco es un testimonio de la increíble destreza musical y el poder escénico de la banda en su apogeo. "Alchemy" no es un simple directo; es una reinterpretación de sus canciones, que son expandidas con largos pasajes instrumentales, improvisaciones y algunos de los solos de guitarra más legendarios de Mark Knopfler. Famoso por no tener absolutamente ningún retoque de estudio ("overdub"), el álbum captura la química y la magia ("alquimia") de la banda en su estado más puro. Fue un éxito masivo que consolidó su reputación como una de las mejores bandas en directo del mundo.

El camino hasta el estudio

La gira del álbum Love over Gold fue un gran éxito, y la banda se encontraba en un estado de forma excepcional. La decisión de grabar un álbum en directo fue natural. La grabación, producida por el propio Knopfler, se realizó utilizando la tecnología digital más avanzada de la época, lo que resultó en una calidad de sonido impecable. La insistencia de Knopfler en no añadir ningún retoque de estudio fue una declaración de principios en una era en la que la mayoría de los álbumes en directo estaban fuertemente manipulados.

Análisis musical y del directo

El sonido de "Alchemy" es orgánico, dinámico y expansivo. La banda, con la incorporación del teclista Alan Clark y el batería Terry Williams, suena increíblemente cohesionada. Las versiones en directo de sus canciones son a menudo superiores a las de estudio. El álbum es una clase magistral de dinámica musical, pasando de los susurros más delicados a las explosiones de rock más potentes. El gran protagonista es, por supuesto, Mark Knopfler, cuyos solos de guitarra son de una belleza y una técnica asombrosas.

Canción por canción

El repertorio es una selección de lo mejor de sus cuatro primeros álbumes. La versión de "Sultans of Swing", con su solo de guitarra extendido, es considerada por muchos como la versión definitiva de la canción. La épica "Telegraph Road" y "Private Investigations" se expanden en versiones atmosféricas y cinematográficas. "Tunnel of Love" y "Romeo and Juliet" se presentan en versiones increíblemente emotivas.

Salida al mercado y resultados

"Alchemy" fue un éxito de ventas masivo en todo el mundo.

Reacción de la prensa especializada

La crítica aclamó "Alchemy" como uno de los mejores álbumes en directo de la historia del rock. Fue elogiado por su autenticidad, su impecable calidad sonora y por capturar la magia de la banda sobre el escenario. "Alchemy" no solo es un álbum esencial para cualquier fan de Dire Straits, y también un documento histórico que muestra a una de las mejores bandas de rock en la cima de su poder.

Listado de Canciones

Disco 1

  1. Once Upon A Time In The West

    Letra

    Some people get a cheap laugh breaking up the speed limit Scaring the pedestrians for minute Crossing up progress driving on the grass Leaving just enough room to pass Sunday driver never took a test Oh yeah, once upon a time in the west Yes it's no use saying that you don't know nothing It's still gonna get you if you don't do something Sitting on a fence that's a dangerous course Ah, you could even catch a bullet from the peace-keeping force Even the hero gets a bullet in the chest Oh yeah, once upon a time in the west Mother Mary your children are slaughtered Some of you mothers ought to lock up your daughter Who's protecting the innocenti Heap big trouble in the land of plenty Tell me how we're gonna do what's best You guess once upon a time in the west Oh yeah once upon a time in the west Oh yeah once upon a time in the west Oh yeah once upon a time in the west Once upon a time in the west
  2. Expresso Love
    vídeo del tema Expresso Love
    She gets the sun in the daytime Perfume in the dusk And she comes out in the night time With the honeysuckle musk Because she smells just like a rose And she tastes just like a peach She got me walking where the wildlife goes I'd go anything to reach her And she was made in heaven Heaven's in the world Is this just expresso love You know I'm crazy for the girl She call me just to talk She's my lover she's a friend of mine She says hey mister you wanna take a walk In the wild west end sometime And I get trouble with my breathing She says boys don't know anything But I know what I want I want everything Well I feel so good cos I feel so good And I feel so good cos it feels so right I was made to go with my girl Like a saxophone was made to go with the night And she can raise one eyebrow Put her hand on my hip And I close one eye now Sweat on her lip And I surrender to the fever I surrender to the will of the night She love me so tender I got to believe her Love? Expresso love's alright I don't want no sugar in it Thank you very much All wired up on it all fired up on it Expresso touch Hey maestro expresso It's just another one just like the other one Hey maestro expresso It's this another one just like the other one
  3. Romeo And Juliet
    vídeo del tema Romeo And Juliet
    A lovestruck Romeo sings the streets a serenade Laying everybody low with a love song that he made Finds a streetlight steps out of the shade Says something like you and me babe how about it? Juliet says hey it's Romeo you nearly gimme me a heart attack He's underneath the window she's singing hey la my boyfriend's back You shouldn't come around here singing up at people like that Anyway what you gonna do about it? Juliet the dice were loaded from the start And I bet and you exploded in my heart And I forget I forget the movie song When you gonna realize it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet? Come up on different streets they both were streets of shame Both dirty both mean yes and the dream was just the same And I dreamed your dream for you and now your dream is real How can you look at me as if I was just another one of your deals? Well you can fall for chains of silver you can fall for chains of gold You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold You promised me everything you promised me thick and thin, yeah Now you just say oh Romeo yeah you know I used to have a scene with him Juliet when we made love you used to cry You said I love you like the stars above I'll love you till I die There's a place for us you know the movie song When you gonna realize it was just that the time was wrong Juliet? I can't do the talk like they talk on TV And I can't do a love song like the way it's meant to be I can't do everything but I'd do anything for you I can't do anything except be in love with you And all I do is miss you and the way we used to be All I do is keep the beat and bad company All I do is kiss you through the bars of a rhyme Julie I'd do the stars with you any time Juliet when we made love you used to cry You said I love you like the stars above I'll love you till I die There's a place for us you know the movie song When you gonna realize it was just that the time was wrong Juliet? A lovestruck Romeo sings the streets a serenade Laying everybody low with a love song that he made Finds a convenient streetlight steps out of the shade Says something like you and me babe how about it?
  4. Love Over Gold
    vídeo del tema Love Over Gold
    You walk out on the high wire You're a dancer on thin ice You pay no heed to the danger And less to advice Your footsteps are forbidden But with a knowledge of your sin You throw your love to all the strangers And caution to the wind And you go dancing through doorways Just to see what you will find Leaving nothing to interfere With the crazy balance of your mind And when you finally reappear At the place where you came in You've thrown your love to all the strangers And caution to the wind It takes love over gold And mind over matter To do what you do that you must When the things that you hold Can fall and be shattered Or run through your fingers like dust
  5. Private Investigations
    vídeo del tema Private Investigations
    It's a mystery to me - the game commences For the usual fee - plus expenses Confidential information - is a diary This is my investigation - it's not a public inquiry I go checking out the reports - digging up the dirt You get to meet all sorts in this line of work Treachery and treason - there's always an excuse for it And when I find the reason I still can't get used to it And what have you got at the end of the day? What have you got to take away? A bottle of whisky and a new set of lies Blinds on the windows and a pain behind the eyes Scarred for life - nocompensation Private investigations
  6. Sultans Of Swing
    vídeo del tema Sultans Of Swing
    You get a shiver in the dark, It's raining in the park, but meantime: South of the river, you stop and you hold everything. A band is blowin' Dixie, double-four time. You feel alright when you hear that music play. Now You step inside, but you don't see too many faces. Comin' in out of the rain to hear the jazz go down. Competition in other places... But the horns, they blowin' that sound. Way on down south, Way on down south, London-town Check out Guitar George, he knows all the chords. But it's strictly rhythm; he doesn't want to make it cry or sing. If any old guitar is all he can afford, When he gets up under the lights to play his thing. And Harry doesn't mind if he doesn't make the scene. He's got a daytime job, he's doing alright. He can play the honky tonk like anything, Savin' it up for Friday night. With the Sultans, With the Sultans of Swing And a crowd of young boys, they're fooling around in the corner, Drunk and dressed in their best brown baggies and their platform soles. The don't give a damn about any trumpet playing band. It ain't what they call rock and roll. And the Sultans, Yes the Sultans play Creole. And then the man, he steps right up to the microphone. And says at last, just as the time bell rings, "Goodnight, now it's time to go home." And he makes it fast, with one more thing: "We're the Sultans, "We are the Sultans of Swing."

Disco 2

  1. Two Young Lovers

    Letra

    It was the last day of summer It was the first of a new romance He walked into her on the corner She said, 'i don't dance' He said, 'baby let me teach you' She said, 'o. K., when? ' He said, 'how can I reach you baby I'd really like to see you again' He picked her up on a friday night He took her for a bite to eat His heart was beating and his hands were shaking She thought he was sweet And he stood on her shoes on the dance floor Well, they were doing it cheek to cheek And he walked her home and he kissed her He was walking on air all week Well, they couldn't stand to be apart They couldn't leave one another alone Her mama used to say, 'it's getting late sweetheart It's time that boy went home' And upstairs papa kissed mama And she gave him a sweet caress He said, 'here's to the two young lovers Let's wish 'em every happiness' It was the last day of summer They came walking home hand in hand They went and told her mama They showed her the wedding band Mama cried and poured the wine Papa just said God bless Now, here's to the two young lovers Let's wish 'em every happiness
  2. Tunnel Of Love
    vídeo del tema Tunnel Of Love
    Getting crazy on the waltzers but it's the life that I choose Sing about the sixblade sing about the switchback and a torture tattoo And I been riding on a ghost train where the cars they scream and slam And I don't know where I'll be tonight but I'll always tell you where I am In a screaming ring of faces I seen her standing in the light She had a ticket for the races, yeah just like me she was a victim of the night I put my hand upon the lever said let it rock and let it roll I had a one arm bandit fever there was an arrow through my heart and my soul And the big wheel keep on turning neon burning up above And I'm just high on the world Come on and take a low ride with me girl On the tunnel of love, yeah love It's just a danger, and when you're riding at your own risk She said you are the perfect stranger, she said baby just keep it like this It's just a cakewalk twisting baby step right up and say Hey mister give me two give me two now, 'cause any two can play And the big wheel keep on turning neon burning up above And I'm just high on the world Come on and take a low ride with me girl On the tunnel of love, oooh love Well it's been money for muscle another whirligig Money for muscle and another girl I dig Another hustle just to, just to make it big And rockaway, rockaway, oh rockaway, rockaway And girl it looks so pretty to me just like it always did Like the Spanish City to me when we where kids Oh girl it looks so pretty to me just like it always did Like the Spanish City to me when we where kids Woh-la Check it out She took off a silver locket she said remember me by this She put her hand in my pocket I got a keepsake and a kiss And in the roar of dust and diesel I stood and watched her walk away I could have caught up with her easy enough but something must have made me stay And the big wheel keep on turning neon burning up above And I'm just high on this world Come on and take a low ride with me girl On the tunnel of love, yeah love love On the tunnel of love, oooh love love And now I'm searching through these carousels and the carnival arcades Searching everywhere from steeplechase to palisades In any shooting gallery where promises are made To rockaway, rockaway... Rockaway, rockaway From Cullercoats and Whitley Bay out to rockaway And girl it looks so pretty to me just like it always did Like the Spanish City to me when we where kids Girl it looks so pretty to me just like it always did Like the Spanish City to me when we where kids
  3. Telegraph Road

    Letra

    A long time ago came a man on a track Walking thirty miles with a pack on his back And he put down his load where he thought it was the best Made a home in the wilderness He built a cabin and a winter store And he ploughed up the ground by the cold lake shore And the other travellers came riding down the track And they never went further, no, they never went back Then came the churches then came the schools Then came the lawyers then came the rules Then came the trains and the trucks with their loads And the dirty old track was the telegraph road Then came the mines - then came the ore Then there was the hard times then there was a war Telegraph sang a song about the world outside Telegraph road got so deep and so wide Like a rolling river. .. And my radio says tonight it's gonna freeze People driving home from the factories There's six lanes of traffic Three lanes moving slow. .. I used to like to go to work but they shut it down I got a right to go to work but there's no work here to be found Yes and they say we're gonna have to pay what's owed We're gonna have to reap from some seed that's been sowed And the birds up on the wires and the telegraph poles They can always fly away from this rain and this cold You can hear them singing out their telegraph code All the way down the telegraph road You know I'd sooner forget but I remember those nights When life was just a bet on a race between the lights You had your head on my shoulder you had your hand in my hair Now you act a little colder like you don't seem to care But believe in me baby and I'll take you away From out of this darkness and into the day From these rivers of headlights these rivers of rain From the anger that lives on the streets with these names Cause I've run every red light on memory lane I've seen desperation explode into flames And I don't want to see it again. .. From all of these signs saying sorry but we're closed All the way down the telegraph road
  4. Solid Rock
    vídeo del tema Solid Rock
    Well take a look at that I made a castle in the sand Saying this is where it's at you know Couldn't understand now If I realised that the chances were slim How come I'm so surprised when the tide rolled in I wanna live on solid rock I'm gonna live on solid rock I wanna give I don't wanna be blocked I'm gonna live on solid rock Well I'm sick of potential I'm sick of vanity now I'm sticking to essential reality now I don't know what's worse Try to make a silk purse Living an illusion living in confusion Well a house of cards Was never built for shock You could blow it down in any kind of weather Now two solid rocks two solid blocks You know they're gonna stick Yeah they're gonna stick together Because the heart that you break That's the one that you rely on The bed that you make That's the one you gotta lie on When you point your finger cos your plan fell through You got three more fingers pointing back at you I wanna live on solid rock I'm gonna live on solid rock I wanna give I don't wanna be blocked I'm gonna live on solid rock
  5. Going Home: Theme of the Local Hero