| Dire Straits – Brothers In Arms Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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No 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. 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. 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. Firstly, Dire Straits are a UK band and their life experiences are British not American. 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). 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). 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). 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". 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. 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. 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. each soldiers has his own family, life and universe. A great song. |
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