| Dire Straits – Once Upon A Time In The West Lyrics | 5 years ago |
| @[olemanwinter:29135], EDIT: I meant to write "REVERSE chronological order" | |
| Dire Straits – Once Upon A Time In The West Lyrics | 5 years ago |
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I think the song is about the triumph of "order" over the untamed and wild. I believe it's a theme that encompasses both the "Old West" of North America to the modern Western nations trying to civilize the rest of the world with our "peacekeeping forces". * The first verse seems to describe a renegade, "Crossing up the progress". Just someone who is causing problems for society. * The second verse seems to describe "The Man" talking to this renegade and explaining the reality of his situation. "no use saying that you don't know nothing It's still gonna get you if you don't do something" Shape up. Get in line. You can't fight the progress of law/order/civilization. *Continuing the second verse seems to describe how the West (US and Nato) acts as a force for peace but with a very heavy hand. "Sitting on a fence that's a dangerous course Oh, you could even catch a bullet from the peace-keeping force." Like the idea of bringing democracy to the 3rd world. Think of GWBush saying "You're either with us or against us". (I know this song is older than that...but it's a theme). " Very often it seems like Knopfler writes in chronological order when it comes to the most straight forward parts of his songs. * So the song ends back with the ORIGINAL order triumphing over the wild untamed West. "Heap big trouble in the land of plenty" is talking about the destruction/subjugation of the Native American tribes to the conquering Western civilization. |
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