Master Craftsman At Work: Mark Knopfler’s Finest Guitar Solos
Our choice of the most memorable guitar exploits of the world-famous British musician.
It was in the later 1970s that Mark Knopfler first served notice to the wider world that he was a guitar player of rare calibre. Hundreds of millions of album sales later, and with an unparalleled catalog of recordings to his credit, he continues to be one of the greatest exponents of the guitar in the world. We’re celebrating that fact by remembering some of the finest-ever solos of the man born in Glasgow on August 12, 1949, with this 20-track playlist.
It includes material both from Dire Straits, across the course of their recording span of some 15 years, and the distinguished catalog of solo albums Knopfler has been making over the last 20-plus. The list runs in chronological order, from the first studio album in what has become a unique career.
The track containing what is probably still Mark’s most famous solo is one that he still reproduces on a regular basis on stage: the spectacular run on his Fender Stratocaster from around 4’58” until the fade of Dire Straits’ debut hit “Sultans Of Swing.” Their self-titled first album of 1978 also featured the equally brilliant “Down To The Waterline” and “Water Of Love.”
The next year’s follow-up album Communiqué delivered the single “Lady Writer” and another track much admired by Knopfler fans, “Single Handed Sailor.” Listen for the fine solo starting at around 2’48,” which as with many of his recordings, energizes the song all the way to its fade.
Guitar that energizes
1980’s Making Movies offered the singles “Tunnel Of Love” and “Solid Rock” and from the 1982 album Love Over Gold there was “It Never Rains” and the memorable solo at the culmination of the epic “Telegraph Road.” It almost goes without saying that the title track from Brothers In Arms stands among his finest work.
While Dire Straits were still recording, Knopfler paused to make the delightful Neck & Neck album with one of his guitar heroes, Chet Atkins. Their version of “I’ll See You In My Dreams” has both of them soloing delightfully throughout. At the end of the Straits’ recording era, their final studio album On Every Street contained his mellifluous solo on “You And Your Friend,” and the 1993 concert set On The Night an atypically hard-rock workout on the live version of “Private Investigations.”
Solo selections
From Mark’s fine collection of solo studio albums, Golden Heart included the jaunty “Don’t You Get It.” Sailing To Philadelphia had two more fan favorites among his best solos, the exhilarating “Speedway At Nazareth” and the more measured “Baloney Again,” reminiscent of another of his favourite players, J.J. Cale.
Another example of the gentle, less-is-more playing style of his solo years is on the elegant “Our Shangri-La,” the near-title track from 2004’s Shangri-La. The Privateering album featured the folk-influenced playing of “Redbud Tree” and “Go Love,” and 2015’s Tracker included the Cale-esque “Broken Bones.” Then came another masterful solo release in 2018’s Down The Road Wherever, which featured a remarkable nod to Rodgers and Hammerstein on “Just A Boy Away From Home.”
Listen to the best of Mark Knopfler on Apple Music and Spotify.
Len Cushnie
April 25, 2016 at 10:59 am
Sultans of Swing & Tunnel of Love for me. The latter probably edges it for me.
Claudi
April 25, 2016 at 9:49 pm
My favorites are : shangri la, brothers in arms, water of love and sultans for my son Philipp.
Claudi
April 29, 2016 at 5:02 pm
I like so many songs from MK. At the moment i like very much the songs 2, 7,8, 9 and 11 from the album tracker and the ” dream of the drowned submariner” from the album privateering and all songs from alchemy.
Carlos Brito
August 13, 2017 at 2:33 am
Por favor Mark Knopfler , venha ao Brasil em 2018 no Rock in Rio , Existem milhares de fãs aqui no Brasil e países vizinhos,
Um enorme abraço deste seu fã desde os meus 15 anos , hoje eu tenho 55 anos. Abraçossss
Gilson
January 4, 2018 at 12:14 am
Ouvi pela 1 vez em 1979…. Com 15 anos tb. Em 2001 fui ver Mark em Porto Alegre… Sou de SC. Hoje com 53 anos ainda curto o som… Cada vez melhor….é um músico q evoluiu muito nesses anos q passaram. Isso é raro na música.
R Prasad
April 25, 2016 at 11:14 am
Tunnel of Love without doubt.
James Sullivan
April 25, 2016 at 11:54 am
My favorite out of all there pieces would have to Romeo & Juliet. I can really connect with the lyrics and Marks magical guitar playing. Now I as specially like Mark with the Resinator magic.
lezzlie
August 15, 2019 at 10:37 am
Romeo & Juliet is one of the most overrated song ever recorded, sentimental twaddle, for guitar playing it shouldn’t even be mentioned.
Michael Whelan
April 25, 2016 at 12:52 pm
Telegraph Road is just amazing
madraccoon
April 26, 2016 at 8:37 pm
Bang on! Love over gold version. Started me on Dire Straits and never forgotten… hair stood up on my neck from the first few notes of the intro. One of my top ten definitive tracks.
Bill Minick
June 1, 2016 at 2:43 am
I’m with you, Telegraph Road is such a great epic song, and will always be my favorite.
Charlie Larzalere
June 17, 2016 at 3:20 pm
Telegraph Road and Romeo & Juliet. Any of the pieces where Mark and the band cut loose on their individual pieces and bring it all back together. The longer they do that, the more into the song I get.
Giovanni
July 10, 2016 at 9:55 am
Yes, I agree. Fantastic. But I like MK very much. Greatings Giovanni.
Erwin D'hont
April 25, 2016 at 1:13 pm
Telegraph Road! (saw Mark and his excellent band live in Antwerp, 2013 may 12th, WAW…)
Trond Jenssen
April 25, 2016 at 1:15 pm
I agree on Tunnel of Love. Sadly he doesn’t play that one anymore. But happily he still plays Telegraph Road, and of course Sultans 🙂
jimmy
April 25, 2016 at 2:12 pm
The live version of Speedway at Nazareth from the Real Live Roadrunning DVD. And of course, Tunnel of Love.
parrothead007
April 25, 2016 at 4:14 pm
Speedway at Nazareth on Real Live Roadrunning is THE greatest live version of any song….EVER!
Sue
August 13, 2016 at 3:12 am
I completely agree; it’s an amazing piece of music!
Paul
April 25, 2016 at 10:46 pm
Yes
dave
April 25, 2016 at 2:19 pm
Where’s “What it is”?
Harald Houtman
April 25, 2016 at 2:20 pm
On the limmited edition album: best of Dire straits is a live version of sultans of swing wich lasts allmost 15 minutes!!!
Briljant guitarsolo of i think about 7 minutes……….
One of my other favourites that is’nt listed here is So far from the clyde, from the album Get lucky.
Mike
August 12, 2016 at 12:37 pm
Agree completely on “So Far from the Clyde”. Haunting and poignant.
Barry
April 25, 2016 at 4:40 pm
I happen to think that in terms of musical quality, Dire Straits started at the top and gradually fell down. The first three albums are the pinnacle. There is so much great, greasy, slippery goodness in “Dire Straits” and “Communique” to satisfy for a lifetime. But the ending solo on “Tunnel of Love” is enough to bring this grown man to tears just about every time, even 33 years later.
Sadly — at least to me — Knopfler turned away from the slippery compressed Stratocaster sound to a Les Paul with a highly overdriven distortion with the treble turned way low. In my own admittedly biased opinion, this was a loss. The sound was no where near as distinctive — it seemed muddy and overdone. I also think Knopfler began to avoid what I think he saw as guitar pyrotechnics, playing fewer solos. This was a shame, in that the fireworks in the fingers were replaced by fireworks in the effects.
He was and is a fine songwriter, no question, but I miss his earlier style of playing. The sound of his Fender Stratocaster with nothing more than compression and his powerful, fluid finger-picking was his absolute best sound — fluent, lyrical and uniquely his.
Christopher L Simons
April 25, 2016 at 10:13 pm
Barry, isn’t that true for most everyone? Except the few all time ‘greats.’ Most of us want to experiment but can’t maintain the our initial success. I am not a musician but in general we want to move on to new things. It’s human nature.
Pete
May 12, 2016 at 11:28 pm
I think Mark had every right to go where he wanted to go as an artist but on a personal enjoyment level I tend to agree with you Barry.
Pacifico
June 17, 2016 at 2:54 pm
Knopfler owns an amazing Les Paul tone!!
alexander lanning
August 12, 2017 at 11:30 pm
yes I prefer his earlier band days culminating in Making Movies agree with all your comments
Chris McD
August 13, 2017 at 7:59 am
He played Penser Schecter Gibson Fender, don’t think he has used His 61 Strat thst much since the first 2 albums. His tone is never the same continually evolving. Tunnel of Love isn’t on a Fender. Don’t think he over-uses overdrive really. I don’t agree and I adore his changing styles!
rob
April 25, 2016 at 4:58 pm
Sultans at Live Aid….ALL you’ll ever need
Mara
April 25, 2016 at 5:35 pm
All Mark’s song are absolutely great, fantastic & unique. Thank you Maestro! Thanks for 20 solos!
Steve Meyer
April 25, 2016 at 6:13 pm
Telegraph Road and the live Speedway and a hundred more. Thanks for all 20!
Galfat Mohsen
April 25, 2016 at 6:46 pm
Thé very history of King music
Carlota Pita
April 25, 2016 at 7:13 pm
Once upon a time in the west — alchemy live
Randell
April 25, 2016 at 8:42 pm
Nice choice indeed Carlota ….
I was so obsessed with that version for so long back in my high school years and it definitely served to keep me forever a true fan of Mr. Knopfler and his skills.
Eyal Sucher
April 26, 2016 at 12:07 am
YES!! Someone noticed this immensely great solo!
Thomas
April 25, 2016 at 8:23 pm
Telegraph Road and magical Brothers in arms
Glenn
April 25, 2016 at 9:20 pm
Almost every solo on Alchemy really, but particularly “Telegraph” and “Once Upon A Time In The West”
Han Fazzi
April 25, 2016 at 9:35 pm
My personal favorite: Ride Across The River
Eyal Sucher
April 26, 2016 at 12:10 am
YES!! Indeed, one of my personal ever favorites, so precise to the note! no gibberish..
Jacques Bertrand
April 25, 2016 at 9:49 pm
Mark and Dire Straits is one of my all time favourite bands I do partially love the song Brothers in arms, especially with the thunder in the back ground at the beginning.
Eyal Sucher
April 26, 2016 at 12:25 am
I’m glad the author noticed the unforgettable solo on the lesser known “It never rains” ..
Beside the obvious ones mentioned above many times I would mention the great solos on :
-In The Gallery a pointy and chicky solo around the middle of the song continuing the lyrical sarcasm and protest of the song in guitar playing.
-Settin’ Me Up – great country like bluegrass soloing, learned a lot of Mark’s style from this one..
-Local Hero theme – of course this is not a “solo” per-se but rather a composed melody, but still worth a serious mentioning here.
-Father & Son [from the ‘Kal’ soundtrack]- like the previous example, another unforgettable guitar melody by Mark which happily he returned performing in the past decade.
-Planet Of New Orleans – I’d never go without mentioning this one of Straits’ dark and haunting songs with an unmistakable ton and atmosphere largely portrayed by the guitar from the song’s first seconds to the culminating guitar solo on the outro like many great Dire Straits tunes.
Page
April 26, 2016 at 10:46 pm
All the above and A Man Too Strong
Steven C. scott
May 31, 2016 at 8:48 pm
I like his lead work on Emelda
Francisco
May 31, 2016 at 9:56 pm
Absolutely: Tunnel, Telegraph road (Alchemy version), and over all, the themes of Local hero and Cal: Smooching, The way it always starts, Wild theme, The long road, The road, Irish boy, Potato picking…; My life was with this soundtrack in 1986,1987 and 1988 and is impossible to forget. Thank you, Mark.
me
May 31, 2016 at 10:07 pm
The author missed the theme from local hero
Nigel Jordan
June 1, 2016 at 2:18 am
I’m a huge fan but it sucks that he hardly plays any Dire Straits anymore. I know he’s moved on and is playing what he’s into but we are Dire Straits fans that have been along for a long time and deserve to hear what we love. At least half of a live performance not just a couple of songs! Getting older but not an old fart, doubt I’ll go again after such a disappointment last time in Toronto! 🙁
Sukhi
June 1, 2016 at 3:14 am
Alchemy,s Once upon a time in the West and Telegraph road.also live version of Man’s too strong
Ian Mathison
June 1, 2016 at 8:17 am
Wild Theme from Local Hero? Same melody as Going Home but stripped down. Still gives me goosebumps after 35 years. Original hook for me was Sultans though. Evidence of his emerging genius
Hamid
June 2, 2016 at 10:11 pm
My favorite one is sultans of swing
guty
June 17, 2016 at 5:21 pm
todo lo que viene de el es bueno…..un virtual de la guitarra
Ringo
June 17, 2016 at 5:56 pm
Well thoso solos are great of course. But live performing Mark Knopfler is best. Giant.
Víctor silva
June 17, 2016 at 8:24 pm
Simple The best
Noeleen Cowen
June 18, 2016 at 2:59 am
Marks love of his craft has been evident from day one. I dont care whether I listen to Dire Straits, Nottinghillbillies or present day music from Mark it all moves me to the core of my spirit. Thank you Mark for enriching my life with your talent. Your music, your voice has gathered followers as time goes by and you are still as sexy as ever. Admiration for you is anundant in Australia – how about it – come visit us.xxx
Jerend
June 18, 2016 at 4:01 am
I love Mark Knopler song, Golden Heart, Are we in trouble now, and much more from his album.
Gabriella d'Alonzo
June 30, 2016 at 7:44 pm
Mu fav songs..beyond Telegraph road, Tunnel of love, theme from Local Hero, What it is, Sailing to Philadelphia, Dream of the drowned submariner, Kingdom of gold, Speedway at Nazareth, Money for nothing, The last laugh, I love over all Brothers in arms, On every street and Why worry…
brando
July 9, 2016 at 9:10 pm
Without Money for Nothing, this list is despicable. Yeah theres an entire library of Knopfler music to choose from but we’ll ignore not only one of the best intros and riffs in classic rock, but also the one single track that skyrocketed Dire Straits into international superstardom. After Brothers in Arms no one gave a sh*t about Dire Straits let alone “classic rock” because Heavy Metal, Rap and Pop Music were dominating the charts. The fact that he’s been making relevant music for 40yrs and is still fairly unheard of, kills me. Ask someone, you listen to Mark Knopfler? Dollars to donuts they say, Who???!! But if you say…”You know, get your Money for Nothin and your Chicks for free”….they say “oh yeah..I love that song.” me too pal. Me too.
James
July 10, 2016 at 2:25 am
Single Handed Sailor outtro. Happy to see it on the list and no doubt one of rock’s best guitar solos bar none. Listen to it with headphones on. The. Listen to it again. And again. There are subtle nuances in Marks playing that reveal themselves with each and every listen. It sounds new and fresh even after 37 years.
Jim
July 11, 2016 at 11:31 pm
I’m glad that Eyal mentioned Planet of New Orleans – one of his great evocative, moody solos. And I cast a big vote for Brothers in Arms as one of the most moving rock songs I’ve ever heard with a solo to match.
Zidders Roofurry
August 12, 2016 at 12:28 pm
I love all his solo’s but to me my most favorite bit of MK playing is the intro to Money for Nothing. It’s such a quintessential 80’s riff and led to Weird Al’s wonderful ‘Beverly Hillbillies’ tune in the film UHF (played by none other than Mark himself). It’s such a beloved child memory and the song that got me into Mark & Dire Straits in the first place.
Mark
August 12, 2016 at 1:05 pm
My favourite is Industrial Disease, the intro is just amazing especially loud, very loud
Mike R
August 12, 2016 at 1:28 pm
One of my favorite solos is the one in Are we in trouble now, on the Golden Heart album. Take a listen & tell me if it doesn’t move you.
Brahim
August 12, 2016 at 3:18 pm
Telegraphe road , are we in trouble now, golden heart , why worry , on every street ….among others ..i really love his songs.
Hochi75
August 12, 2016 at 4:28 pm
Freeway Flyer
Paul Anderson
August 12, 2016 at 4:32 pm
I disagree with the comment about The first two albums of Dire Straits being Knopler’s best work and that things go downhill from there.
Those 2 albums are brilliant. I even exclude the 3rd album from that grouping because the sound was starting to change already by then. But the I agree those albums are simply spectacular. They and Brothers make the Dire Straits great. At the time that clean twangy strat sound was unlike anything else. And I can still listen to those albums and enjoy them as much as I did 35 years ago.
But, can you imagine 35 years of that sound? No. If Mark had not altered his playing style and diversified his sound, he would have faded into obsurity long ago. I do think that was probably the best work by Dire Straits until Brothers in Arms. But Mark’s solo career far supasses Dire Straits in my opinion. He has been, is, and always will be one of the great at the guitar. But his songwriting has realky blossomed during his solo career. He has become one of the premier storytellers and lyricists of our time in the past 20 years. And he has never made a bad album (Though Killing with Crimson is only mediocre IMHO). But there is no way he could have stayed with the sound of Dire Straits and Communque all this time and survived. I hope you see my point. I love those albums. And I love all his music because it has evolved. It has been slow, when I first hear a new album my first reaction is always “Oh. More of the same. It is not until they have sunk in that I start to hear it. But it is always there. That small tract of uncharted territory. And it keeps his music fresh and alive.
But still the last time I saw him pergorm was when he toured with Dylan. He did a silo on “Sultans” with the Les Paul that just left everyone in the Arena with their hair frizzed. I will take either flavor. They are both delicious.
BETTY
August 12, 2016 at 4:35 pm
Me gusta escuchar sin excepción todas las canciones de sus comienzos 78..79.de Dire Straits..lastima que no hay muchos videos ..me encanta y no me canso de verla a Alchemy Live Sultans of swing , vivo con cada movimiento y gesto de Mark , Terry Williams Guy Flecher Alan Clark Jhon por supuesto el sonido de los instrumentos es espectacular y tiene un final en la canción que retumba en mis oídos sensacional…y no he visto otro , Mark tiene unos punteos de guitarra únicos e inrepetibles solo en éste video
Deacy
August 12, 2016 at 7:52 pm
I would just like to say that Mark Knopfler has brought me so much pleasure with his music. He is right up there with the best of them and in my humble opinion tops the list. Sincere thanks. I could listen to you all day.
Anup
August 12, 2016 at 7:56 pm
No love for “Water of Love”, So far away?
Also love some of his solos – Millionaires Blues, Summer of Love, Get Lucky and Postcard from Paraguay.
Maria Gkinala
August 12, 2016 at 9:14 pm
Geniuses evolve. Picasso spent 80 years unlearning the formulas, so that he can paint from the soul of simplicity, like a child. Mark is peeling off the layers to reach the core from the beginning. His lyrics alone are among the most personal poems ever written for song.
You get a glimpse of this pure musical genius already in the early DS years. “Follow Me Home” is a primordial beat, its rhythm a primitive tune eternal.
Here’s to many more years of Mark Magic !
Hassan Aniba
August 12, 2016 at 9:23 pm
Hallo Mark you are best guitarist Ilove you and ilove you again WRITER hASSAN ANIBA SURFER MORROCCO LONGE TIME
zozi vijatov
August 12, 2016 at 11:18 pm
Dire Straits in Belgrade, early eighties… great performance, wonderful concert… THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC… love 4 ever…
Richard Haight
August 13, 2016 at 1:24 am
“You and Your Friend” The acoustic/electric solo is like an opera. I can picture the scene. The acoustic guitar is the girl who is leaving her lover. The electric guitar is the man pleading in vain for her to return to him. When I listen to the solo I can hear their words and feel his pain.
Shlomo
August 13, 2016 at 6:04 am
Hi Mark,
Happy birthday and many more good ones to come.
You were my insperation back in the 80’s when i was courting a buetifull girl.
I used to qoute pieces of your songs in my love letters to hers.
And guess what? she couldn’t resist them and later became my wife.
The peak of those years was the “Live in 85” show i saw twice in Israel.
All the best.
Shlomo
Graham Mckechnie
August 13, 2016 at 9:09 am
Brothers in arms leaves a lump in my throat
Alexandre "Tabajara" Souza
August 13, 2016 at 8:01 pm
No “Going Home”??? No guitar list would be complete without one of the most perfect and loveful guitar solos ever!
sean
August 14, 2016 at 1:06 am
Has to be Telegraph road, you and your friend, sultans of swing, News, the mans too strong and Why worry, Happy birthday Mark and keep on playing your a Legend.
Jules Sambou
August 15, 2016 at 7:45 pm
Happy Birthday Master ,god give you Long Life thank you for the beautiful Songs
You gave us during all the Time ,and my wish is to See you Play in a live concert May god keep you ,and give you Long Life and Health
Amen
DUQUE
September 12, 2016 at 7:44 pm
cuando pongo la llave de contacto en mi moto.. suena siempre SULTANS OF SWING.. me da suerte y fuerza para iniciar la ruta con las mejores sencaciones… sin duda para mi la mejor melodia que conozco..
Gracias MARK .,.,
Lev Goodwin
October 28, 2016 at 9:27 pm
Many of Marks songs feature lengthily guitar solo’s or fade-outs… Brothers in Arms or Are We in Trouble Now (from Golden Heart) are examples. Has anyone ever done a mash -up of this wonderful guitar work. My sense is that most would blend one to the next seamlessly. I’d love to hear something like that.
Trond Jenssen
October 28, 2016 at 10:48 pm
Mark Knopfler live in concert is one of life’s highlights, IMHO. I couldn’t possible choose one song or solo from all of his masterpieces. And I don’t remember leaving a MK concert without tears in my eyes.
Walt Howard
October 29, 2016 at 8:27 pm
You left out “What it is”. Anyone who hasn’t heard that should do so immediately especially if you like Sultans of Swing. It’s very similar to Sultans of Swing in its mix of instruments, composition and feel.
john
December 4, 2016 at 9:49 pm
MK and DS favorites WITHOUT Romeo and Juliet and the grand So Far Away? Two of his greatest were left out!
Keith
March 18, 2017 at 12:46 pm
The stunning solo on Bryan Ferry knocks me off my feet everytime – it’s short but perfectly formed and wonderfully atmospheric!
Keith
March 18, 2017 at 12:50 pm
Track is called – Windswept. 😉
Obwhon
March 18, 2017 at 3:23 pm
I still didn’t see one of my favorites on the list. “Where Do You Think You’re Going” was one of his best guitar solos along with “Once Upon A Time in the West”
Walt
August 12, 2017 at 5:01 pm
I love the early stuff but always think some of his more recent work is underappreciated. The amazing collaboration with Emmylou Harris, Song for Sonny Liston; Remembrance Day, Devil Baby the list goes on.
Rich
August 12, 2017 at 8:39 pm
What about the acoustic/electric solo in “You and Your Friend”? It always sounded like an opera to me, a scorned lover (electric guitar) begging for his lost lover (acoustic/slide) to return, to no avail..
Linda Wells
August 12, 2017 at 8:52 pm
I can remember the very day I heard Money for Nothing all those years ago. I play your music every day in my car. Please come to Australia.
Cant think of the song title but I love a little song about fixing up a boat. Happy Birthday Handsome.xx
Andreas Gabrielsen
August 12, 2017 at 11:21 pm
Tunnel of Love from Alchemy, the live album, is by far my favourite.
Winston Peden
August 13, 2017 at 12:58 am
Just to say I also love hand in hand from making movies, and Terminal of tribute to from Tracker.
Mohamed
August 13, 2017 at 12:42 pm
All of them are the best.. what a hell of confusion! I choice all what Mark knopfler have produce.
Eloy Gutierrez
August 13, 2017 at 7:15 pm
Love your song “Brothers in Arms.” Doesn’t get enough airtime. H B
Germán
August 14, 2017 at 4:01 am
Once upon a time in the west
Martin Dearden
August 16, 2017 at 9:31 am
A favourite? Crikey how do I pick one? Well the most memorable song is Sultans of Swing, I discovered Dire Straits when I was playing pool in a gymnasium and my love for theirs and Marks music has never changed. I have many songs that I adore and I never tire of listening to them which is strange because I very rarely like repeating anything.
María Eugenia Gonzalez
July 17, 2018 at 12:18 am
Every year they are worthy of a genius to take it away, but my favorite is Where do you think you’re going, in the video of BBC Arena Documentary. It’s something out of series
Jim Foote
August 7, 2018 at 12:43 am
You left out In The Gallery.
What were you thinking?
Peili
August 13, 2018 at 2:14 am
I hope to list up ‘going home’ 1997 Montserrat version, one of best, amazing play.