Skateaway
Dire Straits
Lyrics currently unavailable…
12 facts about this song
Release Info"Skateaway" is a song by British rock band Dire Straits from their third album, "Making Movies," which was released in 1980.
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Single ReleaseAs a single, the song "Skateaway" was released in 1981 but was only moderately successful, peaking at number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.
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Song WriterThe song was written by Mark Knopfler, the lead vocalist, and lead guitarist of Dire Straits. His lyrics are well regarded for their storytelling quality, as is evident in "Skateaway."
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Music VideoDire Straits is well-known for pioneering the music video era in the early 80s. The song, "Skateaway," was one of the first songs to have a music video, featuring Jayzik Azikiwe roller-skating and singing the song lyrics in London streets. Although MTV was not in existence at the time of this release, the music video was played frequently once the channel started broadcasting.
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InspirationReportedly, Mark Knopfler was inspired to write "Skateaway" after seeing a woman roller-skating while listening to a Walkman on a London street.
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Prophecy of Personal EntertainmentSome believe that "Skateaway" foreshadowed the era of personal music enjoyment, as it mentions a woman listening to rock music on her "JVC" portable cassette player, which was somewhat of a novelty at the time.
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Critical AcclaimAlthough it wasn't a commercial success, the song received strong critical acclaim for its brilliant lyrics, Knopfler's distinctive guitar play, and overall composition, which melds rock and jazz.
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Song DurationThe duration of the song is 6 minutes and 19 seconds on the album.
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Unique CompositionUnlike many of Dire Straits songs that slowly build in intensity, "Skateaway" maintains a consistent rhythm and pace throughout the song, aligning with the steady movement of a skater.
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Live PerformancesDespite its lack of commercial success, the song regularly featured in Dire Straits live performances and is considered a fan favorite.
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Album Success"Making Movies," the album that features the "Skateaway," charted at No. 4 in the US and No. 1 in several European countries, certifying it as Platinum in the US and the UK.
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Cover VersionsNoted country singer Mary Chapin Carpenter performed a cover version of "Skateaway" for the soundtrack of the 1996 film "The Thing Called Love."
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Citation
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"Skateaway Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 1 Jun 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/31243613/Dire+Straits/Skateaway>.
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