Not only is Tunnel of Love my desert island Dire Straits song, it’s my ultimate rock song. If I had to choose just one track to show an extraterrestrial species what humans have achieved in rock ’n’ roll, this would be it. What would be yours? The guitar solo would also be my No. 1 pick among all solos. And the finale – the finale of finales. Throw all of that into the capsule as well. As you can see, I’m completely in awe of this track, and that’s been the case since I was a kid.
It’s also smart as heck. Forget the formula of a catchy riff on repeat – “Tunnel of Love” goes deeper, blending narrative with ballad sensibilities. You could easily call it a rock ballad. There’s something new to find with every listen. It’s as much driven by piano and organ as it is by guitar, and the instrumental journey is wide and varied. All 8:11 of it is a sublime listen. I don’t know how Knopfler pulled it off.
Mark Knopfler speaking to the Times of London:
“It’s the moment when you know you’re really on to something…It happened to me when I was writing ‘Tunnel of Love.’ There’s a certain part of the song that I call the breakdown and when I got there I could feel the drums, the piano, all the things that I wanted all the instruments to do. When you get to that state, there’s a strange sense of one thing following another, of elements falling into place quite naturally.”
The song really does speak for itself. Trying to explain it feels a bit like describing a fairground ride – you can talk all you like, but at some point you just say, “Jump on and see for yourself.” That fairground feeling isn’t accidental either. Knopfler has said that hearing loud rock ’n’ roll at fairs when he was young left a big impression on him.
The song mentions the Spanish City, a dining and entertainment centre in Whitley Bay, England, which, at the time of the song’s release, housed fair rides and other amusements, referenced throughout the song. As a boy, Knopfler lived in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, about 10 miles away. It would eventually close, but for a while “Tunnel Of Love” was its unofficial anthem.
And if this couldn’t get more interesting – the song begins with a sample of “The Carousel Waltz” by Rogers and Hammerstein, a song that would typically be playing on the Tunnel Of Love amusement park ride. (Songfacts)
Wikipedia:
The song appears on Dire Straits 1980 album – Making Movies (image inset). The song also featured in the 1982 Richard Gere film An Officer and a Gentleman.
Tunnel of Love reached the position of number 54 in the UK Singles Chart upon its single release in October 1981, a rather modest position despite being one of the band’s most famous and popular compositions. However, it fared much better in other countries, especially Italy (7) and Spain (11).
[Verse 1]
Getting crazy on the waltzers
But it’s the life that I choose
Hey, sing about the six-blade, sing about the switchback
And a torture tattoo
And I’ve 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’d always tell you where I am
In a screaming ring of faces
I’ve 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 a hand upon the lever
Said, “Let it rock and let it roll”
I had the one arm bandit fever
There was an arrow through my heart and my soul
[Chorus]
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
[Verse 2]
It’s just the danger, danger
When you’re riding at your own risk
She said, “You are the perfect stranger”
She said, “Baby, let’s keep it like this”
It’s just a cake walk, twisting baby
Yeah, step right up and say
“Hey Mister, give me two, give me two now
‘Cause any two can play”
[Chorus]
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, oh, love, love
[Bridge]
Well, it’s been money for muscle on 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
[Refrain]
And girl, it looks so pretty to me
Like it always did
Oh, like the Spanish City to me
When-a we were kids
Hey girl, it looks so pretty to me
Just like it always did
Oh, like the Spanish City to me
When-a we were kids
[Interlude]
Ooh-la
Check it out!
[Verse 3]
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
[Chorus]
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, love, love
On the tunnel of love, oh, love, love
[Bridge]
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
[Refrain]
And girl, it looks so pretty to me
Like it always did
Like the Spanish City to me
When we were kids
Girl, it looks so pretty to me
Like it always did
Like the Spanish City to me
When-a we were kids
References:
1. Tunnel of Love (Dire Straits song) – Wikipedia
2. Tunnel of Love – Songfacts
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
I love this song. I love this album. I’ve always loved Dire Straits & I love Knopfler’s solo work as well, especially Sailing to Philadelphia.
I’ve probably featured more from his solo output (inc. soundtracks The Princess Bride and Local Hero) than Dire Straits. ‘Sailing to Philadelphia’ is great, which you mentioned before. I really like ‘Postcards From Paraguay’ and ‘Our Shangri-La’ too.
I just listened to this again and it goes a whopping 8 minutes and it felt like 2 haha. It’s perfection.
I see in your reply to silverapplequeen you mention ‘Local Hero,’ which is one of my all-time top five films, and Knopfler’s music made it that much more special.
I remember seeing it in a movie theatre when it came out and, of the eight or so of us who went, I was the only one who didn’t detest it. No one could understand how I absolutely loved it. I bought the DVD and have watched it numerous times including as a kind of ‘comfort food for the soul’ when grieving the loss of a then former work friend who died by suicide around 1987. Lines from the movie always pop into my mind. So darned good. Due for another watching.
I digress. I’m embarrassed to say I don’t recall “Tunnel of Love.” It is indeed fabulous. I would have always said my desert island Dire Straits song would be “Sultans of Swing,” but this one is going to be worthy of a few more listens to take it all in. I appreciated you providing the pop culture references. To be honest, I was half-expecting a cover of Springsteen’s same-name track, similarly themed after an amusement park ride.
Knopfler has done some marvellous stuff, and I’ve been quite enamoured with “Seattle,” from ‘Profiteering’ which a friend introduced to me, saying his friend sang backup on it. That and “Going Home (Theme of the Local Hero)” are the only solo bits of his I’ve shared.
As for the extraterrestrials, I do think it would be a good sample to offer them. I think I might be inclined to want to get to know the one who might say, “Great song and all, and I would also like to hear more of that odd bit at the start.” The Rogers & Hammerstein was a nice touch.
Obviously Local Hero made quite the impression on you — listing it in your top five of all time and casually recalling lines from it, willy-nilly, lol. I haven’t seen the film in eons, but I remember enjoying it a lot — and not just because of Mark Knopfler’s stellar soundtrack. It’s one of those films that often gets overlooked in movie discussions when it really shouldn’t. Great writing, a dozen well-developed characters, and a gentle, good-humoured tone that never demeans anyone. Interesting too that you were the only one among your friends to come away affected by it.
It’s funny you mentioned Sultans of Swing, because I’ve said before that, purely in terms of standalone guitar playing, it would probably be my desert island track as well, lol. Going Home (Theme from Local Hero) is easily in my top five Knopfler songs — including his work with Dire Straits.
I’m actually listening to Seattle from Privateering as I write this — love at first listen, buddy. Stunning. I’ve no idea how this beauty slipped under my radar, so thanks a lot for that.
While I like Springsteen’s Tunnel of Love, I tend to gravitate more toward others on the record, like Brilliant Disguise and Tougher Than the Rest.
Hope you’re having a fabulous Saturday. Cheers, Steve.
Your description of Local Hero really lands with me, Matt. I was truly puzzled why all my friends hated it; I guess they were expecting something Hollywood.
Pretty cool that we both rank those two songs so highly. And I’m rather chuffed to learn I’ve introduced you to a terrific track in Seattle. Has that lovely west coast rainy feel to it.
I’d agree on Brilliant Disguise being a more enjoyable tune; Tunnel was vastly overplayed, at least here, anyway. That can be the kiss of death to even the best songs, at least for a time anyway.
I am doing well today, a bit low energy, but going with that, and hope you’re having a fab one, mate.
Local Hero was made in the 80’s, yet it goes against the grain of movies made during that decade for a simple-minded lowest common denominator audience. It not only respects it’s audience but seems to show an against-all-odds affection for humanity that includes the audience.
Yeh man that Seattle, I downloaded it immediately upon listen. Your description was great.
I’m sorry about your low energy day – it happens to the best of us, but it’s good you’re just going with the flow.
I love your description of the film’s presence in that time period. Perfectly stated, and articulates what the appeal was for me. I guess the rest of the lot wee just after “simple-minded” LOL.
Really glad you liked the song!
All good re: the low energy. I think I just pushed myself too hard a few days running, so today is ease, maybe a rest, make pizza with the missus, then I’ll enjoy an online radio program I listen to every Saturday on NYtheSpirit.com, a reboot of freeform DJ David Marsden’s time at the helm of a major Canadian FM station in the 1980s.
I wrote a review of Local Hero in 2023, so I shared a few snippets with you lol—hope you don’t mind. Glad it captured some of its charm for you. Haha yeah, we’re just simple-minded – you could do worse.
Normally, with Mark Knopfler’s solo work, I need a few listens before it really sinks in, but “Seattle” knocked me for six straight away. Maybe my ears have just adjusted to his more restrained solo style — who knows.
Ah, I get what you mean about overdoing the running. I had the same thing when I stacked too many heavy gym days in a row — your body starts begging for a break, even if your endorphins are missing the hit.
Hope you enjoyed the NYtheSpirit.com program. I’ve noticed you’ve mentioned it quite a bit in your posts.
Yes, you did capture the charm- that’s the perfect word for that film.
I know what you mean about Seattle. It was the same for me, too. Such a rich and lush production.
Oops, sorry, I meant days running as in succession; that wasn’t very clear. I haven’t run in about 25 years, am all bike now. Did a moderately hard ride on the trainer today and am back in business! Winter indoor riding helps with long distance riding in the spring, summer and fall.
Thanks, the show was great. Something about listening as a community (there’s a chat room associated with the show where there’s banter about the music being played plus other odds and ends).
Thanks for clarifying the bike training. Glad you’re back to full working order.
The NYtheSpirit.com program and its associated chat community sounds like a real hoot, Steve. I’m glad you enjoy it so.
Thanks, it felt good to be back in good form.
Yes, the NYTS ecosystem/community is a fun time, and some fabulous music.