The most popular guitar melody among buyers in music stores is considered to be the intro from the song Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin (although hardly anyone has done actual research). But in the saxophone department, perhaps the famous solo from the composition Your Latest Trick by the rock band Dire Straits, which was originally performed by jazz virtuoso Michael Brecker, sounds most often.
The story of creation and the meaning of the song Your Latest Trick
About how the track was written, the author of the work Mark Knopfler spoke in an interview with Robert Sandall:
She, too, is taken from life in New York. If you lived there for a while, which was with me, even if not for very long, you begin to literally breathe in the city. Garbage trucks are like huge monsters that roar past in the early morning. I was returning home from the studio, and then I was late at work for a long time, and I got home late at night. I used to ride my bike straight down Avenue to the Village and watch it all in town as they growled like huge beasts.
In the same conversation, Mark Knopfler tried to explain what Your Latest Trick is about:
I think I got the main idea from the literature, but I don’t remember exactly where, but the idea of a “trick” (trick) opens up a lot of possibilities. I like the concept of songs that open up multiple possibilities. People use them in different ways. It’s really just playing around with ideas… In the case of this song, to be honest, I don’t think I meant anything in particular…
Knopfler also spoke of the famous saxophone intro:
The sax part, which is funny, seemed absolutely necessary there. She was played by Michael Brecker. It was frequently performed by Chris White a little later on the tour. He told me that every time he went into a woodwind shop for new reeds, someone would play it. It always seemed funny to me, because guitar stores often have “Stairway to Heaven” played by different guys, and I never thought that I would be responsible for people playing in record stores … That it would turn out to be a saxophone part .
Since the author refrained from detailed explanations of the meaning of the composition, Dire Straits fans gave free rein to their imagination. According to one version, the song is about a bad experience with a “night moth”, which turned out to be a thief. On the other hand, this refers to a broken relationship with a former lover. Share your opinions about the main idea of the work in the comments.
Release and achievements
In April 1986, Your Latest Trick was released as the fifth single from Brothers in Arms. The record was also released in other countries, but was not released in the US. The song peaked at number 26 on the UK chart.
The song was later included on the live album On the Night and the band’s official best-of compilations Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits and The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler: Private Investigations.
Video of Your Latest Trick by Dire Straits
Let’s watch the music video for the song Your Latest Trick.
Interesting Facts
- At Dire Straits live performances, the famous saxophone solo on Your Latest Trick is performed by British musician Chris White.
- The song is the main theme song for the Hong Kong TV series File of Justice on TVB.
Your Latest Trick Lyrics by Dire Straits
All the late night bargains have been struck
Between the satin beaus and their belles
Prehistoric garbage trucks
Have the city to themselves
echoes roars dinosaurs
They’re all doing the monster mash
And most of the taxis, most of the lovers
Are only taking calls for cash
chorus:
I don’t know how it happened
It all took place so quickly
But all I can do is hand it to you
And your latest trick
Well now my door was standing open
Security were laid back and lax
But it was only my heart that got broken
You must have had a pass key made out of wax
You played robbery with insolence
And I played the blues in twelve bars down Lover’s Lane
And you never did have the intelligence to use
The twelve keys hanging off from my chain
Chorus
Now it’s past last call for alcohol
Past recall has been here and gone
The landlord he finally paid us all
The satin jazzmen have put away their horns
And we’re standing outside of this wonderland
Looking so bereaved and so bereft
Like a bowery boom when he finally understands
The bottle’s empty and there’s nothing left
Chorus
- This may be an allusion to the “Monster Mash” song from the early sixties.
- Wordplay: “blues in twelve bars” can also mean “12 bar blues”.
- It probably means twelve notes per octave.
- Neighborhood in New York
