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August 20, 2007

New Mark Knopfler - "Punish The Monkey" and "True Love Will Never Fade"

Between Peter Gabriel's shocking ways and fellow fifty-something Englishman Mark Knopfler forthcoming monkey business, we're starting to pity our poor primate friends. Mark works his smooth baritone storytelling and slinky guitar on "Punish The Monkey" and "True Love Will Never Fade," the US and UK singles from his fifth solo album Kill To Get Crimson. Both have a slight island (and oddly Disney) feel, well-written characters, and should equally please our parents, so we're curious why the US of A scores a monkey and his, well, organ grinder while Knopfler's fellow Brits get a sexy tattooing love story…

Mark Knopfler - "Punish The Monkey"


Mark Knopfler - "True Love Will Never Fade" (

Trying to tell us something, Mark?

Kill To Get Crimson is out 9/18 on Warner Brothers.

Posted at 12:37 PM
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13 Comments

"True Love Will Never Fade" is melodically super-similar to Springsteen's "If I Should Fall Behind" off Lucky Town. Just sayin'.

Posted by: mikey at 08/20/07 2:33 PM  | Reply
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eu achei e acho p

Posted by: marcos at 08/25/07 9:49 PM  | Reply
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"punished the monkey "... remember to me the sound of Hank Marvin , the lead guitar of the "Shadows" ... But it is a good sound !

escuse me for this very bad english i'm french ...sorry

Posted by: senamaud at 08/27/07 1:33 PM  | Reply
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Some of MK's newer work seems to be pretty obviously political, but it seems like a lot of people aren't catching that.

Posted by: jeezer at 08/27/07 8:51 PM  | Reply
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Heh... Just wanted to say that I love Marks Music! Dire Straights still rocks for me, years later... and Mark, your style and sound, still make a big impact!

JT McNaught
http://www.IsPopularOnline.com

Posted by: JT McNaught at 08/30/07 3:31 PM  | Reply
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To answer the question, "Punish The Monkey" has more of a pop tone while "True Love..." is folkier. Apparently, the folky side never gets an OK as lead single in the US (unless you're a superstar, and which of those has a folky side lately?)

Regardless, Knopfler is in my top 5 favorites and I'm thrilled he has new music coming.

DwD

Posted by: Dw Dunphy at 08/30/07 6:11 PM  | Reply
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this songs are very... mmm, rares!! I prefer the dire straits´s sound!! But, the true is that Mk´s music always is beautifull!!! His guitar talk alone!! ABSOLUTAMENTE PRECIOSO!!

Posted by: Peternac at 09/03/07 11:16 AM  | Reply
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Punish The Monkey is an absolutely cracking CHOON!!!!!!

Can't wait for the new album

Posted by: Ben Ford at 09/04/07 2:28 PM  | Reply
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Yeah, the political stuff (punish the monkey, don't crash the ambulance, etc.) is a big turn-off. I'm a big fan of Mark's music and have been for over a decade, but when it comes to politics, he's just another out-of-touch, super-rich non-American celeb whose opinion on American politics I could do without.

Posted by: Neil at 09/05/07 10:33 AM  | Reply
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Neil,
Hmmm...interesting perspective and I can definitely respect your point of view. However, I personally disagree; it's certainly a turn on for me. For one thing, I think he hits the mark politically, those songs express my own opinion and frustration very well. But it's not just that I agree with him, I also really appreciate that he is taking an intelligent and low key approach and not getting preachy or standing on a soap box. These songs are so allegorical that I think a lot of people don't necessarily notice their political implications. Contrast that with Ted Nugent's approach.

Posted by: jeezer at 09/06/07 11:46 AM  | Reply
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If anyone enjoys the wealth of their efforts in the years of my own life on earth......it should be Mark Knopfler.

Thank you, Sir.

Posted by: Manny at 09/06/07 10:19 PM  | Reply
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Punish the monkey is a very good song. Reaslly looking foward to the rest of the album. like the percussion.

Posted by: Dan at 09/07/07 12:21 PM  | Reply
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This song is a typical example of the song simple and melodic, without artifice, it goes to the essentials: it touches the soul

Posted by: Azeez at 06/12/08 9:47 AM  | Reply
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