Sailing to Philadelphia

{{Infobox album

| name = Sailing to Philadelphia

| type = studio

| artist = Mark Knopfler

| cover = MK_Sailing_to_Philadelphia.jpg

| alt =

| released = {{Start date|2000|09|25|df=y}}

| recorded = 1998–2000

| venue =

| studio =

Ocean Way, Nashville
Tracking Room, Nashville

| genre = {{flatlist|

| length = {{Duration|m=60|s=11}} (International)
{{Duration|m=60|s=25}} (USA)

| label = Mercury
Warner Bros. (USA)

| producer = Mark Knopfler, Chuck Ainlay

| prev_title = Metroland

| prev_year = 1999

| next_title = A Shot at Glory

| next_year = 2002

}}

Sailing to Philadelphia is the second solo studio album by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler, released on 25 September 2000{{cite web|url=https://www.bpi.co.uk/award/5672-2608-2|title=BPI}} by Vertigo Records internationally, and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States.{{cite web|last=Ruhlmann |first=William |title=Sailing to Philadelphia |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/sailing-to-philadelphia-r499009 |publisher=Allmusic |access-date=24 November 2011}} The album contains featured vocal performances by James Taylor, Van Morrison, and Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze.

The title track is drawn from Mason & Dixon by Thomas Pynchon, a novel about Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon,{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/off-the-straits-and-narrow-701809.html |title=Off the Straits and narrow |work=The Independent |date=22 September 2000 |access-date= 27 May 2009}} the two English surveyors who established the border separating Pennsylvania and Delaware from Maryland and Virginia in the 1760s. This border later became known as the Mason–Dixon line and has been used since the 1820s to denote the border between the Southern United States and the Northern United States.

Critical reception

{{Music ratings

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}

|rev2 = Rolling Stone

|rev2score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine|last=Wild |first=David |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/markknopfler/albums/album/307607/review/5943893/sailing_to_philadelphia |title=Mark Knopfler: Sailing To Philadelphia |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=3 October 2000 |access-date=1 November 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071107111125/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/markknopfler/albums/album/307607/review/5943893/sailing_to_philadelphia |archive-date=November 7, 2007 }}

}}

In his review for AllMusic, William Ruhlmann gave the album three out of five stars, writing that "in one song after another on this album, you get the feeling that he started out playing some familiar song in a specific genre and eventually extrapolated upon it enough to call it an original." In his review for Rolling Stone magazine, David Wild gave the album three and a half out of five stars, writing that the album is "a welcome flashback" to Knopfler's earlier work with Dire Straits. Wild continued

{{blockquote|Knopfler duets with James Taylor on the title track, which deftly explores the relationship between Mason and Dixon; Van Morrison trades lines on the soulful "The Last Laugh." With Sailing to Philadelphia, Knopfler has taken a break from the rootsy side projects and soundtrack work that have occupied him for the past 17 years, and has evoked some of the grandeur of prime Dire Straits.}}

By 2002, the album had sold more than 3.5 million copies worldwide.{{cite web |url=http://www.cdshakedown.com/051603.htm |title=Sacred Steel |work=CD Shakedown |date=16 May 2003 |access-date=5 November 2011 |archive-date=28 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928224133/http://www.cdshakedown.com/051603.htm |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=http://delafont.com/music_acts/mark-knopfler.htm |title=Delafont, Mk bio |work=Delafont |access-date=5 November 2011}} In some territories—Western Europe for example—the album was released as an HDCD and a 5.1 Surround Sound DVD-A.

Touring

In 2001, Knopfler supported the release of the album with his Sailing to Philadelphia Tour, which started on 27 March 2001 in Mexico City, Mexico, included 80 concerts in 68 cities, and ended on 31 July 2001 in Moscow, Russia. The tour consisted of three legs: Mexico and South America, North America, and Europe and Russia. The tour lineup included Mark Knopfler (guitar, vocals), Guy Fletcher (keyboards), Richard Bennett (guitar), Glenn Worf (bass), Chad Cromwell (drums), Geraint Watkins (piano, accordion), and Mike Henderson (guitar, mandolin, violin, harmonica).{{cite web|title=Sailing To Philadelphia tour 2001 |work=Mark Knopfler Info |url=http://www.mark-knopfler.info/tour2001.htm |access-date=1 December 2012}}

The Madrid concert on 2 July 2001 was filmed but never released. The Toronto concert at Massey Hall on 3 May 2001 was also recorded, but only four tracks were officially released: "Speedway At Nazareth" (the B-side of "Why Aye Man"), "Who's Your Baby Now" (the B-side of "Boom, Like That"), "Sailing to Philadelphia" and "Brothers in Arms" (both available on a limited edition version of the album The Ragpicker's Dream).

Track listing

All songs were written by Mark Knopfler.

;International version{{#tag:ref|The standard Mercury international release has thirteen tracks as shown. The Mercury/Universal Distribution release has fourteen tracks and includes the bonus song "Do America" as track 6.|group=Note}}

{{Track listing

| total_length = 60:11

| title1 = What It Is

| length1 = 4:57

| title2 = Sailing to Philadelphia

| note2 = featuring James Taylor

| length2 = 5:29

| title3 = Who's Your Baby Now

| length3 = 3:05

| title4 = Baloney Again

| length4 = 5:09

| title5 = The Last Laugh

| note5 = featuring Van Morrison

| length5 = 3:22

| title6 = Silvertown Blues

| length6 = 5:32

| title7 = El Macho

| length7 = 5:29

| title8 = Prairie Wedding

| length8 = 4:26

| title9 = Wanderlust

| length9 = 3:52

| title10 = Speedway at Nazareth

| length10 = 6:23

| title11 = Junkie Doll

| length11 = 4:34

| title12 = Sands of Nevada

| length12 = 3:56

| title13 = One More Matinee

| length13 = 3:57

}}

;United States version
(including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and other digital platforms)

{{Track listing

| total_length = 60:25

| title1 = What It Is

| length1 = 4:57

| title2 = Sailing to Philadelphia

| note2 = featuring James Taylor

| length2 = 5:29

| title3 = Who's Your Baby Now

| length3 = 3:05

| title4 = Baloney Again

| length4 = 5:09

| title5 = The Last Laugh

| note5 = featuring Van Morrison

| length5 = 3:22

| title6 = Do America

| length6 = 4:11

| title7 = El Macho

| length7 = 5:29

| title8 = Prairie Wedding

| length8 = 4:26

| title9 = Wanderlust

| length9 = 3:52

| title10 = Speedway at Nazareth

| length10 = 6:23

| title11 = Junkie Doll

| length11 = 4:34

| title12 = Silvertown Blues

| length12 = 5:32

| title13 = Sands of Nevada

| length13 = 3:56

}}

Personnel

Mark Knopfler – vocals, guitar
Richard Bennett – guitar
Jim Cox – piano, Hammond organ
Guy Fletcher – keyboards, backing vocals
Glenn Worf – bass guitar
Chad Cromwell – drums
Danny Cummings – percussion
Paul Franklin – pedal steel guitar, lap steel guitar
Frank Ricotti – marimba
Aubrey Haynie – violin (1,10)
Jim Hoke – autoharp, harmonica
Wayne Jackson – trumpet
Mike Haynes – flugelhorn
Harvey Thompson – tenor saxophone
Jim Horn – baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone
James Taylor – vocals (2)
Van Morrison – vocals (5)
Gillian Welch and David Rawlings – vocals (8,10)
Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford – vocals (International 6)
Duane Starling – vocals
Gillian Welch – vocals
Chris Willis – vocals{{cite AV media notes|title=Sailing to Philadelphia |others=Mark Knopfler |year=2000 |chapter=Album Notes |pages=13–14 |type=CD insert |publisher=Warner Bros. Records |ref=947753-2}}

;Production

Mark Knopfler – producer
Chuck Ainlay – producer, engineer, mixing
Chubba Petocz – engineer
Jon Bailey – assistant engineer
Graham Lewis – assistant
Mark Ralston – assistant
Aaron Swihart – assistant
Denny Purcell – mastering
Jonathan Russell – mastering assistant
Andrew Williams – portrait photography
Eric Conn – editing
Sandy Choron – art direction
Harry Choron – design
Jose Molina – photography (front cover)
James Gritz – photography (back cover)
Andrew Williams – photography (portrait)
Ben Mikaelsen – photography (additional)

Charts

= Weekly =

Chart (2000) !Peak position
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
{{album chart\|Australia\|16\|artist=Mark Knopfler\|album=Sailing to Philadelphia\|accessdate=4 December 2013\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Austria\|2\|artist=Mark Knopfler\|album=Sailing to Philadelphia\|accessdate=4 December 2013\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Flanders\|4\|artist=Mark Knopfler\|album=Sailing to Philadelphia\|accessdate=4 December 2013\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Wallonia\|10\|artist=Mark Knopfler\|album=Sailing to Philadelphia\|accessdate=4 December 2013\|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"\|Danish Albums (Hitlisten){{cite news \|title=Listen - Danmarks Officielle Hitliste - Udarbejdet af AIM Nielsen for IFPI Danmark - Uge 39 \|work=Ekstra Bladet \|location=Copenhagen \|language=da }} \| style="text-align:center;"\|3
{{album chart\|Netherlands\|2\|artist=Mark Knopfler\|album=Sailing to Philadelphia\|accessdate=4 December 2013\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Finland\|3\|artist=Mark Knopfler\|album=Sailing to Philadelphia\|accessdate=4 December 2013\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|France\|7\|artist=Mark Knopfler\|album=Sailing to Philadelphia\|accessdate=4 December 2013\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Germany4\|1\|artist=Mark Knopfler\|year=2000\|date=20001023\|id=3426\|access-date=9 December 2021\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Ireland\|19\|artist=Mark Knopfler\|year=2000\|week=39\|accessdate=4 December 2013\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Italy\|1\|artist=Mark Knopfler\|album=Sailing to Philadelphia\|accessdate=4 December 2013\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|New Zealand\|11\|artist=Mark Knopfler\|album=Sailing to Philadelphia\|accessdate=4 December 2013\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Norway\|1\|artist=Mark Knopfler\|album=Sailing to Philadelphia\|accessdate=4 December 2013\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Poland\|9\|artist=Mark Knopfler\|id=2\|accessdate=4 December 2013\|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"\|Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE){{cite book\|last=Salaverri\|first=Fernando\|title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002\|edition=1st \|date=September 2005\|publisher=Fundación Autor-SGAE\|location=Spain\|isbn=84-8048-639-2}} \|2
{{album chart\|Sweden\|2\|artist=Mark Knopfler\|album=Sailing to Philadelphia\|accessdate=4 December 2013\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Switzerland\|1\|artist=Mark Knopfler\|album=Sailing to Philadelphia\|accessdate=4 December 2013\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|UK2\|4\|artist=Mark Knopfler\|date=2000-10-07\|accessdate=4 December 2013\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Billboard200\|60\|artist=Mark Knopfler\|rowheader=true}}

= Year-end =

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

Chart (2000)

!Position

scope="row"| Australian Albums (ARIA){{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/2000/albums-chart|title=ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts - Top 100 Albums 2000|publisher=ARIA|access-date=5 January 2021}}

| 100

scope="row"| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria){{cite web|url=https://austriancharts.at/year.asp?cat=a&id=2000|title=Jahreshitparade Alben 2000|language=German|website=Austrian Charts Portal|access-date=5 January 2021}}

| 46

scope="row"| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2000&cat=a|title=Jaaroverzichten 2000|language=French|publisher=Ultratop|access-date=3 November 2020}}

| 44

scope="row"| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=2000&cat=a|title=Rapports Annuels 2000|language=French|publisher=Ultratop|access-date=3 November 2020}}

| 57

scope="row"|Canadian Albums (Nielsen SoundScan){{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040906184459/http://www.jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/2000_2.html|archivedate=September 6, 2004|url=http://www.jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/2000_2.html|title=Canada's Top 200 Albums of 2000|website=Jam!|accessdate=March 29, 2022}}

| 177

scope="row"| Danish Albums (Hitlisten){{cite web|url=http://top20.dk/chart/2000 |title=Chart of the Year 2000|publisher=Mogens Nielsen|access-date=6 January 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150725015224/http://top20.dk/chart/2000|archive-date=25 July 2015}}

| 14

scope="row"| Dutch Albums (MegaCharts){{cite web|url=http://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=2000&cat=a|title=Jaaroverzichten – Album 2000|publisher=Hung Medien|language=Dutch|access-date=6 January 2016}}

| 10

scope="row"| European Albums (Music & Media){{cite magazine |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Music-and-Media/00s/2000/MM-2000-12-23.pdf |title=Year in Focus – European Top 100 Albums 2000 |magazine=Music & Media |volume=17 |issue=52 |date=23 December 2000 |page=9 |oclc=29800226 |via=American Radio History|access-date=19 January 2019}}

|21

scope="row"| French Albums (SNEP){{cite web|url=http://www.snepmusique.com/fr/pag-259376-Classements-Annuels.html?year=2000&type=2 |title=Classement Albums - année 2000|publisher=SNEP|access-date=6 January 2016|language=French|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120924122538/http://www.snepmusique.com/fr/pag-259376-Classements-Annuels.html?year=2000&type=2|archive-date=24 September 2012}}

| 29

scope="row"| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100){{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-2000|title=Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts|language=German|publisher=GfK Entertainment|access-date=6 January 2016}}

| 26

scope="row"|Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan){{cite web|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/42?dspy=2000&dspp=1|title=Year list Album (incl. Collections), 2000|website=Sverigetopplistan|language=Swedish|access-date=20 December 2020}}

| 11

scope="row"|Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web|url=http://www.swisscharts.com/charts/jahreshitparade/2000/alben|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2000: Alben|website=Swiss Charts Portal|language=German|access-date=5 January 2021}}

|18

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

Chart (2001)

!Position

scope="row"| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia){{cite web |url=https://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=2001&cat=a |title=Rapports Annuels 2001 – Albums |language=French |publisher=Ultratop |access-date=22 February 2013}}

| 98

scope="row"| Danish Albums (Hitlisten){{cite web|url=http://top20.dk/chart/2001 |title=Chart of the Year 2001|publisher=Mogens Nielsen|access-date=4 January 2021|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723230606/http://top20.dk/chart/2001|archive-date=23 July 2015}}

| 98

scope="row"| Dutch Albums (MegaCharts){{cite web|url=http://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=2001&cat=a|title=Jaaroverzichten – Album 2001|publisher=Hung Medien|language=Dutch|access-date=4 January 2021}}

| 10

scope="row"| European Albums (Music & Media){{cite magazine |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/00s/2001/MM-2001-12-22.pdf |title=Year in Review – European Top 100 Albums 2001 |magazine=Music & Media |volume=19 |issue=52 |date=22 December 2001 |page=15 |oclc=29800226 |access-date=4 March 2020 |via=American Radio History}}

| 40

scope="row"| French Albums (SNEP){{cite web|url=http://www.snepmusique.com/fr/pag-259376-Classements-Annuels.html?year=2001&type=2|title=Classement Albums - année 2001|publisher=SNEP|access-date=12 February 2017|language=French|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120924122553/http://www.snepmusique.com/fr/pag-259376-Classements-Annuels.html?year=2001&type=2|archive-date=24 September 2012}}

| 125

scope="row"| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100){{cite web |url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-2001 |title=Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 2001 |language=German |publisher=Offizielle Deutsche Charts |access-date=12 January 2019}}

| 62

scope="row"|Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web|url=http://www.swisscharts.com/charts/jahreshitparade/2001/alben|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2001: Alben|website=Swiss Charts Portal|language=German|access-date=5 January 2021}}

| 93

Certifications

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=album|title=Sailing to Philadelphia|artist=Mark Knopfler|award=Gold|certyear=2000|accessdate=4 December 2013}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Austria|type=album|title=Sailing to Philadelphia|artist=Mark Knopfler|award=Gold|relyear=2000|relmonth=9|accessdate=4 December 2013}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Belgium|type=album|title=Sailing to Philadelphia|artist=Mark Knopfler|award=Platinum|relyear=2000|relmonth=9|accessdate=11 October 2018|certyear=2000}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=album|title=Sailing to Philadelphia|artist=Mark Knopfler|award=Gold|relyear=2000|accessdate=4 December 2013}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|type=album|title=Sailing to Philadelphia|artist=Mark Knopfler|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2000|certyear=2001|id=1|source=chart}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Finland|type=album|title=Sailing to Philadelphia|artist=Mark Knopfler|award=Gold|salesamount=33,786|accessdate=4 December 2013}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|type=album|title=Sailing to Philadelphia|artist=Mark Knopfler|award=Platinum|relyear=2000|accessdate=4 December 2013}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Netherlands|type=album|title=Sailing to Philadelphia|artist=Mark Knopfler|award=Platinum|number=5|relyear=2000|certyear=2001|accessdate=13 July 2019}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=album|title=Sailing to Philadelphia|artist=Mark Knopfler|id=2003-09-19|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|award=Gold}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Norway|type=album|title=Sailing to Philadelphia|artist=Mark Knopfler|award=Platinum|number=3|relyear=2000|certyear=2001|accessdate=13 July 2019}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|artist=Mark Knopfler|title=Sailing to Philadelphia|award=Platinum|type=album|relyear=2000|certyear=2000|certref={{cite book |last=Salaverrie |first=Fernando |url=http://www.mediafire.com/file/7q55521w7go6vh6/Spanish+Certifications+for+2000-2002.pdf |title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 |language=es |edition=1st |location=Madrid |publisher=Fundación Autor/SGAE |date=September 2005 |page=956 |isbn=84-8048-639-2 |access-date=24 August 2019}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Sweden|type=album|title=Sailing to Philadelphia|artist=Mark Knopfler|award=Platinum|relyear=2000|certyear=2000|accessdate=9 September 2019}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Switzerland|type=album|title=Sailing to Philadelphia|artist=Mark Knopfler|award=Platinum|relyear=2000|accessdate=4 December 2013}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|title=Sailing to Philadelphia|artist=Mark Knopfler|award=Gold|id=5672-2608-2|accessdate=4 December 2013}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|title=Sailing to Philadelphia|artist=Mark Knopfler|award=Gold|accessdate=4 December 2013}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Europe|type=album|title=Sailing to Philadelphia|artist=Mark Knopfler|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=2002|accessdate=4 December 2013}}

References

;Notes

;Citations

Category:2000 albums

Category:Albums produced by Chuck Ainlay

Category:Albums produced by Mark Knopfler

Category:Mark Knopfler albums

Category:Mercury Records albums

Category:Music based on novels

Category:Songs about Philadelphia

Category:Vertigo Records albums

Category:Warner Records albums