Walk of Life
{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2012}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Walk of Life
| cover = Direstraits wof.JPG
| alt =
| border = yes
| type = single
| artist = Dire Straits
| album = Brothers in Arms
| B-side = {{hlist|"One World"|"Two Young Lovers" (live)|"Sultans of Swing" (live)}}
| released = 14 October 1985 (US){{cite web|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/FMQB-Album/1985/FMQB-1985-10-11.pdf|title=FMQB|page=38}}
3 January 1986 (UK){{cite web|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1985/Music-Week-1985-12-21.pdf|title=Music Week|page=18}}
| recorded =
| studio = AIR (Salem, Montserrat)
| genre = * Rock and roll{{cite magazine|first= Debby |last= Bull |title= Brothers in Arms |magazine= Rolling Stone |date= 4 July 1985 |access-date= 27 November 2021 |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/brothers-in-arms-205265/}}
- pop rock{{cite web|first= James |last= Rose |title= 30 Years Since: Dire Straits' 'Brothers in Arms' Album |website= Daily Review |quote= The opening tracks are pretty conventional pop-rock chart shooters |date= 15 September 2015 |access-date= 8 May 2023 |url= https://dailyreview.com.au/30-years-since-dire-straits-brothers-in-arms-album/}}
| length = 4:12
| label = Vertigo
| writer = Mark Knopfler
| producer = * Neil Dorfsman
- Mark Knopfler
| prev_title = Brothers in Arms
| prev_year = 1985
| next_title = Your Latest Trick
| next_year = 1986
}}
"Walk of Life" is a song by the British rock band Dire Straits, the third track on their fifth studio album, Brothers in Arms (1985). It was released as a single in the US in October 1985 and in the UK in January 1986.
The track peaked at number seven in the US charts, becoming their third and last top ten hit. It was their biggest commercial hit in the UK (along with "Private Investigations"), peaking at number two. The track also appeared on three compilation albums: 1988's Money for Nothing, 1998's Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits, and 2005's The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler: Private Investigations. It also appeared on the band's live album On the Night (1993).
History
Mark Knopfler told Classic Rock in 2015 how the song came about: "I saw a photograph of a kid playing a guitar in a subway, turning his face to the wall to get a good reverb. When I started playing the guitar, because I didn't have an amplifier, I'd put the head of the guitar on the arm of a chair and put my head on the guitar to try and get into a loud noise. It kind of reminded me of that, I suppose."{{Cite web|url=https://americansongwriter.com/the-meaning-behind-walk-of-life-by-dire-straits-and-how-it-was-inspired-by-a-photo/|title=The Meaning Behind "Walk of Life" by Dire Straits and How It Was Inspired by a Photo|first=Jim|last=Beviglia|date=15 April 2024|website=American Songwriter}}
Knopfler had not originally intended "Walk of Life" for the album, but rather as a B-side to one of the singles. Dire Straits manager Ed Bicknell heard it when it was being mixed and convinced Knopfler to include it on the album at the last minute.{{cite web|title=Sultans of Swing: The Untold Story of Dire Straits|last=Rees|first=Paul|accessdate=22 June 2022|publisher=Louder Sound|work=Classic Rock|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/sultans-of-swing-the-untold-story-of-dire-straits|date=April 17, 2015}}
A simple rock and roll rhythm is used, with chord changes limited to I, IV and V chords. The long introduction has become iconic in some circles, with an instantly recognisable riff played on a synthesizer-driven keyboard with hints of the blues. The singer mentioned in the lyrics, "Johnny", is said to perform "down in the tunnels, trying to make it pay", a reference to busking in the subway. The songs he plays are oldies, including "I Got a Woman", "Be-Bop-A-Lula", "What'd I Say", "My Sweet Lovin' Woman", and "Mack the Knife". He also plays talking blues.
Music videos
Two music videos were produced for "Walk of Life". One shows the band playing the song in concert while the character Johnny is playing 1950s songs in the Tyne cyclist and pedestrian tunnel; the other features the band playing interspersed with clips of sports bloopers.
Reception
Cash Box said the song recalls "the band's '50s rock infatuation first heard on 'Twisting by the Pool'", but that it "is a more profound but equally energetic effort".{{cite magazine|title=Single Releases|magazine=Cash Box|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1985/CB-1985-05-25.pdf|date=May 25, 1985|accessdate=2022-07-26|page=11}} Cash Box later said that "a light sound is balanced by a meaningful lyric and wrapped in trademark Knopfler guitar accents".{{cite magazine|title=Single Releases|magazine=Cash Box|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1985/CB-1985-11-02.pdf|date=November 2, 1985|accessdate=2022-08-02|page=15}} Billboard said that "Knopfler and friends bob out to a cajun/zydeco track that might have sounded weird if Rockin' Sidney hadn't broken the ice."{{cite magazine|magazine=Billboard|date=November 2, 1985|accessdate=2022-08-02|page=73|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RyQEAAAAMBAJ|title=Reviews}}
Use in media
"Walk of Life" has been used in the first scene of the first season and the final scene of the series finale of Young Sheldon. An instrumental version also featured in a British Gas advert in 2025.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yg9F2BKu1Y |title=British Gas - Taking care of things |date=2025-05-09 |last=British Gas |access-date=2025-05-31 |via=YouTube}}
Chart performance
{{col-begin}}
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=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (1985–1986) !Peak |
| Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web|title= Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989 |publisher= Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien |access-date= 18 June 2014 |url= http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=21533&pages=}}
|align="center"|11 |
| {{Single chart|Austria|18|artist=Dire Straits|song=Walk of Life|access-date=13 June 2013}} |
| {{Single chart|Flanders|32|artist=Dire Straits|song=Walk of Life|access-date=13 June 2013|refname="Ultratop"}} |
| {{Single chart|Canadatopsingles|7|chartid=0560|access-date=13 June 2013}} |
| Europe (European Hot 100 Singles){{cite magazine|title= European Hot 100 Singles |magazine= Eurotipsheet |volume= 3 |issue= 5 |page= 12 |date= 8 February 1986 |access-date= 10 October 2020 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/80s/1986/M&M-1986-02-08.pdf}}
|align="center"|8 |
| {{Single chart|Ireland2|1|song=Walk of Life|access-date=1 June 2013}} |
| {{Single chart|Dutch40|20|year=1986|week=2|access-date=13 June 2013}} |
| {{Single chart|Dutch100|17|artist=Dire Straits|song=Walk of Life|access-date=13 June 2013}} |
| {{Single chart|New Zealand|3|artist=Dire Straits|song=Walk of Life|access-date=13 June 2013}} |
| Spain (AFYVE){{cite book|first= Fernando |last= Salaverri |date= September 2005 |title= Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 |edition= 1st |publisher= Fundación Autor-SGAE |location= Spain |isbn= 84-8048-639-2 |language= es}}
|align="center"|13 |
| South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web|title= South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (D) |website= Rock.co.za |access-date= 1 June 2013 |url= http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(D).html}}
|align="center"|2 |
| {{Single chart|Switzerland|24|artist=Dire Straits|song=Walk of Life|access-date=13 June 2013}} |
| {{Single chart|UK|2|date=19860125|access-date=1 June 2013}} |
| {{Single chart|Billboardhot100|7|artist=Dire Straits|access-date=16 August 2021}} |
| {{Single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|4|artist=Dire Straits|access-date=16 August 2021}} |
| {{Single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|6|artist=Dire Straits|access-date=16 August 2021}} |
| US Cash Box{{cite magazine|title= CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending FEBRUARY 1, 1986 |magazine= Cash Box |url= http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19860201.html |archive-date= 2 October 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121002181221/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19860201.html}}
|align="center"|10 |
| {{Single chart|West Germany|15|artist=Dire Straits|song=Walk of Life|songid=1391|access-date=10 October 2020}} |
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (2025) !Peak |
| scope="row"| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan){{cite web|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/41/?dspy=2025&dspp=1|title=Veckolista Singlar, vecka 1|publisher=Sverigetopplistan|lang=sv|access-date=3 January 2025}}
| 98 |
|---|
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|artist=Dire Straits|title=Walk of life|award=Platinum|id=11600|relyear=1985|certyear=2022|type=single|access-date=August 23, 2022}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|artist=Dire Straits|title=Walk of Life|award=Platinum|relyear=1985|certyear=2021|type=single|accessdate=25 October 2021}}
{{Certification Table Entry |region=New Zealand|type=single|award=Platinum|number=4|relyear=1985|certyear=2024|artist=Dire Straits|title=Walk of life|access-date=20 April 2025|source=radioscope}}
{{Certification Table Entry |region=Spain|type=single|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=2024|artist=Dire Straits|title=Walk of life|accessdate=10 July 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Dire Straits|title=Walk of Life|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2004|certyear=2024|type=single|id=8038-641-1|access-date=19 January 2024}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Dire Straits}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:Song recordings produced by Mark Knopfler
Category:Songs written by Mark Knopfler
Category:Vertigo Records singles