"Down to the Waterline" is a 1978 song written by

Mark Knopfler Mark Freuder Knopfler (born 12 August 1949) is a British singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Born in Scotland and raised in England, he was the lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of the rock band Dire Straits. He pursued a s ...

and first released by

Dire Straits Dire Straits were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and backing vocals) and Pick Withers (drums and percuss ...

as the first song on their debut album, ''

''. It was also included on the demo tape that the band sent to Charlie Gillett, which led to their first recording contract. It was subsequently released as the B-side of the "

Water of Love "Water of Love" is a song written by Mark Knopfler and originally released on Dire Straits' self-titled debut album. It was also released as a single in the Netherlands in October 1978 and in Australia in December 1978 as a follow-up to the ban ...

" single.

Lyrics and music

The lyrics of "Down to the Waterline" tell of a brief sexual tryst. According to Mark Knopfler's brother and fellow Dire Straits member

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, the song's imagery is based on Mark's memories of walking along the

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at night under the lights with his girlfriend when he was a teenager. ''News and Courier'' contributor Joel McNally describes how "the band appears out of the fog" to start the song, noting that the effect is "not hokey." ''Hartford Courant'' critic J. Greg Robertson describes the beginning of the song saying "the soft, haunting

electric guitar An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gui ...

and

cymbals A cymbal is a common percussion instrument. Often used in pairs, cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys. The majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs soun ...

introduction abruptly switches into a forceful and melody and another of

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Knopfler's carefully articulated Reed-like vocals." '' High Fidelity'' also commented on the song's "tender, passionate, and yet unsentimental" erotic imagery. ''

Hi-Fi News & Record Review ''Hi-Fi News & Record Review'' is a British monthly magazine, published by AV Tech Media Ltd, which reviews audiophile-oriented sound-reproduction and recording equipment, and includes information on new products and developments in audio. It i ...

'' described the song as "bouncy and punchy." ''

The Rolling Stone Album Guide ''The Rolling Stone Album Guide'', previously known as ''The Rolling Stone Record Guide'', is a book that contains professional music reviews written and edited by staff members from ''Rolling Stone'' magazine. Its first edition was published in 1 ...

'' commented on the song's "galloping groove." ''

Montreal Gazette The ''Montreal Gazette'', formerly titled ''The Gazette'', is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Three other daily English-language newspapers shuttered at various times during the second half of th ...

'' critic Bubert Bauch claims that "Once Upon a Time in the West", the song that opened Dire Straits' second album, ''

Communiqué A press release is an official statement delivered to members of the news media for the purpose of providing information, creating an official statement, or making an announcement directed for public release. Press releases are also considere ...

'', sounded very similar to "Down to the Waterline", which opened their debut album. ''News-Pilot'' critic Warren Robak also pointed out similarities – both are "lively alladsabout a love that was" which begin with "a quivering guitar introduction and then ooff into some smooth guitar licks."

Reception

''Classic Rock'' critic Paul Rees rated "Down to the Waterline" to be Dire Straits' 9th greatest song, citing "Mark Knopfler’s ringing guitar and

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-laced vocals, his cinematic lyrics and the

rhythm section A rhythm section is a group of musicians within a music ensemble or band that provides the underlying rhythm, harmony and pulse of the accompaniment, providing a rhythmic and harmonic reference and "beat" for the rest of the band. The rhythm sec ...

’s effortless

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." ''Classic Rock History'' critic Brian Kachejian rated it Dire Straits' 7th best song. Cary Darling of ''Billboard'' praised the song as superior to the other love songs on side 1 of ''Dire Straits'', including "Water of Love." Darling praised the lyrics as "incisive" but "never cliched." Darling also praised the moody

foghorn A foghorn or fog signal is a device that uses sound to warn vehicles of navigational hazards such as rocky coastlines, or boats of the presence of other vessels, in foggy conditions. The term is most often used in relation to marine transport. W ...

sound that opens the song, Knopfler's "quick finger picking" guitar playing and the tightness of the band on this song. "Down to the Waterline" later appeared on Dire Straits live album ''

Live at the BBC {{Unreferenced, date=May 2019, bot=noref (GreenC bot) Live at the BBC or BBC Recordings are recordings originally made for or by BBC Radio 1. Many recordings were released under several name variants. Live at the BBC *Live at the BBC (The Beatles ...

'' and on the Dire Straits "Best of" compilation album '' Money for Nothing''.

References

{{Authority control Songs written by Mark Knopfler Dire Straits songs 1978 songs Vertigo Records singles Warner Records singles Song recordings produced by Muff Winwood