ArbiterOfGoodTaste
(Seattle WA) | | Posted: Feb 28, 2005 - 10:40 | |
I am Jeremiah Dixon I am a Geordie boy
A glass of wine with you, sir And the ladies I'll enjoy
All Durham and Northumberland Is measured up by my own hand
It was my fate from birth To make my mark upon the earth...
He calls me Charlie Mason A stargazer am I
It seems that I was born To chart the evening sky
They'd cut me out for baking bread But I had other dreams instead
This baker's boy from the west country Would join the Royal Society...
We are sailing to Philadelphia A world away from the coaly Tyne
Sailing to Philadelphia To draw the line
A Mason-Dixon Line
Now you're a good surveyor, Dixon But I swear you'll make me mad
The West will kill us both You gullible Geordie lad
You talk of liberty How can America be free
A Geordie and a baker's boy In the forests of the Iroquois...
Now hold your head up, Mason See America lies there
The morning tide has raised The capes of Delaware
Come up and feel the sun A new morning has begun
Another day will make it clear Why your stars should guide us here...
We are sailing to Philadelphia A world away from the coaly Tyne
Sailing to Philadelphia To draw the line
A Mason-Dixon Line
|
|
Drummer4soul
(Auburn, CA) | | Posted: Feb 28, 2005 - 10:39 | |
Skeletor wrote:Uh oh, the James Taylor alarm just went off, and that's not a good thing.
I love JT's voice with Mark's. They both have very smooth and beautiful voices that harmonize very well together. I love this song, fun to sing along with, and what an unusual thing to sing about.  tasty |
|
samiyam
(Scummyvale Calyfornya) | | Posted: Feb 28, 2005 - 10:39 | |
mikedill wrote:
Listen to the lyrics. The song is about Mason and Dixon sailing across the Atlantic to draw their famous line. Though Philly may be depressing now, it probably wasn't back in the 1700s.
Precisely! Isn't it interesting that an Englishman knows more about our country's history than we do! What wonderful schools we have these days to produce such great scholars who say "Huh?" everytime someone asks about the Gettysburg Address and tries to look it up in a phonebook. |
|
drjimmy
| | Posted: Feb 28, 2005 - 10:38 | |
What a great followup to Van the Man. This is one of those songs that I wish would go on for a lot longer--it's a short story when I want a novel--but what a great short story it is.
|
|
namesbenny
(West Kootenays) | | Posted: Feb 13, 2005 - 17:45 | |
crowhog2000 wrote:Sailing to Philadelphia? Who would want to go to that depressing place....and the Mason-Dixon line is like in Maryland, who's smoking crack on this one?
Ok, the Mason-Dixon line is the northern border of Maryland, with guess which state?...... oh, Pennsylvania! So, they could always have sailed up the Chesapeake to Baltimore, but I'm not sure it would've been any less depressing.
(But seriously, I love Bawlmer, the city that breeds. And Philly gave us, among other things, scrapple and Ween!) |
|
mikedill
(Chicago, IL) | | Posted: Feb 13, 2005 - 16:47 | |
crowhog2000 wrote:Sailing to Philadelphia? Who would want to go to that depressing place....and the Mason-Dixon line is like in Maryland, who's smoking crack on this one?
Listen to the lyrics. The song is about Mason and Dixon sailing across the Atlantic to draw their famous line. Though Philly may be depressing now, it probably wasn't back in the 1700s. |
|
Skeletor
(City of Fools) | | Posted: Feb 13, 2005 - 16:47 | |
saturnine wrote:What a beautiful song. I never knew that he made music like this! I've only been familiar with the hit "Money for Nothing" or whatever the title is.. And didn't quite like that one. What a nice surprise.
"Money for Nothing" was in the early 80's. Mark Knopfler has been quite busy since then. His music has appeared in many films. He is a very versatile musician. This one just doesn't have much of a feel to it though.
|
|
Skeletor
(City of Fools) | | Posted: Feb 13, 2005 - 16:45 | |
Uh oh, the James Taylor alarm just went off, and that's not a good thing.
|
|
ad4tise
(Destin, Florida) | | Posted: Feb 13, 2005 - 16:44 | |
|
crowhog2000
(Cincinnati, OH) | | Posted: Jan 29, 2005 - 22:58 | |
Sailing to Philadelphia? Who would want to go to that depressing place....and the Mason-Dixon line is like in Maryland, who's smoking crack on this one?
|
|
Lazy8
(the Gallatin valley of Montana) | | Posted: Dec 31, 2004 - 11:46 | |
publiceric wrote:It's probably unfair to compare a musician's current work to past genius, but it seems to me like Knopfler has settled into comfortable blandness. He could do this stuff in his sleep.
Then I hope he's getting lots of sleep these days. |
|
JRulie
| | Posted: Dec 17, 2004 - 12:54 | |
can anyone tell me what his best solo work is? (this song is incredible and I hope there are more like it).
|
|
saturnine
(Turku, Finland) | | Posted: Nov 17, 2004 - 04:13 | |
What a beautiful song. I never knew that he made music like this! I've only been familiar with the hit "Money for Nothing" or whatever the title is.. And didn't quite like that one. What a nice surprise.
|
|
federico
(Padova, Italy) | | Posted: Nov 17, 2004 - 03:24 | |
publiceric wrote:It's probably unfair to compare a musician's current work to past genius, but it seems to me like Knopfler has settled into comfortable blandness. He could do this stuff in his sleep.
very well put
|
|
publiceric
(San Rafael, CA) | | Posted: Jan 22, 2004 - 08:38 | |
It's probably unfair to compare a musician's current work to past genius, but it seems to me like Knopfler has settled into comfortable blandness. He could do this stuff in his sleep.
|
|
beelzebubba
(Where the hell is Walldrug, South Dakota?) | | Posted: Jan 22, 2004 - 08:34 | |
I like this song and all, but WHY THE HELL WOULD HE WANT TO SAIL TO PHILADELPHIA ???!!!!! To WATCH the Eagles blow another NFC championship??????
|
|
bluedot
(Long Beach, CA) | | Posted: Jan 12, 2004 - 01:09 | |
jruhnke wrote:I've never really thought Knopfler's voice was the reason to listen to his music. The guitar work just melts my mind. I can forgive / ignore any deficiencies in vocals and/or lyrics and focus on the instrumental portion of the track.
i dunno. his voice is sure sounding good right now! |
|
bHoby
(River City, Wisconsin) | | Posted: Dec 22, 2003 - 13:11 | |
|
jruhnke
(Houston, TX) | | Posted: Dec 12, 2003 - 06:04 | |
I've never really thought Knopfler's voice was the reason to listen to his music. The guitar work just melts my mind. I can forgive / ignore any deficiencies in vocals and/or lyrics and focus on the instrumental portion of the track.
|
|
rah
| | Posted: Nov 21, 2003 - 15:28 | |
oh, i just love this song -- and i think the lyrics are beautiful. what a lovely and unexpected story to hear in song. mark knopfler never ceases to surprise and delight me.
|
|
DavidCarrico
| | Posted: Nov 21, 2003 - 15:28 | |
sounds a little like that song Cash, Kristofferson, and Nelson did "I'll Be Around"... anyone else think?
|
|
archrrone
(Erie, CO) | | Posted: Nov 11, 2003 - 07:05 | |
wow...I just read all the comments...several of you don't like the lyrics? ...I love the lyrics! Crazy on how a completely opposite a view we can have...guess that keeps things from getting boring on this planet...
Sean
|
|
ediTed
(Phoenix, AZ) | | Posted: Nov 11, 2003 - 07:03 | |
Perfect mix of their voices! Always loved this song.
|
|
archrrone
(Erie, CO) | | Posted: Nov 11, 2003 - 07:00 | |
Oh my...godlike...this song is so amazing for so many things...a ten without reservation.
  |
|
jayladdin
(New York City) | | Posted: Oct 01, 2003 - 06:25 | |
Love it. Both voices work perfectly for this song. And I love JT's lazy delivery of "a stargazer am I." Great duet. Thanks for playing it.
|
|
Drunkenlilacwine
(Brampton, ON) | | Posted: Sep 10, 2003 - 19:17 | |
i love the guitar and the piano... very calming.
|
|
Patrick
(Columbia, MO (1920 miles E of Paradise, CA)) | | Posted: Sep 10, 2003 - 19:14 | |
leathepea wrote:
Is it is son?
It's himself, J.T., cool as ever. |
|
leathepea
(Greenville, SC) | | Posted: Aug 21, 2003 - 10:28 | |
Originally Posted by JimmyBoneJakon:
I thought this was James Taylor.
Is it is son? |
|
stubbsz
(San Jose, CA) | | Posted: Jul 11, 2003 - 14:21 | |
Ellis Paul's "The Ballad of Chris McCandless" being other cases in point.
I just read ...er.."Into the Wild" ( was that the name? ) about Chris McCandless, I will have to hear this song now even if it does suck. |
|
carotello
(Austin, TX) | | Posted: Jul 11, 2003 - 14:19 | |
When I taught American History I brought this song in and played it for my students- surely it stretches descriptive truth somewhat but it nicely lent some humanity to dry history textbooks.
|
|
Share this song
Tweet this song