Prairie Wedding

"I gave my golden thing a gold wedding ring..."

Beautiful song. Mark Knopfler's a genius.

I agree. Knopfler's talent for lyrics lies in being able to tell a coherent story, but to do so obliquely through snippets, asides, and casually dropped phrases, as if you were gleaning someone's life story from just listening to them talk.

I'm not sure why, but this is my favourite of all Knopfler's songs, and I've listened to them all hundreds of times! It is just a beautiful, tender, yet haunting song. It has special meaning to me also because one of the first times I met my wife was on a train platform in London, and I will never forget how beautiful she looked that day. 'Like an Angel', as Knopfler says.

This is a great song, Mr. Knopfler has an awesome voice. I'm putting this song on a compilation CD for my friends who are getting married.

IThis song seems more relevant every time I hear it - the line 'we only knew each other by letter, I went to meet her off the train' sounds like what someone would write if they had met someoneover tne internet, and was meeting them for the first time, although the song of course harks back to a much earlier era.

I was in Vail just the other day at the Greyhound bus stop and I had just been listening to this song in my truck. When I went into the bus station I began thinking about that song and what it would feel like to be meeting someone face to face for the first time. Kind of an exciting feeling especially if you have no idea what they look like.

I listened to "Sailing to Philadelphia" again this week - what a great CD! This song really is an excellent ballad. The comments above really speak to the talents of MK in creating this wonderful tune. The guitar work is just wonderful. The lyrics speak of an innocence and purity in a harsh land that is so romantic. Renault25 - I felt the same way, that this could relate to an internet introduction as well. If you haven't yet, I suggest you check out MK's other solo CDs - more of this is waiting for you.

@daveandqin, it's definitely a Knopfler song (Sailing to Philadelphia was released in 2000 where as Rogers covered it in 2003).

As for the meaning... this is definitely the song I'm going to be playing at my wedding.

Me and my girlfriend met each other over facebook for the first time. Not with the intention of getting a girlfriend that way, but as things happen, we got to know each other and grew as friends, and eventually after three months we started dating (me living in Australia and her living in South Africa). We were dating for 6months before I saw her in person for the first time....

I find it hard to describe it better than "I couldn't think of what I should say, but when Adam saw Eve in the garden, I believe he felt the self same way".... I KNEW that first moment she was MADE for me!!

We've been going out for two and a half years now, and I'm planning on asking for her hand in marriage as soon as possible.

Anyways, my story aside, I think this song is about a man living in the old west of America, where quite often cowboys and ranchers would live a days journey at least from the nearest town(drove up to the home trail), and often live in isolation(I know it ain't much, it needs a woman's touch). He might have met this girl on his travels as he drove cattle, and started writing her (only knew each other by letter), till she moved to be with him. He asks her if he is what she hoped he would be, as he already knew from the first moment he saw her that she was the Eve to his Adam. He wants to spend his life with her, loving her. And for as long as he lives, he'll never be able to believe that she chose him (I say do you really love me Mary, I hold her and I whisper her name).

Well that's my interpretation. Sorry for the long winded message but I created an account SPECIFICALLY to write this haha!! Truly a song that will always be dear to my heart.

Mark released this song in 2000, Rogers recorded it in 2003. The prairie of North America is truly a most beautiful and often barren place. Mail order brides took huge leaps of faith that the man they were going to marry would be a good one. Love them, be kind, etc. The men took a risk too- would she stay, be a good wife and mother, etc. Two people really taking a leap of faith. Such a lovely picture Mark paints. A wedding , simple, but proper. Two people hoping that they have made the right choice. One of my favorite Knopfler songs- the lyrics are so evocative- how anxious the man is and how much he hopes she finds what he has to offer her of value. And, he holds her and wispers her name.

Sigh.

Mark released this song in 2000, Rogers recorded it in 2003. The prairie of North America is truly a most beautiful and often barren place. Mail order brides took huge leaps of faith that the man they were going to marry would be a good one. Love them, be kind, etc. The men took a risk too- would she stay, be a good wife and mother, etc. Two people really taking a leap of faith. Such a lovely picture Mark paints. A wedding , simple, but proper. Two people hoping that they have made the right choice. One of my favorite Knopfler songs- the lyrics are so evocative- how anxious the man is and how much he hopes she finds what he has to offer her of value. And, he holds her and wispers her name.

Sigh.