This is an unusual song, in that it's a British trucker singing about his truck. You can't listen to much popular music without hearing about, say, a Peterbilt, because America is a very big place and driving across it is a difficult and romantic activity. The UK is quite small, and truckers do not have much of a place in UK culture. It's generally seen as just another job, and the trucks just another tool.
Mark Knopfler was born in Glasgow in Scotland, by the River Clyde, moved as a child to Newcastle, dominated by The River Tyne, moved to London, on The Thames, to become a successful musician, and, as international star, will have spent a lot of time in America. So is he a Scot, a Geordie, a Londoner, or some sort od Pesudo-American? He's clearly a Geordie, but he frequently takes on the other personas. The first Dire Straits album talks about The Wild West End (of London), the Lions of Trafalgar Square (statues), and the standout famous track is about a band playing in a pub in London Town. Even that album talks about the Tyne though (having a snog with a girl by the banks of it), and rivers in general and the Tyne in particular are a frequent theme in all his songs. My favourite Knopfler track (River Towns) puts him as an American sailor on The Ohio River. This album draws on his Scottish heritage, Celtic music, and the inevitable river references are to The Clyde (although not on this track).
The relationship between Scotland and England.
Prior to 1707 England and Scotland were completely separate countries, often squabbling, sometimes at war. The arguments ended with The Act Of Union in 1707, creating The United Kingdom. This was a settled relationship for a long time, so settled that when a vehicle company started in Scotland in 1899 it called itself Albion, an old name for the island of Britain but often used for England. It was still so settled that Albion launched a truck in ~ 1960 called the Reiver, a name for a Scottish border raider, something that would have been seen as a bit of romantic past history rather than ominous future threat. By the 1970s however some Scots sought to dissolve the Union, and Scotland was granted a separate parliament in the late 70s, the powers of which have grown, leading to a referendum on complete independence in 2014, which was lost. Post Brexit, there is strong pressure for another. This song dates from 2009 and the choice of a lorry made in Scotland named after border raiders could be seen as a reference to the independence debate that was coming.
More politics.
Knopfler generally sings from a worker's perspective. Newcastle will have been in post industrial decline when he was a young man, something he often implies is a Southern political choice. The reference to getting a living wage in 1963 could be seen as implied criticism of modern pay and conditions (this song will have been written during the financial crash).
The Albion Reiver
The Reiver is a forward control truck, ie the driver sits on top of the engine. This is more or less universal on European trucks now, but was quite modern at the time. Having the engine underneath will keep you warm in Winter but will be hot in Summer. The driver's seat adjusts forwards and backwards, which I think was a luxury at the time. The gearbox has no synchromesh, meaning the driver has to operate clutch, brake and throttle at the same time if changing down while braking. Since most humans only have two feet, that means either getting all your braking complete before changing gear or, if driving enthusiastically, operating brake and throttle at the same time using your heel and your toes separately. This is a skill. The Albion name died in 1972, although Leyland continued making the trucks until 1980. The symbol is a rather Japanese rising sun and the slogan was "As Sure As The Sunrise." They were made in Scotsoun, in Scotland.
The Ministry Of Transport regulates drivers' hours and ensures rest brakes, these days with a tachograph. I don't know if they were used in 1963. If a driver manages to run ahead of schedule, this will give him a longer break later. To run ahead of schedule by swift driving could be referred to as "stealing time". It doesn't imply illegality, and "Theiver" is clearly a handy rhyme for "Reiver".
The Song.
The protagonist is driving an Albion Reiver truck South from Glasgow to England. His paperwork is in order, he isn't worried by the authorities, he has had the legally mandated rest breaks (which implies he came the other way the previous day) and he is running ahead of schedule. His Scottish-made truck is nice and shiny, it already has 300,000 miles on but is capable of much more, the seat adjusts for his unusual (for 1963) height, the cab is warm in Winter but hot in Summer, the gearbox is non syncromesh but he is skilfully operating all three pedals with two feet to keep the speed up, he is happy with his earnings, he repeats the advertising slogan of the Scotsoun based truck maker.
OK, let's sum up.
This is an unusual song, in that it's a British trucker singing about his truck. You can't listen to much popular music without hearing about, say, a Peterbilt, because America is a very big place and driving across it is a difficult and romantic activity. The UK is quite small, and truckers do not have much of a place in UK culture. It's generally seen as just another job, and the trucks just another tool.
Mark Knopfler was born in Glasgow in Scotland, by the River Clyde, moved as a child to Newcastle, dominated by The River Tyne, moved to London, on The Thames, to become a successful musician, and, as international star, will have spent a lot of time in America. So is he a Scot, a Geordie, a Londoner, or some sort od Pesudo-American? He's clearly a Geordie, but he frequently takes on the other personas. The first Dire Straits album talks about The Wild West End (of London), the Lions of Trafalgar Square (statues), and the standout famous track is about a band playing in a pub in London Town. Even that album talks about the Tyne though (having a snog with a girl by the banks of it), and rivers in general and the Tyne in particular are a frequent theme in all his songs. My favourite Knopfler track (River Towns) puts him as an American sailor on The Ohio River. This album draws on his Scottish heritage, Celtic music, and the inevitable river references are to The Clyde (although not on this track).
The relationship between Scotland and England.
Prior to 1707 England and Scotland were completely separate countries, often squabbling, sometimes at war. The arguments ended with The Act Of Union in 1707, creating The United Kingdom. This was a settled relationship for a long time, so settled that when a vehicle company started in Scotland in 1899 it called itself Albion, an old name for the island of Britain but often used for England. It was still so settled that Albion launched a truck in ~ 1960 called the Reiver, a name for a Scottish border raider, something that would have been seen as a bit of romantic past history rather than ominous future threat. By the 1970s however some Scots sought to dissolve the Union, and Scotland was granted a separate parliament in the late 70s, the powers of which have grown, leading to a referendum on complete independence in 2014, which was lost. Post Brexit, there is strong pressure for another. This song dates from 2009 and the choice of a lorry made in Scotland named after border raiders could be seen as a reference to the independence debate that was coming.
More politics.
Knopfler generally sings from a worker's perspective. Newcastle will have been in post industrial decline when he was a young man, something he often implies is a Southern political choice. The reference to getting a living wage in 1963 could be seen as implied criticism of modern pay and conditions (this song will have been written during the financial crash).
The Albion Reiver
The Reiver is a forward control truck, ie the driver sits on top of the engine. This is more or less universal on European trucks now, but was quite modern at the time. Having the engine underneath will keep you warm in Winter but will be hot in Summer. The driver's seat adjusts forwards and backwards, which I think was a luxury at the time. The gearbox has no synchromesh, meaning the driver has to operate clutch, brake and throttle at the same time if changing down while braking. Since most humans only have two feet, that means either getting all your braking complete before changing gear or, if driving enthusiastically, operating brake and throttle at the same time using your heel and your toes separately. This is a skill. The Albion name died in 1972, although Leyland continued making the trucks until 1980. The symbol is a rather Japanese rising sun and the slogan was "As Sure As The Sunrise." They were made in Scotsoun, in Scotland.
The Ministry Of Transport regulates drivers' hours and ensures rest brakes, these days with a tachograph. I don't know if they were used in 1963. If a driver manages to run ahead of schedule, this will give him a longer break later. To run ahead of schedule by swift driving could be referred to as "stealing time". It doesn't imply illegality, and "Theiver" is clearly a handy rhyme for "Reiver".
The Song.
The protagonist is driving an Albion Reiver truck South from Glasgow to England. His paperwork is in order, he isn't worried by the authorities, he has had the legally mandated rest breaks (which implies he came the other way the previous day) and he is running ahead of schedule. His Scottish-made truck is nice and shiny, it already has 300,000 miles on but is capable of much more, the seat adjusts for his unusual (for 1963) height, the cab is warm in Winter but hot in Summer, the gearbox is non syncromesh but he is skilfully operating all three pedals with two feet to keep the speed up, he is happy with his earnings, he repeats the advertising slogan of the Scotsoun based truck maker.
@Louis_Dobson Oops, 69 not 63.
@Louis_Dobson Oops, 69 not 63.