Lady Writer

"Lady Writer"
"Lady Writer"
	UK release picture sleeve
Single by Dire Straits
from the album Communiqué
B-side	"Where Do You Think You're Going?"
Released	20 July 1979
Genre	Rock
Length	3:45
Label	Vertigo
Songwriter	Mark Knopfler
Producers	Barry Beckett; Jerry Wexler;
Dire Straits singles chronology
Music video
	"Lady Writer" on YouTube

"Lady Writer" is a 1979 song by Dire Straits, which appears on the band's second album Communiqué. It was written by the band's lead singer, Mark Knopfler.

When asked what the song was about, Knopfler said that he was watching TV one day, and there was a lady writer on the TV.^{[citation needed]} Because the song says the writer is "talking about the Virgin Mary", some have speculated that the writer in question is Marina Warner, a view shared by Warner herself.^[2]

Reception

Billboard described the song as a "hypnotic rocker" with "sizzling instrumentation" and "distinctive vocals."^[3] Cash Box described it as being "very similar musically to 'Sultans of Swing', with guitarist/singer Knopfler's invigoratingly unique picking and vocal style."^[4] Record World said that "Knopfler's transcendent writing & guitar skills work well with the magic of Muscle Shoals."^[5] Smash Hits said, "This is SO like 'Sultans of Swing' it's not true. Look, the only way you'll want this is if you've got (a) more money than sense, and (b) a memory like a sieve."^[6] Hubert Bauch of the Montreal Gazette agreed it was "a fast and nimble piece that matches 'Sultans of Swing'."^[7]

Charts

Chart (1979)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[8]	95
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[9]	51
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[10]	18
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[11]	18
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[12]	39
Spain (AFE)^[13]	26
UK Singles (OCC)^[14]	51
US Billboard Hot 100^[15]	45
US Cash Box^[16]	63

Certifications

Certifications for "Lady Writer"
Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)^[17]	Gold	15,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 38.
^ Gleick, Elizabeth (24 May 1999). "Books: Boo! (Scared Yet?)". Time. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
^ "Billboard's Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. 28 July 1979. p. 59. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
^ "Singles Reviews > Feature Picks" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XLI, no. 11. 28 July 1979. p. 13. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 28 July 1979. p. 1. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
^ Starr, Red (26 July 1979). "Singles". Smash Hits. No. 17.
^ Asregadoo, Ted (15 June 2015). "When Dire Straits Stuck to the Formula with 'Communique'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
^ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4399b." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 33, 1979" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
^ "Dire Straits – Lady Writer" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
^ "Dire Straits – Lady Writer". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
^ "Communiqué – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
^ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending SEPTEMBER 1, 1979". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 16 September 2011.
^ "New Zealand single certifications – Dire Straits – Lady Writer". Radioscope. Retrieved 20 April 2025. Type Lady Writer in the "Search:" field.

[1] "Music Week" (PDF). p. 38.

[2] Gleick, Elizabeth (24 May 1999). "Books: Boo! (Scared Yet?)". Time. Retrieved 25 July 2014.

[3] "Billboard's Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. 28 July 1979. p. 59. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 8 July 2020.

[4] "Singles Reviews > Feature Picks" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XLI, no. 11. 28 July 1979. p. 13. Retrieved 1 January 2022.

[5] "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 28 July 1979. p. 1. Retrieved 11 February 2023.

[6] Starr, Red (26 July 1979). "Singles". Smash Hits. No. 17.

[7] Asregadoo, Ted (15 June 2015). "When Dire Straits Stuck to the Formula with 'Communique'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2 November 2020.

[8] "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 July 2014.

[sc_Canadatopsingles_-9] "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4399b." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 25 July 2014.

[sc_Dutch40_-10] "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 33, 1979" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 25 July 2014.

[sc_Dutch100_Dire_Straits-11] "Dire Straits – Lady Writer" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 25 July 2014.

[sc_New_Zealand_Dire_Straits-12] "Dire Straits – Lady Writer". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 25 July 2014.

[13] Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.

[sc_UK_Dire_Straits-14] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 July 2014.

[awards-15] "Communiqué – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 July 2014.

[16] "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending SEPTEMBER 1, 1979". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 16 September 2011.

[New_ZealandDire_StraitsLady_WritersingleCertRef-17] "New Zealand single certifications – Dire Straits – Lady Writer". Radioscope. Retrieved 20 April 2025. Type Lady Writer in the "Search:" field.

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v t e Dire Straits
Mark Knopfler John Illsley Pick Withers David Knopfler Alan Clark Hal Lindes Terry Williams Guy Fletcher Jack Sonni
Studio albums	Dire Straits Communiqué Making Movies Love over Gold Brothers in Arms On Every Street
Live albums	Alchemy On the Night Live at the BBC
Compilations	Money for Nothing Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits Private Investigations: The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler
EPs	ExtendedancEPlay Encores
Singles	"Sultans of Swing" "Water of Love" "Lady Writer" "Tunnel of Love" "Skateaway" "Romeo and Juliet" "Private Investigations" "Industrial Disease" "Twisting by the Pool" "Love over Gold" "So Far Away" "Money for Nothing" "Brothers in Arms" "Walk of Life" "Your Latest Trick" "Calling Elvis" "Heavy Fuel" "On Every Street" "The Bug" "You and Your Friend"
Other songs	"Down to the Waterline" "Setting Me Up" "Expresso Love" "Telegraph Road" "When It Comes to You"
Tours	Brothers in Arms Tour On Every Street Tour
Related articles	Discography Band members Omar Hakim Chris White The Notting Hillbillies
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