Twisting by the Pool

"Twisting by the Pool"
"Twisting by the Pool"
Single by Dire Straits
from the album ExtendedancEPlay
B-side	"Two Young Lovers"; "If I Had You";
Released	14 January 1983
Genre	Rock and roll
Length	3:32
Label	Vertigo
Songwriter	Mark Knopfler
Producer	Mark Knopfler
Dire Straits singles chronology

"Twisting by the Pool" is a song by British rock band Dire Straits that appears on ExtendedancEPlay. It was released as a single in 1983, peaking at No. 1 in New Zealand, No. 14 on the UK Singles Chart and at No. 12 on the US Billboard Rock Top Tracks chart.

Composition

According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Universal Music Publishing Group, the song is set in the time signature of common time, with a tempo of 182 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of A major with Knopfler's vocal range spanning from A₂ to E₄. The song has a basic sequence of A–D–E as its chord progression.^[2]

Critical reception

William Ruhlmann of AllMusic retrospectively praised the song, calling it "the closest thing to exuberant rock & roll this seemingly humorless band had ever attempted."^[3]

Live performances

The song was performed live as early as 1979 and is featured on the Live at the Rainbow concert recorded in London in December 1979, released in 2024 as part of the Dire Straits Live 1978–1992 box set.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1983)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[4]	2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[5]	6
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[6]	18
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)^[7]	7
France (IFOP)^[8]	29
Ireland (IRMA)^[9]	13
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[10]	5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[1]	6
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[11]	1
Norway (VG-lista)^[12]	6
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[13]	13
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[14]	11
UK Singles (OCC)^[15]	14
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)^[16]	12
West Germany (GfK)^[17]	31

Year-end charts

Chart (1983)	Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[18]	14
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[19]	66
New Zealand (RIANZ)^[20]	17

References

^ ^a ^b "Dire Straits – Twisting By The Pool" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
^ "Twisting By the Pool By Dire Straits – Digital Guitar Tab". Universal Music Publishing Group. 22 November 2010. Retrieved 18 June 2014 – via Musicnotes.com.
^ Ruhlmann, William. "Dire Straits – Twisting by the Pool". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ "Dire Straits – Twisting By The Pool" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6251." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
^ "InfoDisc : Le Détail par Artiste". InfoDisc (in French). Select "Dire Straits" from the artist drop-down menu. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Twisting by the Pool". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 8, 1983" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
^ "Dire Straits – Twisting By The Pool". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
^ "Dire Straits – Twisting By The Pool". VG-lista. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
^ "Dire Straits – Twisting By The Pool". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
^ "Dire Straits – Twisting By The Pool". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
^ "Dire Straits Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Dire Straits – Twisting By The Pool" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
^ "Kent Music Report – National Top 100 Singles for 1983". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 22 January 2023 – via Imgur.
^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1983" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
^ "End of Year Charts 1983". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2016.

[NL-1] "Dire Straits – Twisting By The Pool" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 18 June 2014.

[2] "Twisting By the Pool By Dire Straits – Digital Guitar Tab". Universal Music Publishing Group. 22 November 2010. Retrieved 18 June 2014 – via Musicnotes.com.

[3] Ruhlmann, William. "Dire Straits – Twisting by the Pool". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 April 2014.

[4] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[sc_Flanders_Dire_Straits-5] "Dire Straits – Twisting By The Pool" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 18 June 2014.

[sc_Canadatopsingles_-6] "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6251." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 18 June 2014.

[7] Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.

[8] "InfoDisc : Le Détail par Artiste". InfoDisc (in French). Select "Dire Straits" from the artist drop-down menu. Retrieved 14 August 2016.

[sc_Ireland2_-9] "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Twisting by the Pool". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 June 2014.

[sc_Dutch40_-10] "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 8, 1983" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 18 June 2014.

[sc_New_Zealand_Dire_Straits-11] "Dire Straits – Twisting By The Pool". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 18 June 2014.

[sc_Norway_Dire_Straits-12] "Dire Straits – Twisting By The Pool". VG-lista. Retrieved 18 June 2014.

[sc_Sweden_Dire_Straits-13] "Dire Straits – Twisting By The Pool". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 18 June 2014.

[sc_Switzerland_Dire_Straits-14] "Dire Straits – Twisting By The Pool". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 June 2014.

[UK-15] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 June 2014.

[Rock-16] "Dire Straits Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.

[sc_West_Germany_Dire_Straits-17] "Offiziellecharts.de – Dire Straits – Twisting By The Pool" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 14 August 2016.

[aus83-18] "Kent Music Report – National Top 100 Singles for 1983". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 22 January 2023 – via Imgur.

[19] "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1983" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 18 June 2014.

[20] "End of Year Charts 1983". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2016.

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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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