Mark Knopfler - Sailing To Philadelphia (lyrics) - Sailing To Philadelphia (2000) Apr 2026

The narrative follows the duo as they sail from Great Britain to the American colonies in 1763. They were commissioned by the heirs of William Penn and Lord Baltimore to settle a long-standing border dispute.

Released in September 2000, is the title track and centerpiece of Mark Knopfler’s second solo studio album . The song is a masterful example of Knopfler’s evolution from the high-energy guitar riffs of Dire Straits to the nuanced storytelling of his solo career. A Tale of Two Surveyors The narrative follows the duo as they sail

Their mission was to "draw the line"—specifically the . While their original task was to resolve land overlaps between Pennsylvania and Maryland, their survey eventually became the symbolic boundary between the Northern (free) and Southern (slave) United States in the decades leading up to the American Civil War. Musical Collaboration and Legacy The song is a masterful example of Knopfler’s

(sung by Knopfler): A "Geordie boy" from County Durham, Dixon was an astronomer and surveyor known for his red coat and occasionally eccentric behavior. Musical Collaboration and Legacy (sung by Knopfler): A