If there is anything as sweet as James Taylor and Mark Knopfler singing “Sailing to Philadelphia,” I don’t know what it is. This recording is perfect. Their voices uniquely opposite, both vying for my preference. But I can’t choose…one so sweet it hurts my heart, one so full and resonant and mature that I swoon (Mr. Knopfler has made me swoon more than once! Ladies, try listening to “Romeo and Juliet” also below…)
“Sailing to Philadelphia” is about immigrants coming to America to survey the Mason-Dixon line. According to Wikipedia “the Mason-Dixon Line symbolizes a cultural boundary between the Northern United States and the Southern United States (Dixie).” This was no small matter. Nor was coming to America a small or easy journey. James and Mark explore the differences in expectations that most experienced. Will it be glorious or are we two crazy bastards looking for something that cannot exist? I don’t know why this song has such resonance for me, but I listen to it over and over. Maybe if you listen, you can tell me what you experience, or if it feels the same to you… transcendent.
Perhaps it’s the journey that matters. And the hope. Discovery. New beginnings. My Nova Scotia.
Here’s Romeo and Juliet … sorry but this one will take you to Youtube. It’s worth it, the best version.
and if your want to trip out for a while, watch Telegraph Road. When I saw him live, he took us to another dimension.
and if you want to hear music sweet enough to make you cry, try this one…
MosaicMoods 
Nice to stumble onto another Knopfler fan! I don’t know what it is about the guy, but he has become the most important musical influence and presence in my life. And the older he gets, the more amazed I am by his music. He has got to be one of the greatest songwriters/lyricists of our time. Listened to Sailing to Philadelphia, Kill to Get Crimson, and Get Lucy back-to-back today, and–as always–was blown away. And that voice! Nobody comes close . . .
@Crea1ve11
Knopfler is a guitar god. When I last saw him live, he played Romeo and Juliet and it actually made me cry. There is no way to describe it. I, too, love Sailing to Philadelphia. James Taylor’s voice is such a counterpoint to Knopfler’s. Fab song. I listen to often while working. Going to go visit your site…