{{Short description|1991 single by Dire Straits}} {{Use British English|date=December 2012}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}} {{Infobox song | name = Heavy Fuel | cover = Dire Straits Heavy Fuel single cover.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Dire Straits | album = On Every Street | B-side = *"Planet of New Orleans" *"Kingdom Come" | released = {{start date|1991|10|21|df=y}} | recorded = | studio = | genre = Rock<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/on-every-street-mw0000675218 | title=On Every Street - Dire Straits &#124; Album &#124; AllMusic | website=AllMusic }}</ref> | length = * 4:57 (album version) * 4:03 (single version) | label = Vertigo | writer = Mark Knopfler | producer = * Mark Knopfler * Alan Clark | prev_title = Calling Elvis | prev_year = 1991 | next_title = On Every Street | next_year = 1992 | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|EExahMsBoWM&pp|"Heavy Fuel"}}}} }} "'''Heavy Fuel'''" is a song by British rock band Dire Straits, released in October 1991 by Vertigo Records as the second single from their sixth and final album, ''On Every Street'' (1991). The song reached {{abbr|No.|Number}} 1 on the US ''Billboard'' Album Rock Tracks chart, making it the band's second song to do so.

==Lyrical content== In "Heavy Fuel", Mark Knopfler ironically extols the virtues of such vices as cigarettes, hamburgers, Scotch, lust, money and violence. The phrase "You got to run on heavy fuel" is from the novel ''Money'' by Martin Amis, on which Knopfler based his lyric.<ref>{{cite web|first= Susan |last= Dagostino |title= Mark Knopfler's Song Inspirations |date= 25 May 2006 |publisher= Ezinearticles.com}}</ref>

==Music video== The song's music video features American actor-comedian Randy Quaid who plays as the band's roadie messing around the venues where the band performs and even fantasizes himself as the band's singer Mark Knopfler.

==Track listings== #"Heavy Fuel" #"Planet of New Orleans" #"Kingdom Come"

==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}

===Weekly charts=== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+Weekly chart performance for "Heavy Fuel" !Chart (1990–1992) !Peak<br/>position |- {{single chart|Australia|26|artist=Dire Straits|song=Heavy Fuel|rowheader=true|access-date=10 June 2014|refname="AUS"}} |- {{single chart|Flanders|19|artist=Dire Straits|song=Heavy Fuel|rowheader=true|access-date=10 June 2014}} |- {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|17|chartid=2042|rowheader=true|access-date=10 June 2014}} |- !scope="row"|Europe (European Hit Radio)<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1991/MM-1991-12-07.pdf|title=European Hit Radio|magazine=Music & Media|issue=49|volume=8|date=7 December 1991|page=35|access-date=17 November 2025}}</ref> | 13 |- {{single chart|France|32|artist=Dire Straits|song=Heavy Fuel|rowheader=true|access-date=10 June 2014}} |- {{single chart|Germany|48|artist=Dire Straits|song=Heavy Fuel|songid=6596|rowheader=true|access-date=10 June 2014}} |- !scope="row"|Luxembourg (Radio Luxembourg)<ref>[http://www.umdmusic.com/default.asp?Lang=English&Chart=F&ChDate=19911110&ChMode=N Radio Luxembourg Singles. 17 November 1991.]</ref> | 10 |- {{single chart|Dutch40|24|artist=Dire Straits|song=Heavy Fuel|rowheader=true|access-date=10 June 2014}} |- {{single chart|Dutch100|25|artist=Dire Straits|song=Heavy Fuel|rowheader=true|access-date=10 June 2014}} |- {{single chart|New Zealand|34|artist=Dire Straits|song=Heavy Fuel|rowheader=true|access-date=10 June 2014}} |- {{single chart|UK|55|date=19911027|rowheader=true|access-date=10 June 2014}} |- !scope="row"|UK Airplay (''Music Week'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1991/MW-1991-11-09.pdf|title=Top 50 Airplay Chart|magazine=Music Week|date=9 November 1991|page=16|access-date=17 October 2025}}</ref> | 9 |- {{single chart|Billboardalternativesongs|22|artist=Dire Straits|rowheader=true|access-date=30 March 2025}} |- {{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|1|artist=Dire Straits|rowheader=true|access-date=30 March 2025}} |} {{col-2}}

===Year-end charts=== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+Annual chart rankings for "Heavy Fuel" !Chart (1991) !Position |- !scope="row"|Italy (''Musica e dischi'')<ref>{{cite book|last=Racca|first=Guido|title=musica e dischi Top 100 Year-End 1960 - 2018|language=it|isbn=9781980329121|chapter=1991|pp=89–92}}</ref> |100 |} {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1992) !Position |- !scope="row"|US Album Rock Tracks (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The Year in Music: Top Album Rock Tracks|magazine=Billboard|volume=104|issue=52|page=YE-42|date=26 December 1992}}</ref> | 15 |} {{col-end}}

==Release history== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" !scope="col"|Region !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Format(s) !scope="col"|Label(s) !scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- !scope="row"|United Kingdom |21 October 1991 |{{hlist|7-inch vinyl|12-inch vinyl|CD|cassette}} |rowspan="3"|Vertigo |<ref>{{cite magazine|title= New Releases: Singles |magazine= Music Week |page= 19 |date= 19 October 1991}}</ref> |- !scope="row"|Australia |4 November 1991 |{{hlist|CD|cassette}} |<ref>{{cite magazine|title= New Release Summary – Product Available from : 04/11/91: Singles |magazine= The ARIA Report |issue= 93 |page= 19 |date= 3 November 1991}}</ref> |- !scope="row"|Japan |5 December 1991 |Mini-CD |<ref>{{cite web|title= ダイアー・ストレイツ {{!}} ヘビー・フュエル |trans-title= Dire Straits {{!}} Heavy Fuel |publisher= Oricon |access-date= 19 September 2025 |url= https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/101417/products/188002/1/ |language= ja}}</ref> |}

==See also== *List of ''Billboard'' Mainstream Rock number-one songs of the 1990s

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{Dire Straits}} {{Authority control}}

Category:1991 singles Category:1991 songs Category:Dire Straits songs Category:Music videos directed by Steve Barron Category:Song recordings produced by Mark Knopfler Category:Songs written by Mark Knopfler Category:Vertigo Records singles Category:Warner Records singles

{{1990s-rock-song-stub}}