Your Latest Trick

{{More citations needed|date=June 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Use British English|date=December 2012}} {{Infobox song | name = Your Latest Trick | cover = Your_latest_trick.jpg | alt = | border = yes | type = single | artist = [[Dire Straits]] | album = [[Brothers in Arms (album)|Brothers in Arms]] | B-side = "Irish Boy" "The Long Road" | released = 25 April 1986 | recorded = | studio = [[AIR Montserrat|AIR]] ([[Salem, Montserrat]]) | genre = * [[Jazz rock]] * [[soft rock]] | length = * 6:34 (album version) * 4:46 (original vinyl LP version) * 4:10 (radio version) | label = [[Vertigo Records|Vertigo]] | writer = [[Mark Knopfler]] | producer = * [[Neil Dorfsman]] * Mark Knopfler | prev_title = [[Walk of Life]] | prev_year = 1985 | next_title = [[Calling Elvis]] | next_year = 1991 }}

"'''Your Latest Trick'''" is a song by the British rock band [[Dire Straits]], the fourth track on their fifth studio album, ''[[Brothers in Arms (album)|Brothers in Arms]]'' (1985). It was released as the album's fifth and final single in April 1986 by [[Vertigo Records]]. It later appeared on the [[live album]] ''[[On the Night]]''; the same live version is on ''[[Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits]]''. The full-length studio album version was included on the compilation ''[[The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler: Private Investigations]]''.

==Music== [[Randy Brecker]] played the trumpet intro on the [[CD]] version, but it is missing on the vinyl version. After that, there is a saxophone intro, played by [[Michael Brecker]], who also plays the saxophone solo. [[Chris White (saxophonist)|Chris White]] played the saxophone part on the live version on the ''Brothers in Arms'' and ''On Every Street'' world tours.

A cover of the [[saxophone]] introduction was used as the theme music for the 1992-1997 [[TVB]] series ''[[File of Justice]]'' in Hong Kong. This version features an original bridge and interlude. <ref>{{Cite web |last=林通賢 |date=2017-09-11 |title=【壹號皇庭】經典主題曲係監製鄧特希揀：揾人重新用色士風吹一次 |url=https://www.hk01.com/%E5%8D%B3%E6%99%82%E5%A8%9B%E6%A8%82/118258/%E5%A3%B9%E8%99%9F%E7%9A%87%E5%BA%AD-%E7%B6%93%E5%85%B8%E4%B8%BB%E9%A1%8C%E6%9B%B2%E4%BF%82%E7%9B%A3%E8%A3%BD%E9%84%A7%E7%89%B9%E5%B8%8C%E6%8F%80-%E6%8F%BE%E4%BA%BA%E9%87%8D%E6%96%B0%E7%94%A8%E8%89%B2%E5%A3%AB%E9%A2%A8%E5%90%B9%E4%B8%80%E6%AC%A1 |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=[[HK01]] |language=zh-HK}}</ref>

According to ''Classic Rock'' critic Paul Rees, the song was originally done at a faster, jazzier tempo, but Dire Straits' manager [[Ed Bicknell]] suggested slowing it down to the "stately [[bossa nova]]" that was released.<ref name=rees/>

==Single release== "Your Latest Trick" was released as a 12" maxi single in April 1986 as the fifth and final single from the "Brothers in Arms" album in the UK, as well as in other selected territories including Brazil.<ref name="release">{{cite web |title=Dire Straits - Your Latest Trick |url=https://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Dire+Straits&titel=Your+Latest+Trick&cat=s |website=swedishcharts.com |publisher=Hung Medien |access-date=29 March 2022}}</ref> The single did not have a US release. It peaked at #26 on the UK charts.{{cn|date=September 2025}}

The other songs featured on the single were "Irish Boy" and "The Long Road," both credited as solo efforts by Mark Knopfler.{{cn|date=August 2023}}

==Reception== ''[[Cash Box]]'' described the song as "bittersweet" and said that it has hints of [[Tina Turner]]'s song "[[Private Dancer (Tina Turner song)|Private Dancer]]," which was written by Knopfler and originally intended for Dire Straits' previous album ''[[Love over Gold]]''.<ref name=cb>{{cite magazine|title=Album Releases|magazine=Cash Box|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1985/CB-1985-05-25.pdf|date=25 May 1985|accessdate=26 July 2022|page=10}}</ref>

''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' wrote, "A sinewy sax intro from one of the Brecker brothers sets up perfectly the string of surreal city images Knopfler intones in his husky, Dylanesque drawl. Most likely Knopfler's recent work with [[Bob Dylan|Dylan]] on ''[[Infidels (Bob Dylan album)|Infidels]]'' was inspirational."<ref>{{cite magazine| magazine= [[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] | title=Spins|author=E.| date=August 1985|issue=4|page=30}}</ref>

Paul Rees rated "Your Latest Trick" to be Dire Straits' 10th greatest song, saying that it "stirs up the humid, smoky atmosphere of a Latino cantina at midnight."<ref name=rees>{{cite web|title=The Top 10 Best Dire Straits Songs|author=Rees, Paul|publisher=Louder Sound|work=Classic Rock|accessdate=22 June 2022|date=17 April 2015|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/dire-straits-10-of-the-best}}</ref>

==Track listings== * '''7"''' # "Your Latest Trick" # "Irish Boy" by Mark Knopfler # "The Road" by Mark Knopfler

* '''12" maxi''' # "Your Latest Trick" – 6:28 # "Irish Boy" by Mark Knopfler – 4:36 # "The Long Road" by Mark Knopfler – 7:13

==Charts== {|class="wikitable sortable" !align="left"|Chart (1986) !align="center"|Peak position |- |align="left"|Ireland ([[Irish Singles Chart]])<ref>Irish Single Chart [http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement Irishcharts.ie] (Retrieved 10 April 2008)</ref> |align="center"|6 |- |align="left"|[[UK Singles Chart]] ([[Official Charts Company|OCC]])<ref>UK Singles Chart [https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/Shout%20%7B2%7D Official Charts Company] (Retrieved 10 April 2008)</ref> |align="center"|26 |} {|class="wikitable sortable" !align="left"|Chart (1993)1 !align="center"|Peak position |- |align="left"|Canada Top Singles ([[RPM (magazine)|''RPM'']])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.0993.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - June 26, 1993}}</ref> |align="center"|91 |- |align="left"|Europe ([[European Hit Radio (chart)|European Hit Radio]])<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1993/MM-1993-06-26.pdf|title=EHR Top 40|magazine=[[Music & Media]]|volume=10|issue=26|date=26 June 1993|page=30|access-date=9 April 2024}}</ref> |align="center"|37 |- |align="left"|France ([[SNEP]])<ref>"Your Latest Trick" / "Encores", in French Singles Chart [http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Dire+Straits&titel=Encores&cat=s Lescharts.com] (Retrieved 10 April 2008)</ref> |align="center"|1 |}

1 EP "Your Latest Trick" / "Encores"

== Certifications == {{certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Your Latest Trick"}} {{certification Table Entry|type=single|region=New Zealand|title=Your Latest Trick|artist=Dire Straits|relyear=1985|certyear=2022|award=Gold|source=radioscope|access-date=20 April 2025}} {{Certification Table Bottom|noshipments=true|nosales=true|streaming=true}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:1986 singles]] [[Category:1993 singles]] [[Category:1985 songs]] [[Category:Dire Straits songs]] [[Category:SNEP Top Singles number-one singles]] [[Category:Songs written by Mark Knopfler]] [[Category:Song recordings produced by Mark Knopfler]] [[Category:Vertigo Records singles]]