Notting Hillbillies – Your Own Sweet Way

I remember these guys in the early 1990s. It was completely different than Dire Straits, and Mark Knopfler could change like great artists do.

The Notting Hillbillies were never meant to be a full-time band. They came together almost by accident in the late 1980s when Mark Knopfler was working on a television soundtrack and invited a few friends to join him. Along with guitarist and songwriter Steve Phillips, keyboardist Guy Fletcher, and singer Brendan Croker, they enjoyed the sessions so much that they decided to record an album. The result was Missing…Presumed Having a Good Time, released in 1990. It wasn’t built around the Brothers in Arms sound. Instead, it mixed country, folk, blues, and the kind of music these four musicians had loved long before they became famous.

This song is one of my favorite tracks on the album. It was written by Mark Knopfler, and it has everything I enjoy about his songwriting. The melody is simple, the lyrics never try too hard, and the song breathes. Rather than showing off, everyone plays exactly what the song needs. It feels more like four friends sitting in a room making music than a carefully planned studio production.

Knopfler’s guitar is instantly recognizable, but what really makes this recording special is the relaxed atmosphere. Brendan Croker’s voice blends perfectly with Knopfler’s style, while Guy Fletcher’s keyboards and Steve Phillips’ tasteful guitar work add just enough color without ever getting in the way. You can hear the country influences, but there are also touches of folk and British roots music throughout. It has the feel of an old back porch performance that just happened to be captured on tape.

I like songs like this because they remind me that music doesn’t always have to be loud or complicated to leave an impression. It’s simply a well-written song played by musicians who clearly loved making it together. Sometimes those are the recordings that stay with you the longest, and this one has done exactly that for me.

This song peaked at #76 in the UK and #13 in Canada in 1990. The album Missing…Presumed Having a Good Time peaked at #2 in the UK and #29 in Canada.

Your Own Sweet Way

Nothing I can do
Nothing I can say
You’ll do what you want to
Go your own sweet way
You’ll go your own sweet
Your own sweet way
Now I can talk to you serious
I can talk to you nice
When it comes to love
You won’t take good advice

You’ll go your own sweet
Your own sweet way
Yeah, you’ll go your own sweet
Your own sweet way

It doesn’t matter what I say
What I do or what I think
You can lead a horse to water
You can’t make him drink

You’ll go your own sweet
Your own sweet way
I said, you’ll go your own sweet
Your own sweet way

Discover more from PowerPop... An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Unknown's avatar

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

30 thoughts on “Notting Hillbillies – Your Own Sweet Way”

  1. Pingback: Notting Hillbillies – Your Own Sweet Way – MobsterTiger

  2. Amazing it reached #13 in Canada because I’m not sure if I ever heard it! Different but pretty good, really chill but Knopfler’s guitar noodlings elevate it. Good find

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  6. Great pick, Max. While I had known of The Notting Hillbillies, I don’t believe I had ever listened to one of their songs.

    I completely agree with you, the sound of “Missing…Presumed Having a Good Time” couldn’t be more different than “Brothers in Arms.” While I recognize the latter was a neatly produced album, I much prefer the more laid back, JJ Cale-inspired sound on Dire Straits’ eponymous debut album. The Notting Hillbillies sounded much closer to that than Dire Straits on “Brothers in Arms.”

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. Oh, this is excellent! I can’t believe this is my first time hearing it or hearing of it. I love the production. Amazing! Everything is just so…and yet, it swings. I’ll be buying this album…if I can find it.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  9. Max, I had no idea Mark K was even a part of this band, hadn’t heard of the band, etc. Thanks for sharing this. I am a big Dire Straits fan and will be checking out these songs for sure. I do agree some of the songs that stay with you the longest are in fact the straight-forward, quieter, low-key tunes.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  13. Love this song and album. It has a version of that Charlie Rich song I was telling you about one time, “Feel Like Going Home”. I have it on cassette. In fact, I think I have two copies, because I saw it in a swap shop or something, and I felt like I had to rescue it from the indignity of being there. I think I did that with Van’s Moondance too. I already had it on CD and cassette, but I bought another one.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  14. I probably should have checked this out based on the great band name. Feels like there are some continuities with Dire Straits, maybe with the mellower tracks on their first two albums. I like it! IMO, Dire Straits were never the same after they lost Pick Withers, this has a nice lighter touch.

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment