Dire Straits' 1980 album, Making Movies, may be best remembered for the love song "Romeo and Juliet" that has been featured in movies and covered numerous times, but one of the most remarkable tunes on this record is the one where its name comes from -- "Skateaway."

Telling a simple story about a delivery girl on roller skates, we realize even on a first listen that she's enjoying the world she hears through her Walkman and headphones.

...Except that the Walkman was a brand-new product in the United States at the time this disc was released! Very few people had the portable audio device and even fewer planned on purchasing one. It's success was largely up in the air and not many people thought the idea of using headphones as your primary listening device would catch on.

There are those guitarists who think Knopfler is a genius; some singers claim he has mastered the art of singing with brushed tones. But with "Skateaway" he demonstrates a new talent of having the ability to see into the future. (Could it be that "Money for Nothing" fits in the same category? Probably not.)

Title: Skateaway
Album: Making Movies
Artist: Dire Straits
Written by: Mark Knopfler
Released: October 1980
Label: Warner Bros.

The first time I heard this song on the radio, I developed a crush on the character portrayed within. I thought, "Wow, she must be awesome." Alas, she is but a fictional character. I hate it when that happens.