"Iron Hand" is a song by the rock band

Dire Straits Dire Straits were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals, lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Pick Withers (drums, percussion). Th ...

released on their album ''

On Every Street ''On Every Street'' is the sixth and final studio album by British rock band Dire Straits, released on 9 September 1991 by Vertigo Records internationally, and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The follow-up to the band's massively ...

'' in 1991. The song also appeared on the compilation album '' Nintendo: White Knuckle Scorin''' in the same year of its release. It relates to the

Battle of Orgreave The Battle of Orgreave was a violent confrontation on 18 June 1984 between pickets and officers of the South Yorkshire Police (SYP) and other police forces, including the Metropolitan Police, at a British Steel Corporation (BSC) coking plan ...

during the 1984–1985 UK miners' strike, with

Mark Knopfler Mark Freuder Knopfler OBE (born 12 August 1949) is a British musician. He was the lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of the rock band Dire Straits from 1977 to 1995, and he is the one of the two members who stayed during the band's existence ...

remarking on how the police charge on horseback into the crowd of striking miners had reminded him of the savagery of medieval times.On Every Street – An interview with Mark Knopfler
– BBC Radio 1FM, date unknown (pre-release to ''On Every Street''), transcript via private website. Accessed 2019-01-16

References

{{authority control Dire Straits songs Songs written by Mark Knopfler 1991 songs Song recordings produced by Mark Knopfler UK miners' strike (1984–1985)