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Mark Knopfler had not originally intended "Walk of Life" for the album, but rather as a b-side to one of the singles. Dire Straits manager Ed Bicknell heard it when it was being mixed and convinced Knopfler to include it on the album at the last minute.
A simple rock and roll rhythm is used, with chord changes limited to I, IV and V chords. The long introduction has become iconic in some circles, with an instantly recognisable riff played on a synthesizer-driven keyboard with hints of the blues. The singer mentioned in the lyrics, "Johnny," is said to perform "down in the tunnels, trying to make it pay," a reference to busking in the subway. The songs he plays are oldies, including "I Got a Woman," "Be-Bop-A-Lula," "What'd I Say," "My Sweet Lovin' Woman," and "Mack the Knife." He also plays talking blues.
Two music videos were produced for "Walk of Life," the first video features the band playing the song in concert while the character Johnny is playing 1950s songs in a tunnel, the second video features the band playing with clips of sports bloopers.
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