Dire Straits - Money For Nothing (REACTION)

[@ALD56]

Supposedly, Mark Knopfler was browsing at a NYC hardware store with MTV playing on the TV. Workers were discussing their mundane jobs and comparing themselves to the rock stars in the video, not knowing that one of the customers browsing actually WAS a rock star.

[@crosscatch]

He said that it wrote itself.Pretty incredible!

[@jamesdemichele3649]

I want to know how this department store had cable TV back in the early 80's.

[@StevesFunhouse]

@@jamesdemichele3649 Cable TV, which actually came out in 1948, became the rage in the 80's and MTV, being a cable ONLY network, relied on its widespread use for its successful launch. I know this because I was working in and for bands, and when we'd get off from work and/or playing, we go back to our rental house, get high and watch MTV. We got a LOT of inspiration from there (MTV launched on August 1, 1981). Video Killed The Radio Star was the 1st video ever shown (then that group disappeared) and Pat Benatar was the 2nd. So, not only was MTV in department stores, but cable had been around for a long time by then.

[@kevinmassey1164]

@@jamesdemichele3649 They had coax run into the building that carried signal. This terminates into a box supplied by the cable provider. So just like the rest of us

[@kualua6612]

It must have been a Sears!

[@jrsinsf]

That falsetto at the beginning "I want my MTV" was sung by Sting.

[@Mr62Lincoln]

Sting also sings the bridge and backup vocals.

[@JoeandAngie]

Ugh

[@christianmarler2253]

"Don't stand, don't stand so, don't stand so close to me."

[@christianmarler2253]

@@JoeandAngie Alka-Seltzer does work.

[@GhostLeeds]

For real? No way. Sick

[@remohio]

Sting from The Police on backup vocals

[@mrg7858]

'Sting from The Police' aka 'Sting'

[@ptdoria88]

😮😮😮😮😮

[@ptdoria88]

😮😮😮😮😮😮

[@RolanTheBrave]

he just happened to be on holiday on the same Caribbean island dire straits were recording this song - a stroke of luck

[@DrukMax]

Yeah Sting was on vacation while Mark Knopfler was recording. The song was just meant to be

[@wendyt7958]

The whole "brothers in arms" album is outstanding

[@cheripetty1805]

Cutting edge state-of- the art CGI Graphics!! Mesmerizing in 1985!

[@confucius12012]

2024 CGI has nothing on 1985's!! lol

[@lotusladylotus6159]

The story behind the song: Mark was in a store in NY, and on one whole wall of the store there were TVs tuned to MTV (Music Television); he overheard the workers making derisive (perhaps jealous) comments about the performers in the videos and how easy those guys had it compared to their own blue-collar jobs (moving TVs, microwaves and refrigerators etc.). Mark grabbed a pen and paper and wrote their remarks down verbatim, and those comments became the lyrics of the song. Given that they (Dire Straits) are musicians themselves, singing the lyrics (in an MTV video no less), it's also good natured, self-parodic and cheeky, especially since in contrast to some the 'glam rock' of the time, Dire Straits was 'pub rock'. As to the 'offensive F' word at issue: 1) That was the word used by the blue collar workers themselves in the store about the guys in the MTV videos; (2) it was very common parlance at that time; (3) it was sometimes used to suggest 'poser' or 'pretty boy' (i.e. the glam rockers of the time, 'with the earrings and the makeup' who were seen to have sold out to corporate media) rather than to homosexuals (after all, gay guys wouldn't be concerned about getting 'chicks' for free, would they?); (4) Notably, when the band plays this track live, and in the first person, they leave out that word. Context is everything! If you really want to see Dire Straits at their best, check out "Sultans of Swing" (released in 1977) "Telegraph Road" (1984) and "Once Upon a Time in the West" (1979) all from 'Alchemy Live'.

[@remohio]

I want my MTV was a big promo in the 80's...they had a lot of musicians to say the catch phrase in commercials.

[@mrg7858]

Hey kids...it's a pro move to write the hook about the most influential music outlets in the world. Another is to record down the hall from Sting so he can help out with the intro.

[@ronlyster5667]

So ... the part Sting is singing is the same melody as his Police song "don't stand so, don't stand so, don't stand so close to me". Saw their Vancouver show during this tour, and the intro drums shook my entire body. Never forgot that sensation.

[@Neillybob63]

Hey fellas, the song's about an incident in which Mark overheard some Home Furniture installers bitching about rockstars while watching MTV on a wall of display TV 's at their place of employment.

[@aldower3390]

Back in the day MTV played it relentlessly it was huge.

[@pebblehilllane]

The songwriting credits are shared between Mark Knopfler and Sting. According to Knopfler, he used the network slogan "I want my MTV" after seeing an MTV advertisement featuring The Police and setting it to the tune of "Don't Stand So Close to Me" (written by Sting), hence the cowriting credit. On March 1, 1982 is when the then-struggling music video network launched the ad campaign that saved the day: "I Want My MTV!" What would really sell the campaign, however, was the delivery: MTV exec Les Garland cajoled his friend Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones to shout the line into a camera. Once Jagger finally agreed to do it, David Bowie and Pete Townshend of the The Who were persuaded to film spots as well. After that, getting new stars to join in snowballed into the famous "I Want My MTV!" commercials. The spots were a hit with cable providers, and subscriptions soared. The line "I want my MTV" inspired Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits while he was writing the band's smash hit, "Money for Nothing" “I’d seen the Police doing an MTV advert, saying ‘I want my MTV,’ just saying it all together; and I thought, ‘If I set that to the notes of “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” it’ll work,’" Knopfler told Ultimate Classic Rock. "I remember saying to the guys, ‘I’d really like to get Sting to do this.’ We knew them anyway because we’d done a lot of gigs together in Germany. One of them said, ‘That’s fine, because he’s here on holiday,’" referencing the British island of Montserrat, location of the famous AIR recording studios. "And because I’d used the five notes from ‘Don’t Stand So Close to Me,’ that’s how the co-writing thing happened. Which is fine; it’s absolutely fine with me and it worked out well. I remember quite clearly Sting coming into the studio and saying, ‘What’s wrong?’ I said, ‘What do you mean?’ He said, ‘Nobody’s fighting!’”

[@barryserpa5174]

The line “ I want my MTV ! “ in this song was part of the MTV commercials back in the 80’s where Sting singing here and other artist would scream I want my MTV

[@allisondownes7481]

This was revolutionary when it first came out. Thanks for reviving all the great memories when MTV was actually great!

[@teesmith945]

Believe it or not, in the early days of MTV this video was considered ahead of it's time with the computer animation and graphics...way back when... ( damn, I'm old ) lol

[@alexo5861]

Yep, this and Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” were revolutionary music videos.

[@deadmeat_0152]

this song was absolutely everywhere for a few years after it was released

[@deadmeat_0152]

also i hope you guys do Skateaway off their album Making Movies. Its got a nice groove

[@mr.snicker-doodles7081]

TOTALLY..it's on my "If I never heard it again I'd be good" list.....good song though, just SOOO overplayed haha

[@mr.snicker-doodles7081]

@@deadmeat_0152 YES!! That is a GREAT tune...100%

[@Irockthere4]

Yes MTV used that part that Sting sang “I want my MTV” for their advertisements.

[@Eric4471066]

This song was Dire Straits' biggest hit song ever in America. The song went all the way to hit the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for three weeks during the summer of 1985. No doubt, this song was a definitely banger indeed!!!

[@user-pf7jm9go6o]

This video won all sorts of awards for creativity. It does explain the origin of the lyrics.

[@lt.spears1889]

This was literally on 24/7 in the early 80’s on MTV

[@willblood7082]

FYI, Sultans of Swing was released in ’79 which thrust them into the spotlight and as you said, they ruled the 80’s with MTV coming on in ’82.

[@terenzo50]

Dire Straits's first lp was released in June 1978.

[@BigTimeRushFan2112]

This song and video was fire back then. My mom still quotes this song to this day! (she's 75 LOL)

[@robpalmer3304]

This song at live aid was insane

[@dianel222]

💜💜💜 bass line

[@tomlafleche332]

If you were around in the 80's and had a heartbeat you've heard this song before because it was literally everywhere when it came out.

[@loisrogers9042]

This was the 1st song I ever heard by Dire Straits, and I was hooked!

[@Getafix33]

the panic when dire straits went into the classic and beloved little f$gg0t verse🤣. Glad you enjoyed it, this is 1 of my favourites from them.

[@p.millard557]

"Money for Nothing" was the first video played when MTV Europe went on air in 1987, 6 years after US MTV (1981). On that occasion the first video played was "Video killed the radio star" by The Buggles, also a British band.

[@cmzeman]

Golly. all hail queen chuckles.

[@OlTrev]

I remember when this video first came out, it was the first computer graphics I had ever seen. Blew my mind at like 8 years old.

[@StevesFunhouse]

As others have pointed out, Mark wrote this after overhearing some workers complaining about the MTV life, and THEY were using the "F" word, not Mark. So, technically, he was relaying what he heard, not what he thought. That's probably why you got it past the YT censors.

[@Kuesel68]

This is the short single version. The Album version is about double the length. The song was huuuge when I was a teen and the video was setting a totally new level.

[@mottjones2876]

Y'all need to change your music when the logo comes up at the beginning of your videos to "I want my, I want my, I want my Airplay Beats." The ladies will come flocking to you. 😁😉

[@jeffdempsey6478]

Yes!

[@joescott8877]

Nice, lol.

[@ajgrant1975]

They are not homophobes. They are musicians, tongue firmly in cheek, making fun of homophobes.

[@Leifdk1]

Well, those were very different times. I doubt they would use the same word if they had made the song today. Personally I look at intent and I would agree that they meant no harm. It does grate on the ears now though.

[@ugadawgs1990]

It was a quote from the workers at the store where Mark overheard them talking, and it’s probably what they said. Anyway, it’s just a word and was from a time when people wouldn’t die if a poor choice of words was used. Actions matter way more than words, and Mark has proven he is a quality guy.

[@Leifdk1]

@@ugadawgs1990 Makes sense, I didn’t know. It was an odd choice even back then to be sure - and in fairness I never truly noticed before and don’t recall any controversy over it either.

[@christianmarler2253]

Neither do I think Quentin Tarantino is a racist for putting the N-word in some characters' mouths.

[@Geordiegirl36]

@@Leifdk1so if you didn’t notice and there was no controversy back then it wasn’t a odd choice of word back then

[@RaySawhill]

It’s about working class guys (back in the early days of MTV) imagining what it’s like being a rock star.

[@ZChoate]

You're intro always reminds me of a rainy day. I watched you guys for like 3 hours straight at my last warehouse job. It was raining. I snuck out for one hits and cigarettes. Came back in wet and then the intro would hit. IDK, burned in my memory.

[@anthonyattard6726]

Mark was in a appliance shop and he overheard this guy who worked there glance at the TV that happen to have MTV on, inspiration for the lyrics

[@Bloodewing]

This song was a staple in every strip joint in the 80's. I actually DO miss REAL MTV from back ion the day.......

[@janishaldeman3339]

Ya'lls vids are 10000 clearer than when you started. Crispyyyy!

[@colinciolli1530]

❤❤❤❤ Again, another great reaction! Thank you guys!

[@cynthiaschultheis1660]

MARK KNOFLER WROTE "PRIVATE DANCER" FOR TINA TURNER'S COMEBACK ALBUM & TOUR👍🏼👍🏼❤❤❤🎸🎸🎸🎹🎹🎹🎶🎤🎵🎶🎤🎵🎸🎸🎹

[@ler5299]

Wow I did not know that. RIP Tina the legend.

[@alansmith7626]

there is a Whole lot more to Knopfler than just this, and his guitar playing something else in this, but fellas, that mans music will take you places...his guitar work continues to blow me away

[@owenhershey13]

he is a true master, that's for sure

[@jeffdempsey6478]

Love their first 3 albums. Before MTV. 😊....plus Mark has gone on to write many more songs that are great yet not for radio. ❤

[@lesblatnyak5947]

Back when you was kids 😊 To me you are kids. Keep it up gentlemen ✨️🎶✨️

[@johnawad8710]

This song is meant to be play loud!!! good reaction!

[@merrilynhunt7819]

The headbands were because he sweated during performances and it affected his hands and guitars. Then it became "a trademark look". 🥰🥰

[@DrukMax]

I remember seeing the clip, first time seeing CGI blew my mind!

[@wayL0ck]

"Maybe get a blister on your... little finger... Maybe get a blister on your thumb" It's so hard being a rock star!

[@johnanderson290]

Great reaction fellas! You’ve gotta check out the live performance at Live Aid 1985 featuring Sting on stage with them! 🔥

[@user-ej7xs2zd7x]

I remember when this song first came out, a DJ locked himself in a booth playing Money for Nothing for an entire weekend in charity event!

[@danrumble74]

MTV was new at the time. They still did commercials at the time with music stars urging you to "call your cable operator, and tell them "I want my MTV!!"

[@ler5299]

What an interesting songwriting exercise it would be to just walk around for a day and write songs out of things you overhear. Reminds me also of the story of the Guess Who's "No Sugar Tonight", which Randy Bachman wrote after hearing a random woman telling off her significant other on a California street.

[@revaflowers3115]

The digital animation was unique back in the day.I think the band got an award for it.

[@thomasripley1548]

This was one of the 1st big hits on m tv...I don't have it I watched vids. On night flight on TNT and TVs....

[@Bosnbabe]

Sting just puts it over the top !

[@BrockHagen]

Back when MTV was actually the Music Television Video channel.

[@willo8794]

Brothers in Arms is their finest album 😊

[@CJ-Fischer]

This is like one of the First MTV Videos Ever! Lol😂 you guys so funny

[@cmzeman]

Sultans Of Swing was released in 1978.

[@allanalmeida6710]

Dire Straits - One World

[@cynthiaschultheis1660]

STING SINGS "I WANT MY MTV" ON THIS AND ON MTV🎸🎸👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼🎶🎤🎵🎸🎹👍🏼🎶🎤🎵🎸🎹

[@gedhoughton9523]

If I have a kid, they are getting raised on music this, perfect blend of musical talent electronics.

[@ellerootz6702]

Memories of MTV!

[@susiedawson3349]

This was on heavy rotation on MTV!

[@krob-sn7ek]

Y'all almost to 50k subs !! Woohoo!! Go guys. Check out the live version w Sting, Phil Collins on drums, Eric Clapton and a few more.

[@Finnbarrt]

To pick up on the comments, all true. Knopfler is playing a character, working class, as he was, with a different ''vocabulary 'and levels of envy and success. Sting ...just the guys came from Newcastle ...knew each other... no one knew the level this would go. Check out the Live Aid version of Dire Straits and Sting.

[@judyyurchuk4904]

❤ luv this album 🎶

[@isabelledrevet5913]

Sting is the one who sings "I want my MTV". I remember, when I was at the University (in France), one of my English teatcher told us that Dire Straits was a must listen band because of their lyrics. He was right !

[@kellahella5286]

Fun Fact;Mark’s guitar here recently sold at auction for charity for $749,000.00

[@SIXX2772]

Loved it guys this has always been a good one with good memories.,,Play the guitar on the MTV. lol

[@Roadtrip635]

I caught them live on this tour at a relatively small theater, 2000 seats, small considering just how big they were at the time, 12th row center stage. Absolutely incredible show!

[@southernbybirth9147]

"I want my MTV" at the start is aung by Sting of the Police

[@Jude_196]

WOOOOOHOOOOO!!! LOVE THIS SONG!!! Dire Straits + STING!! ENJOY, FELLAS!!

[@johnathanstruble1064]

MTV , EARLY 8O' , WAS REVOLUTIONARY,, No Internet, no phones, but while mom and Pop were watching CBS, ABC, NBC, and PBS, we teens in the ,80s, were watching MTV. Iconic song from an iconic decade. ✌️

[@AirplayBeats]

Yes indeed. Best time of my life

[@AliasMark69]

WELL NOW!.... It's about time you two Brothers saw this video that OWNED-MTV and MILLIONS saw who Mark and his Dire Straights band was and he/they became legends. back then we all "Want My MTV"

[@tonidenise5134]

This was the beginning of MTV... Early 80s baby.💜

[@billbryant9995]

So glad you listened to this song. It was huge when it came out! Most of the younger crowd today have no idea who Dire Straits was, or just how good they were.

[@rudedogmat]

Sting sings the intro and chorus

[@jameshunter7303]

Late 70’s / 80’s band. Sultans of Swing was off their debut album and first hit released 1978

[@robbob5302]

Please do the OTHER version of this song. Beverly Hillbillies by Weird Al Yankovic.😂

[@HRConsultant_Jeff]

Based on a conversation he heard from a couple of guys who worked at an appliance warehouse. Wonder if they every got any of the credit for the inspiration?

[@WillyJackson-if6zf]

'Brothers in Arms' is a great album, but you really need to take a look at their self titled debut album!

[@ler5299]

There were clean edits later that removed the offensive parts. Interesting fact - the sound of the guitar was a happy accident that was the result of conditions at the studio - random mic placement and setup - and they were never able to replicate it.

[@eckersonian6601]

I love when you guys do records. Modest mouse-the lonesome crowded west

[@jeffdempsey6478]

Love the music that they made before mtv...Communique, Making Movies...try a song from them..'Once upon a time in the west ', 'Tunnel of love ',...plenty more. Plus then they had Mark's brother as rhythm guitar...not after that.

[@BrixtonTone]

There was a time whenever you tuned into radio this was always there ! Great tune I could only suggest you follow up with AC/DC "Money Talks" 😉

[@atdeacon]

You guys might like thier song called 'Industrial Disease' It as the classic Dire Straits sound, with funny yet poignant lyrics

[@user-tv2bz2ci6b]

I was literally born to this album in 1986. The midwife played Brothers in Arms on her stereo because I was late. My parents kept the tape and we often played it in the car. A little graphic, I know, but it reminds me more of my dad's car than the event in question, thankfully.

[@Sp33gan]

Back when MTV and the Canadian MuchMusic played only music. No so-called reality shows, none of this other crap. Back when these stations were worth watching.

[@CoolCoyote]

but actually mark was so right cos back in th 80's we did say this sort of thing even though he over heard that guy in the convenient store all those years ago.

[@johnathanstruble1064]

Understand one thing in the history of Music Moments....I want my MTV....80s baby...❤

[@mojorider8455]

"Telegraph Road" is an epic Knopfler/Dire Straits tune. Worth a listen, the production on that, the lyrics...it's hard hitting.

[@flight505]

A comment on society changing. Now everyone can have a video platform. Terrific song.

[@davidanon1568]

That's sting singing in the beginning, he happened to be in the studio the day this was recorded. This song is a critic of the way that other people talk about bands and band members and how it's supposedly according to some people an "easy job". It's not. . Mark Knophler used to listen to how every day people talk about what they saw on MTV in the 1980s.

[@tedsmith7814]

Side note: one of the early albums to be fully digitally recorded.

[@pescadote64]

I was gonna say that. The sound of this was just different at the time.

[@txrojas]

Thank you for playing the uncensored version.

[@confucius12012]

Yeah, this song and video was kinda like a big thing back in 1985. lol

[@Ninang363]

This was from when MTV used to play Music Videos. This was a spoof on the whole business of it all. I want my MTV is sung by Sting. Sting is the harmonies throughout the song

[@jimmoore8951]

I still remember hearing this for the 1st time while shopping in Tower Records when it came out. The whole store just stopped and listened as it blasted through the speakers.... think they sold a few records that day

[@paulprendergast3184]

So many great songs by this band. One of the best debut albums ever. This song? MTV fodder.....

[@vickihirsch8340]

Thats Sting singing the " I want my MTV". Still used today even though they dont play music videos anymore

[@russwr4946]

checkin in...