*First Time Hearing DIRE STRAITS* 🎵 Money For Nothing Reaction

Thanks for checking out our Dire Straits reaction. We listened to Money For Nothing on a recent live stream. We hope to see you on one!
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[@PHILPOP2]

Mark Knopfler wrote most of this song in a department store overhearing delivery guy's complaining about their jobs. Most of the lyrics are things they actually said

[@dalefraser9771]

Hopefully Brad & Lex see this post because otherwise the lyrics are a real head-scratcher. lol

[@Tanatie]

Never knew that but it makes total sense 😂

[@demotime7947]

Wasn't he high at the time as well? Or is that urban legend?

[@mattyjay8896]

Didn't know that! Cool story...

[@PHILPOP2]

@@demotime7947 if i was a rock star i probably would have been lol

[@chrisbolliger5717]

The problem with censorship is someone else deciding for you what is right and wrong and not allowing you to make up your own mind.

[@stephanim2436]

Ain't THAT some Shit huh!...

[@BATTIS94]

It makes sense, though. It answers to the logic of radio and TV, this stuff would play everywere and you had no control over it, so companies had to censor the stuff that could offend people or could get to kids without context. In the end of the day, I don't think It's so much about "deciding for you" (because you could always buy the single) but, rather, big Radio/TV companies covering their backs from other powerful lobbies that could use that stuff against them.

[@frederickbays405]

@@BATTIS94 yes censorship is used only by big crops to cover its asses but in the end censor shi is just wrong I raised twin girls never censored anything they saw or heard they r 38 one lawyer with 3 kids other radiologist with but one and doing well with no man in either of their lives that has lasted more then a yr

[@anthonymitchell8893]

Yeah like what's happening now we are censored to the max it was relative freedom back in the day he ha

[@frederickbays405]

@@AmericaFirst-1 U right it is not a privilege it is a right

[@DUDERMANx]

It's so disappointing that you didn't watch the video. It's ICONIC for the 80's and early MTV, back when they played music and not cringey to watch

[@mistrants2745]

Im sorry but i disagree. I LOVE this song, this was my favourite song as a child. But i didnt see the video until like 2010 or something and it was definitely cringy to me. I understand it was iconic but if you dont have that emotional context the video is mostly quite funny...

[@DUDERMANx]

@@mistrants2745 yea it's hilarious to look back at it now, more reason to watch it. It's a reaction channel, I wanted to see their reaction to that weird ass, terrible cg vid. But I respect your differing opinion

[@redrick8900]

@@mistrants2745 The video is supposed to be funny.

[@Johannicus]

And Weird Als parody video is gold aswell.

[@jamesjones9691]

I believe it was the 1st video showed on MTV in the UK

[@Dreyno]

That opening riff is an all time great. Deceptively hard to play correctly and the tone is really distinctive and hard to replicate. Mark Knopfler is a phenomenal guitarist.

[@cjensen9213]

The riff every guitar player wish they made up

[@SilentBob731]

I've known several guitar players, and it's a bit of a Holy Grail to play properly apparently.

[@theonewhoknows2]

Its actually not too hard . if i can play it correctly than it cant be too technical.

[@gunplajerk2591]

pretty sure he plays with a wah-wah stuck at half cocked during this intro. probably neck pickup on his strat with the tone knob dialed down just by listening. love this riff. very billy gibbons sounding

[@Dreyno]

@@gunplajerk2591 Nope. It was a Les Paul. Probably into a cocked wah into a Laney amp, recorded through 2 out of phase SM57 mics. You can get it close easily but nailing it is tricky.

[@andrerelouw9871]

Mark (singer and writer) actually listened to two delivery guys talking about how they work hard, and stars on MTV just got rich. He turned the conversation into a song! Awesome. Still get chills with the intro.

[@bobby_D]

Oh nice. Thank you. I’ve heard this song a few times and I never put it together like that and that makes all the sense in the world now. I never really understood it to be a back and forth thing but now I get it. Thanks for that!

[@DaveMcIroy]

It's already a song.

[@surfwriter8461]

Exactly. I thought more people would get this. The censored part using a term we now consider offensive is Mark Knopfler (leader and songwriter and lead guitarist) simply delivering words he heard meatheads using in a typical Best Buy type of store saying among themselves. He's reporting the talk as he heard it, not judging the language but expecting us to find fault with such coarse conversation between brainless jerks in that store. His delivery throughout the song is tongue-in-cheek, slyly making fun of the guys that he's quoting in the song. It's too bad so many people are now struggling to pick up on such commentary done in a subtle way. This isn't even that subtle. Mark is clearly creating a parody of such meatheads.

[@the_real_ch3]

Knopfler's storytelling in his lyrics is always great. This, Sultans of Swing, Romeo and Juliet, etc all do a fantastic job perfectly painting a scene

[@malvavisco10]

@@DaveMcIroy what do you mean? It wasn’t a song before he wrote it…

[@UnitedRedDevils]

That censored verse is what he heard people saying about rock stars, so he's basically saying these things about himself as perceived by the delivery dudes. It's a jam & definitely tongue In cheek good vibes🤘

[@jimjohnson9728]

I don't think so. Pretty sure it was about Boy George.

[@SDLEIKAM]

You need to watch the original video. It had a heavy rotation and the graphics were kind of unique for the time. 😉

[@CLJ9676]

Always thought that part was him slamming the whole glam metal scene taking off at that time🤷‍♂️

[@Bambino_60]

Exactly. It’s all about the context of everything instead of canceling someone before they’re investigated.

[@livin3179]

Kinda makes sense, like how a lot of hard, blue collar (delivery) income capped guys would makes fun pretentious, celebs, yuppies, or rich guys, entertainers, etc. that IS very accurate

[@Biofilmz]

It is written from the perspective from delivery men who see musicians on MTV and are jealous or their easy life. It has Sting from the Police on back up vocals. When this first came out - man, we waited for it to come up on the radio.

[@voodoocustompickups2547]

Mark Knopfler heard a delivery guy complaining about musicians on MTV which caused him to write this

[@toddbell6989]

Used to wait for it to play on MTV - the video was a huge hit.

[@furiogiunta7886]

It was the first album I bought on CD.

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

Most don't realize Sting is singing the chorus melody from Don't Stand So Close To Me.

[@Afontanez1962]

@@voodoocustompickups2547 Absolutely right. This is the right context of the this song.

[@Zebred2001]

It's about a blue-collar guy and his co--workers working at an appliance store contrasting their "real work" with the rock stars they see on the televisions for sale in the store.

[@mckrackin5324]

The "terrible things" he says in the song were what he perceived as being said to him. He wasn't calling anyone anything. He's repeating what he was called. That's the problem with censorship. I truly believe there is no such thing as a bad word. It's the intent behind the word that matters.

[@barbarapacker5722]

Most stations just bleep that word, not the whole thing. That makes sense because the singers (Dire Straits) are not homophobic. They are actually telling those who criticize that it doesn't matter if a guy is gay, trans, whatever, "Yeah, buddy, that's his only care", then reminding the haters that the rock star they are calling the homophobic slur is a millionaire doing what he loves.

[@deannadouglas7138]

Sounds like you've listened to some George Carlin.

[@slightlyoffensivesob4690]

If you mention monkeys, some people automatically think it’s about them. It wasn’t that way back in the day. That’s new thinking.

[@ianscholes3049]

@@barbarapacker5722 It isn't censored in England. America is too PC orientated. I agree Dire Straits are not homophobic nor were they when the song was written, but I just wonder how many rap videos are censored with everything they say.

[@kinsmart7294]

@@barbarapacker5722 It is offensive, that the whole point. If you watch the clip its the blue collar appliance movers that are saying the lines in reaction to watching an clip from dire straits on MTV. First he offends the singer and guitar player ‎Mark Knopfler and then subsequentially says he is an millionaire and owns an jet, like " He doesn't look like much but he is the BOMB) and then proceeds to say being an artist is easy compared to being an blue collar appliance mover and that he should have learned to play an instrument instead. So he kind wants to be the "F-word".

[@pennylessplantation]

Mark Knopfler was in a large box store in N.Y. near a wall with TV’s playing MTV. A delivery worker came in and made his commentary about how MTV musicians having it made. Mark took notes on what he was saying which was ironic being Mark was a musician on MTV. Ironically genius song.

[@chuckfarner3170]

rumor has it the TV in the store had a prince video playing

[@baronderochemont8556]

@@chuckfarner3170 the faggot who owned a plane, makes sense.

[@concorde2003]

Funny. Big Box stores didn't exist in 1985. He was in a department store.

[@rogerreynolds4382]

I understand that Mark Knopfler the writer of the song, was in a department store listening to some guys that worked in the electronics area who also delivered products to the customers. That inspired the lyrics to the song. He was listening to some workers talking with the MTV stuff going on on television in the department store. And that inspired him to write the lyrics to this song. And by the way, he’s one of the greatest guitar players in the world.

[@stevenwilliams1805]

I understand he got an honorary doctorate for music.

[@jdcope4655]

All the lyrics of this song are from the viewpoint of the worker he spoke to in the store. They are not the words of Mark Knopfler, but of the character. It is a shame that this is censored because it is iconic and sad that society has become so ignorant.

[@jimbo_crawdaddy]

Exactly...he (Mark) is the one being called a "f gg t". He was just quoting what was being said about him.

[@douglasfrantzen3011]

Yeah, that's the problem with these reaction videos. Without any prior research, they have no idea what they're listening to. Also, grabbing the absolute wrong video like this one stinks, needs to have the cartoon playing like back in the day on MTV. Sting singing "I want my MTV" was the same melody as Don't Stand So Close To Me. Mark Knopfler described the writing of the song in a 1984 interview with critic Bill Flanagan: "The lead character in "Money for Nothing" is a guy who works in the hardware department in a television/​custom kitchen/​refrigerator/​microwave appliance store. He's singing the song. I wrote the song when I was actually in the store. I borrowed a bit of paper and started to write the song down in the store. I wanted to use a lot of the language that the real guy actually used when I heard him, because it was more real..."

[@joesgotastankbootybiden4052]

Mark is an ok guitar player, nobody is better than Eddie Van Halen or Herman Li

[@annaoswald5943]

This band got their start in the 70s. I think you both (especially Lex) would love Sultans of swing, an all time classic.

[@pc574]

That is such an amazing song. My favorite top 40ish song from the 70s

[@landontoney]

Great song. Holds up so well

[@edprzydatek8398]

Absolutely!

[@paulqueripel3493]

Alchemy or studio?

[@iamtheowl9631]

The verse is talking about how people at that time called rocks stars "faggot" because of their hair and clothes, but they don't care because they are millionaires.

[@walterrutherford8321]

It was definitely a humorous, tongue in cheek song, especially since (for obvious reasons) it played often on MTV. It was like they were making fun of themselves!

[@mE-zx7pt]

This song was EVERYWHERE in the summer of '85. "So Far Away From Me" is another great song by them, very underrated.

[@mihaimihai7391]

Sultans of swing is a must !!!!

[@enrique4693]

Oh yeah...great guitar rifts and solos. 👌👌👌

[@yeahhright5675]

The 'Alchemy Live' live version yesss

[@jamestaylor7226]

Yes, that was always my favorite dire straits song

[@mnomadvfx]

Telegraph Road (live version from Alchemy tour) too, it's got a specific early American context to it to boot.

[@mnomadvfx]

@@yeahhright5675 Was it that one that has Eric Clapton too?

[@historyguy5942]

Censoring “That word” in fear of “offending someone” is like covering up the breasts of a woman in a painting by Picasso displayed in an art gallery. It is a powerful word meant to portray truthfully the feelings and attitudes of a certain group of people (not Mark Knopfler or anyone in the band) regarding these people's views of music artists of the day, i.e. “That ain’t working...maybe get a blister on your little finger, maybe get a blister on your thumb.” They thought what these musicians did was not work, they thought they were “sissies.”

[@seancarletonzero]

KZbin would probably come down on them hard. Dire Straits are obviously not homophobic but all the KZbin people see is a slur. They’re not interested in context and they will give you a strike or demonetize your video.

[@BeOtterMyFriend]

@@seancarletonzero I don't think this is a KZbin thing. I think I've never heard a different version in my life. Didn't know it existed. The original video version does not have the verse as well, right?

[@saturnracer156]

@@BeOtterMyFriend The original version had it in there back in the day on MTV.

[@BeOtterMyFriend]

@@saturnracer156 You sure about that? I think that was only the album version. But still it is not a KZbin thing. People didn't get they were singing from someone else's perspective back then as well and thought the band was homophohic. Today it may be on KZbin, back then it was in the Rolling Stone.

[@AmericaFirst-1]

@@seancarletonzero the original version is still on youtube and many reactions to the original. youtube wont censor it because context is the key and this is like the original comment states...art. (Original Video from Dire Straits Channel kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYWzY4WLecSWgpI ) youtube only hates context when it makes democrats look bad. ANY other reason and they truly dont give a fuck.

[@morbidsnails1913]

Brad, Lex, you have to do "The Sultans Of Swing", Lex will not sit still during the (AMAZING) solo, I Guarantee it :-) . Much love to you both from Durham England.

[@snowfan0521]

Preferably the Alchemy Live version for the extended solo

[@linusromey561]

Please, please, PLEASE!!!!

[@craighills2977]

I will absolutely second that.. The greatest guitar solo ever,, as said, the live alchemy version

[@TheFairyintheFishBowl]

Aaah yes!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@Isleofskye]

@@craighills2977 Fantastic all rounf including the sensational frumming:)

[@cheenu711]

This song is a satire on the 80s hair metal culture and 80s in general. When he says "faggot" he's not saying it to offend someone, he's saying it from a common person's perspective who looks at all these rockstars making money without doing much work.

[@edsherrod5216]

This was a huge hit in the early 80's and was one of the first videos that helped launch MTV in popularity.

[@michelm306]

"Sultans of swing" , it is THE song by Dire Straits. I'm pretty sure you would like it, judging by the stuff you've reacted to and liked until now.

[@rossromero9577]

Yes pls

[@styleyriley]

Also Romeo and Juliet and Down To The Water line

[@1teamski]

Man, you guys are really hitting the 1980's MTV video songs hard lately! It is funny to see you experience for the first time songs that most of us got tired of hearing (and seeing) over and over back in the day.

[@davidbarrows8833]

Yeah it’s funny how many songs I thought I hated back then but I think it was the repetition. I enjoy many songs now from back then

[@SargNickFury]

This guy, "Mark Knopfler" is considered one of the greatest guitar Gods of rock. You need to listen to more dire straights as well as his other solo albums. He is legend. Check out Sultans of Swing for sure.

[@LordEriolTolkien]

I thrashed Love Over Gold in my boombox back in the day..... hehehe i'm old

[@BrentHammondsAzBroker]

the one time Brad is not literal in his interpretation with a song that couldn't be more literal

[@TeflonDonZuen]

Sultans of swing at Alchemy live is a must watch/listen! Incredible guitar solo, Mark Knopfler is crazy om the guitar!

[@davidkersey2414]

With you on that.. my favourite track.. and I'm a metal head..

[@paulqueripel3493]

And the drummer.

[@richardbyers317]

@@paulqueripel3493 YES to both comments. Also Tunnel of Love🎸🎸🎸

[@twwtjohns]

This was written when Mark Knofler was in a New York appliance store and overheard workers talking about the musician they observed on MTV screens at work each day.

[@rarebond7250]

Mr.Mark Knopfler is actually a genius, all by himself. He tickles a guitar, and it laughs...until you...cry! Lights of Taromena, is a gem, rarely seen. Cannibals, Heart full of holes, Romeo n Juliet, Where-ever I go, If this is goodbye, or anything...! Brothers in Arms is a whole CD worth anybodies pleasure... Communique is my favorite CD. They're all wonderful life enhancers!

[@Danceofmasks]

Yo, Lady Writer was the song that convinced me, at the age of 6, to buy my first Cassette: Making Movies All my relatives were like, what's this crazy kid spending his savings on an album for? Over 40 years later, I own about a thousand albums. :P

[@MrDcwithrow]

Knopfler also composed movie soundtracks. He did the music for 'Princess Bride", his score really sets the mode and fits the movie perfectly.

[@GinaGeeILuvu]

I love this song and video! Fun fact: that’s Sting singing the intro and in the song with Mark Knopfler (lead singer)! This song was a classic eighties hit and was at the peak of the MTV craze! MTV used the “I Want My MTV” in its promotions!! ❤️❤️

[@mathiaskanuck6759]

Never knew that, makes so much sense

[@CareyHolzman]

If you listen carefully, you hear Sting (from the Police) singing with the lead singer. Sting also sings the "I want my MTV" part which is the same rhythm as his song "Don't Stand So Close To Me" with different words.

[@derrickgoodwin6192]

This was at the peak of MTV videos, we know what he says talking about "BOY GEORGE "

[@rodneytrotter3725]

No. He heard department store workers saying that about a Dire Straits song being played on TV. The 'little fa*got' in reference was to Mark himself

[@richardmacphee2367]

This guy is one of the most unique guitarist you'll ever hear.check out brothers in arms

[@Tanatie]

Brothers in arms has one of the more profound lyrics in any song

[@tradeladder146]

Sting sings the last few lines to this Song.

[@MS-jc9sy]

Fun fact: the high voice singing is actually Sting who recorded the song with them. Also, you'll hear an all time top 5 guitar solo (IMO) in their song Sultans of Swing

[@alukuhito]

And he also was singing to the tune of one of his own songs - Don't Stand So Close To Me.

[@charlesforbes3627]

They censored it without really thinking about what was being said. This whole song is from the view of two guys working at an appliance store. They are being very “rude” about voicing their opinion of the Rock Band. So during that time frame is when guys started wearing ear rings. A lot of the manly men basically said hey if you have an ear ring you must be gay (used the other word for it).

[@ptrlxc]

Sting sings “I want my MTV …” and the lead guitarist and singer is Mark Knopfler of Dire Straights.

[@majam6162]

Hell yea! Sultans of swing next

[@paul00390]

Yes, live version.

[@slainesaxon3809]

Oh yeah

[@majam6162]

@@paul00390 Alchemy live 🙌🏻

[@pencilnecked1579]

And yeah, the verse that was censored was the singer in character as the yokels insulting the musicians but its totally meant as a comical/satirical take on those thinking making music was easy.

[@paulmatthews463]

We live in the united states of the offended now.

[@harbinger8035]

Cancel culture

[@jcbaber7521]

It sounds a bit homophobic at first....but those second & third lines the word "faggot" is used in... he's basically saying that guy is intelligent, talented, & put himself in the position to be where he's at in life.... extremely wealthy... not for want, living the life most seemingly "can only dream of having". -(to be cliche here) The way it's used is responsive... like whoever the co-worker is that the song is talking to, was the person who initially used the word.... thus bringing the negative connotation into the conversation, & the singer is now indirectly "putting them in their place" so to speak. ....that, or I way over thought it? Someone let me know if all that made sense please? (I'm chasing straight tequila with straight vodka. Alone in my room, broken.) But thats how i always interpreted it.

[@TheRetroManRandySavage]

@UCnWdgUmSVc0lDPNdeUIKpjQ that word was all over the place in the 80s. We would call each other that word all the time as kids, without even knowing the meaning. Although here in the uk, that F word is actually a food. It's giant meatballs in gravy (100% true).

[@paulmatthews463]

@@jcbaber7521 wow I used that word in my response and it got promptly removed

[@mvslice]

This is a song everyone has heard, but doesn't know the name. That riff is legendary

[@DaveMcIroy]

Who doesn't know the name?

[@mvslice]

@@DaveMcIroy The song came out almost 40 years ago.

[@DaveMcIroy]

​@@mvslice, I'm sorry to hear you had a brain stroke.

[@mvslice]

@@DaveMcIroy I was pointing out why people under 50 might not know the name.

[@DaveMcIroy]

@@mvslice, you're not making things better...

[@SkeeterHowitzer]

The lyrics were quoted from a man that Mark heard in a store, and wrote everything that he said into the song.

[@PaulChapmanPcTech]

You all need to watch the video version to really appreciate it, because it was made for MTV

[@voodooacidman]

when you first realize that sting, from the police, is singing the intro "i want my MTV" and rhyming it with his hit "dont stand so close to me" you can never unhear it! haha. another great review guys! big love to all people :)

[@s.mcpherson6354]

Music is quite uniform today. It's interesting how they--understandably--expect past decades to be similar. But Disco, Rock, Metal, Punk, Funk, Blues, Soul and Nu Wave were all popular at the same time. For instance, Dire Straits definitely did not sound like Billy Idol or The Police, or Sade.

[@oceandfs2412]

Clown comment.

[@bowtangey6830]

Guitarist Mark Knopfler is one of the masters. I feel this song is his middle finger to those who thought what he did was easy.

[@jacobarmstrong9227]

If you pay attention to the lyrics, they're saying that that *gay* person is their own person and can do what they want with their looks, and even adds onto this "don't worry about others" remark, stating the *gay* person has their own jet airplane and that they're a millionaire.

[@christym1974]

This was my sisters favorite video on mtv when we were kids. I like A-Ha - Take on me! Love them both!!!

[@PaulChapmanPcTech]

That is a cool video as well

[@rivanlords1]

Loved 'Our House' and 'come on eileen' Was a big fan of this video/song as well as the A-Ha 'Take on Me' Really good times!!!

[@christym1974]

@@rivanlords1 makes you miss classic mtv doesn’t it!!

[@rivanlords1]

@@christym1974 YES, It really does. Also Headbangers Ball was a great show. Really miss MTV that had music videos.

[@matinmirnaghibi5846]

That sting intro is still one of the best song openings of all time combined with that amazing drum solo

[@alukuhito]

You know Dire Straits were something when they basically had the most famous rock star of the time doing background vocals for them.

[@chrisguthrie4099]

Enjoying the content guys, I admit I only listen to the reactions of the songs I know but I really like your takes. The other commenters aren't wrong, Sultans of Swing should definitely be on your next listen.

[@billythehut]

With Dire Straits, their tune "Brothers in Arms" is a must listen to!!!

[@HubbaBubba-w8s]

The voice you hear singing " I want my MTV" is actually Sting. Lead singer of the police, and accomplished solo artist.

[@thomaswhite7783]

The song depicted two appliance movers in a department store seeing the band on TV . the characters are making fun of Dire Straits saying that's not honest work, like moving appliances.

[@kbab3333]

Sultans of Swing Live is a must listen

[@rayj1011]

For a great guitar solo by Mark Knopfler, one of the greatest guitarists, try "Sultans of Swing" live at Alchemy by Dire Straits.

[@davonsden]

You never stop this song in the middle of the worlds best guitar riff, period!

[@JakobFischer60]

I remember that album was the first available on CD from a famous band. My friend had a brand new CD player and this CD and we all sat around in his room, the volume up to the maximum, impressed by the lack of cracks, the enormous range of volume and the crystal clear sound of the drums.

[@dmCurator]

Dire Straits sounds like no other band, but it definitely has many of the elements of 80s New Wave pop rock. I personally didn't hear it that way at the time, but I do now.

[@martinwhite3559]

This song was the intro music for MTV in the 80s. Such an iconic song. You must see the music video. It was cutting edge at the time.

[@PjRjHj]

Mark Knopfler is a musical genius. Hard pressed to find a more emotive guitarist. His fingers are wired to his heart. Even when the guitar isn't the focus (like Saxophone epic "Going Home") his compositions grab you by the feels.

[@laurapalka3685]

Exactly. Listen to their self-titled album and you'll be taken away by his virtuosity. He's from that rare "less is more" school of guitar playing, the kind of playing that Eddie Van Halen or those like him will never understand.

[@EladLending]

The back story is that Mark Knofler overheard some employees in an home electronics store who were watching one of the wall full of tv's playing MTV music videos during the early days of MTV. He whipped out a pad and paper and copied down their conversation verbatim. And that's the song. Mark Knofler is no bigot.

[@SirMo]

Mark Knopfler (the lead guitar/vocalist of Dire Straits) wrote a song about a conversation he overheard in a department store, between a couple of laborers, who were watching MTV on the TVs, and commenting about how easy it was to be a rock star. He turned the whole thing into a song. The controversial bit with the F**t word was apparently said by them about guys like Mark himself. So he's technically just repeating a slur directed at him. In the 80s MTV played music spots, and rock stars were all about glamour, long hair and expensive things.

[@mwm48]

Arguably one of the best guitar intros of all time.

[@derwoodbowen5954]

If you listen to the song, you hear that it is told from the viewpoint of appliance store workers. These words are what the guys working at the appliance store think about musicians. I am sure Mark Knopfler did not think that way. The whole song is tongue in cheek. The start with I want my MTV is a tilt at MTV and that mentality. MTV was about music videos back in the day and all the labels made videos for their big songs to get them played on MTV. It was very popular. Hence the person singing "I Want My MTV." The actual video for this song shows 2 appliance store workers doing that kind of work and lamenting their life choices instead of learning to play guitar, should have learned to play the drums. In their minds this is all super easy (Maybe get a blister on your finger, maybe get a blister on your thumb).

[@thewilythylacine]

Also, "I Want My MTV" was actually MTV's promotional slogan at that time. The commercials all featured the major artists of the time saying it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYmrZpqEmpKMZtk

[@scapito]

Love the song/video for *Walk of Life*

[@chuckaluck123]

Marc knoffer was trained as a journalist at university and used that skill in his song writing. The song is about an experience he had at a department store where he overheard 2 backroom workers discussing what they they saw displayed on the tvs in the store. I don't think this set of lyrics were ever meant to represent his own personal feelings seeing as Marc was one of the guys getting his "chick's for free"

[@modsquad20]

Mark Knopfler actually got most of the lyrics from a guy working at an appliance store. The store had a wall of color tv's for sale and MTV happened to be playing when Knopfler was in the store. One of the employees started commenting on what he thought of the bands playing on MTV.... Knopfler took out a piece of paper and a pen and just started writing down everything the guy was saying. Then he went home and wrote the music to go with the store employee's diatribe.

[@davidmckenzie420]

Knopfler is a world class guitar player. (He and Chet Atkins even did an album together and did some great live performances.)

[@unholydriver4987]

I have that album. It's great if you're in a mellow mood.

[@sdev2749]

I remember when this song and the video came out in Australia - it was fantastic and we could NOT play it enough. It was popular for a long long time and still is - its contributed to our culture back then in the early 80's big time - the video had just as much an impact as the song itself

[@mil2k11]

Knopfler's intro is great on this one. The video to this is paramount as it was maybe the very first 3-D animation on a music video. This was when MTV was still in it's early stages and visuals from bands were as important or more important than the music produced.

[@synthrich1]

No one mentioned Sting singing the backing vocals. It’s like a little hidden gem in the song

[@liamclancy9473]

Up there with the best intros ever written, incredible

[@StatsJedi]

Wish you did "Sultans of Swing" first. Much more like them. Studio or Live is great.

[@shanehebert396]

The video for this song was groundbreaking, too. It used extensive computer graphics and while they are obviously primitive compared to today, at the time, it was a Big Deal™ The Brothers In Arms album itself is exceptionally high quality production-wise, too.

[@22Catch22]

Dire Straits' hardest rock tune is "Heavy Fuel." It's a real banger.

[@KNOPFLERSGOD]

The singer, guitarist, songwriter is Mark Knopfler, he was in an electrical department store in New York and he was watching and listening to a guy bringing in kitchen goods, and that guy was saying most of the words in this song, Mark asked the store for a pen and paper and wrote the song there and then, almost as a reporter.

[@p.millard557]

The context of the song is the comments of two delivery workers that Mark Knopfler overheard in a New York department store. Mark is expressing how some people perceive musicians, not appreciating their work and skills but emphasising in their private lives in derogatory terms and in the perks associated with their jobs. The WORD that caused all the stir is hardly used in the UK but with a completely different meaning so it doesn't sound offensive to British ears.

[@p.millard557]

Perfectly explained, i hope everybody reads your comment. I’ve always loved Dire Straits.

[@rickcain4736]

The derogatory "F-word for gay person" is the censored word and lyrical content...the lyrics were describing some musicians on their appearance....expressed by delivery men heard in department store while observing music videos on tv

[@paulmatthews463]

Yes we know live in the united states of the offended

[@hilarymiseroy3251]

It's meatballs in gravy where I come from.

[@module79l28]

And they didn't limit themselves to the word faggot, they censored the whole verse!

[@diegoholguin8019]

Its perspective writing he just quoted the guy who said it ppl prob hate this band just cuz of that one word

[@charliefoxtrotsky4104]

@@module79l28 I think you're inserting something from your own mind that the lyricist had no intention of communicating with those lyrics. says way more about you than it does about the song.

[@margiemcpeak9304]

🎸💯 Dire Straits is BADASS‼🤯🔥 "Sultans of Swing" is a super great cut!

[@jamespinkston2988]

Professor of Rock did a real deep dive into this song. It's very interesting. And one of my favorite guitar riffs ever! Mark Knopfler is one of the greatest guitarists of all time.

[@BLUESMAN1221]

It's about him working loading TVs and appliances while observing musicians with their easy lifestyles. When MTV first aired. They played this Dire Straits song.

[@bdheine2300]

MTv stands for Music Television. There was an ad campaign at the time with current MTV "stars" like Sting and Madonna saying "I want my MTV", because cable programming across the nation was not necessarily adding MTV as part of the standard cable. Then Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits overhead a conversation about the easy life of a musician on MTV and the song just came to life.

[@justinsmyth3211]

This song sounds incredible on a nice car system. I used to set EQ's in people's systems with this song back when I did car stereos.

[@jacobjones5269]

Driving down Las Vegas Blvd…..

[@Maiko100876]

Play Jethro Tull Locomotive Breath. Lexi would love the flute!

[@unholydriver4987]

They already did Locomotive Breath. Unfortunately they did a live performance, which could scare neophytes away. Hopefully they get back to more Till soon.

[@lukepatten8308]

Knopfler is a wildly underrated guitarist. Check out the live version of "Sultans of Swing" for a great showcase of his unique style. Bring back free speech!

[@scottwhitlock9201]

The LIve Alchemy version

[@evyatarhadar8867]

He's not underrated at all. He's a very well respected guitarist by a lot of pros.

[@drpaulht26]

Folk have covered the NYC department store story. The other interesting fact about this was that at the time MTV was using artists to sing lines from their own songs changed to advertise MTV. A big hit at that time was The Police with Don’t Stand So Close To Me, so they got the Police to sing I want my MTV to the the tune of Don’t Stand So Close To Me. When Dire Straits we’re in Montserrat recording the album, Knopfler commented how cool it would be to get Sting singing that line, only to be told that Sting was also on the island on holiday. So he called him up and he agreed to sing on the track. Consequently, Sting had a song writing credit on Money For Nothing.

[@abelashes2676]

This song is based on a true story. Mark Knopfler (the lead singer/lead guitarist) was in an appliance store. One of the movers had no idea who he was (that he was one of the biggest rock stars in the world) and MTV was on. The blue collar worker was talking shit about the musicians, saying that music isn't real work. The lines in the lyrics are real quotes from the appliance mover. He thought it was funny that this guy thought musicians were lazy and had life so easy, so he wrote a song about it and got Sting to sing on it with him. Since it mentions MTV, they played the hell out of the video and it was a huge hit.

[@eddieclay5813]

Another quality reaction! 'Sultans of Swing' is a guitar classic and a must to react to next as others have said. Would've (highly) recommended 'Telegraph Road - Live (Alchemy 1983)' but it's 12 minutes long. Def worth a listen off camera for the epic musical journey and corresponding feels. It never gets old!

[@Andrew46_2]

"I can't say what I want to even if I'm not serious." Maynard James Keenan

[@dead8987]

You guys should react to Sultans of Swing Alchemy Live. It's one of the best live performances of all time.

[@GRONK917]

Heard the writer Mark Knoffler on the radio talking about how he wrote the song, he was in a large department store in America. All the tv's were tuned to MTV and overheard two salesmen bemoaning the money rock stars earn whilst they bust a gut selling tv's. Mark asked a sales lady for a sheet of paper and a pen and sat at a kitchen display and wrote the song in about ten minutes. The majority of the lyrics are direct quotes from the guys trying to sell televisions.

[@heliotropezzz333]

This song was written after the band overheard some workers talking about MTV, which is why the language is realistic for the time and not PC. The uncensored part is delivered in just the same way as the rest of the song.

[@surfwriter8461]

It's a classic song. Note to Brad and Lex: this is a censored and shortened version of the original recording. The censored part using a term we now consider offensive is Mark Knopfler (leader and songwriter and lead guitarist) simply delivering words he heard meatheads using in a typical Best Buy type of store saying among themselves. He's reporting the talk as heard it, not judging the language but expecting us to find fault with such coarse conversation between brainless jerks in that store. His delivery throughout the song is tongue-in-cheek, slyly making fun of the guys that he's quoting in the song.

[@tomtrahan8485]

One of the greatest guitar solos of all time is Dire Straits "Sultans of Swing" Alchemy-Live tour. You will love this guitar solo.

[@neotheone6796]

You guys absolutely have to do killswitch engage -The End of Heartache🔥🔥

[@peggykunkel9180]

This was song was used by MTV to get people to contact the cable company to include MTV. Music videos were new and an exciting new layer to the music industry. The song is from the point of view of blue collar workers thinking musicians don't really work. Musicians liked the song because they know it has a little truth to it. They also know Mark Knopfler is a wonderful singer/songwriter/guitarist.

[@stickyfingers02]

This song would receive so much criticism in todays world just for using one word..

[@paulmatthews463]

No one can take a joke anymore

[@RebelPMP]

they would not take it with the context that it was intended to have. A shame that the generations to follow will miss on a lot of creativity because they do not uderstand what context is

[@dontfeedthead6467]

A lot of the song is sung by Sting (formerly of The Police). The 'I want my MTV' melody is lifted directly from 'Don't Stand So Close To Me' by The Police. I want my...I want my...I want my MTV mirrors Don't stand so...don't stand so....don't stand so close to me.

[@LimerickWarrior1]

I did not know Dire straits were from England. I'm Irish and I always thought they were American. You learn something new every day.

[@arescuda7234]

This album 'Brothers in Arms' was the first mass production compact disc. The album sold so we'll, tying up the factory machines nobody else could get their CD's manufactured.

[@WerrinLotsuvhats]

I respect that he was trying to say they should listen to the original version but in a way that gave the other party a large say as well

[@nivad75]

back story on the lyrics. the singer was in a department store in new york, and there was a wall of t.v.’s all tuned to mtv, and the singer over heard this dude who was an employee talkin to his co-workers and going off and riffing about what he was seeing on the tv’s saying “Man we’ve got to work hard moving refrigerators and these people are getting rich just playing guitars and shit…” The singer of Dire Straits said the stuff the guy was saying was so funny and iconic he actually grabbed his pen and started writing it down to use for ideas for the lyrics.

[@jonathanross149]

"I want my MTV" was from a commercial in the early days of cable. Musicians like the The Police would say, "Call your cable company and say, 'I want my MTV'"