We grow up with this music ,Pink Floyd,Queen ,AC/DC,,popular in my country ,to me reactions of this All-gays-reactions included Jamel is funny and silly in same time .Every song from those era have a story ,who you want a hear again and again ...Timeless
I love that Sultans of Swing is entirely a sardonic/sarcastic song... Guitar George... he knows ALL the chords... he's strictly rhythm, he doesn't make it cry or sing... which is followed by Knopfler making HIS OWN guitar cry and sing in this song. Finishes off with sarcasm about them announcing their moniker WE ARE THE SULTANS OF SWING... despite the band having done nothing sultan-worthy.
Go get the live on stage version. It's 5 minutes longer and has all the solos. This is the stripped down version for radio. Live version 10 times better !!!
Such a cool song. He wrote this about one day he ducked into a bar to get out of the rain. And this is about the charcters he experienced inside. Great, simple song
I was once at your competitor's store ("the place with the helpful hardware man"). They play it there too evidently. I was air guitar jammin in the aisles there. Couldn't remember what I went in for.
@@HMan2828 There's a series on RU-vid where musicians talk about riffs that seem easy but are actually hard and Mark talks about Money For Nothing. Listening to the man himself talk about it is pretty great.
Molson amphitheatre in Toronto. Mark nophler live outdoor on the shore of Lake Ontario fireworks and the CNE in the background sultans of swing . Awesome
nah.. you get good performances live but it doesn't do the studio version justice. It's almost a different song. Same for various Led Zeppelin songs. The studio version is the ultimate.
The genre is pub rock with elements of country swing, creole and of course...rock and roll. The guitar elements are pure beauty. One of the best rock songs of all time.
Amen .. It's the best pub song..played on the jukebox. As a single sailor with My shipmates in the enlisted mans club.. The women loved men in uniform ..and great music!!
I listened to an Eric Clapton interview where he said “Mark Knopfler stopped by the studio and showed me how to make everything sound better”... truly one of the best.
One thing I love about this song, if it plays anywhere, for example, the bus, eeeeverybody vibes to it, move their head , sing along etc... Such a cool thing
@@theodoreritola9758 Right it came out in 1978 but in Philippines it came out or was heard in the rock music stations in 1982.There was no internet back then,i don't know what you mean by 80 napper but I guess you meant 80's music fan?
The guitar is the lead voice. Knopfler's singing is like a backing voice to the guitar. The song melody is in a very narrow range of notes, while the guitar goes all over the scale.
Matthew - exactly. The lyrics are almost just a literary device to keep the melody moving. Each character in the band he describes gives him an opportunity to throw in some really tasty guitar licks to riff off of the character's theme, and still manages to keep the underlying melody going. It is sheer genius from a creative as well as technical standpoint. I remember hearing this song a bunch of times as a younger guy and getting too hung up on the lyrics, so much that I completely missed the entire point... the guitar is doing the singing. Hey, cut me some slack- I'm not a musician!
It's an ode to an underappreciated jazz band they saw in a nearly empty bar in South London. They were called the Sultans of Swing. Too much "competition in other places" where people had turned to new styles of music. He told the story, but his guitar did the talking and provided the true melody for this piece.
This is maybe my all time favorites. We used to go dancing when I was pregnant, so I could get weekend exercise. My brother in law used to dance with me when it played. He danced better to this song than my ex-husband used to. Every time I here this I just can’t help turning it up and I remember my late brother in law and smile and dance.
“Mark Knopfler has an extraordinary ability to make a Schecter Custom Stratocaster hoot and sing like angels on a Saturday night, exhausted from being good all week and needing a stiff drink.” - Douglas Adams -
Yeah, Jimi Hendrix who notoriously used a pick quite often was such a poor guitarist. And Knopfler too, also known to use a pick quite a lot, both low level guitarists. There's literally an entire BBC episode on youtube with Knopfler talking about using a pick as an amplifier...while playing THIS song.
My 65 year old father brought this album home one day so so he could learn it on the guitar. He had a 12string guitar. He was VERY good. Later on he taught himself keyboards. I miss him VERY much. I thought he bought it for me, but no. He got really good at it! He's gone now, but I remember him playing this. Also he was self taught on the guitar.
@@graememorrison333 Charlie Guillet at BBC London Radio. Here's a good story. Sultans Of Swing by Dire Straits: The Story Behind The Song | Louder www.loudersound.com/features/the-story-behind-the-song-dire-straits-sultans-of-swing. Enjoy.
@@Araconox Sultans Of Swing by Dire Straits: The Story Behind The Song | Louder www.loudersound.com/features/the-story-behind-the-song-dire-straits-sultans-of-swing. I remember hearing this story on American top 40 with Casey Kasem.
January when this song came out I was in between two surgeries for cancer. Mark Knopfler and the lads brought new light into the darkest time of my life. As a teen, I wanted to be Jimi Hendrix. After the first Dire Straits album, I wanted to be Mark Knopfler. But, God is good. Mark still plays amazingly, but I have much more hair left on my head. You chose today to react to this tune, and today is my 40th anniversary as a cancer survivor. There are no co-winky-dinks!
Michael Loveland. Jan 2 this year I'm a 2 yr lung cancer survivor. I can't get enuf music to hear bc it somehow sounds so much more awesome than the 1st time around. At 63 I'm standing in some amazing Grace. U know the story 😊.
First time I ever heard Mark Knopler play that song, it made the hair on the back of my neck stand. His guitar picking was a unique way of playing, and a brand new sound to me. So clean, and yet it runs right through your veins.. Awesome
Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits. As a veteran, this song absolutely slays me. Every. Damn. Time. ...Sit back. Dig deep. Put on your emotional armour. And soak into the lyrics.
Brothers in Arms was playing as I walked out of the church on one side of my father's coffin...that song will always be very significant to me and whenever I hear it in public I have to suppress my emotions...but if I'm on my own I weep freely...I think that might be the case regardless of what sentimentality is attached to it...amazing song.
word. i stopped smoking weed about 10 years ago, and life in 2020 is so fast its hard for me to slow down to the pace that brothers in arms deserves to really soak it up, and i cant just light a joint to shortcut my way there any more, its a real meditation level piece. if you can find that space, super late at night, the lights are off, the headphones are on, it can really take you somewhere special.
He is telling a story, about a band he saw called 'The Sultans Of Swing' in a pub he went to in London. And that's how the song came about. Yes Mark is a superb story teller.
Jamie Geddes He knew that if he didn’t turn up, no one else would. It was a Tuesday night. It’s where the line comes from, saving it up for Friday night.
I agree with you so much, I've always wanted this song to go on for like... fifteen minutes with just that ending guitar work. Blows me away every time.
@@stanzaloan3454 I kinda disagree, certainly being at a live performance is better than just listening to a live performance but some live performances are better than the studio version, and I do think the alchemy version of Sultans is in that category
Several of Knofler's songs have a moviesque flavor. This song really shows his mastery of the thing he created . The superb guitar, the story and tone of his voice, the shuffle time,relentless beat. Ya gonna be tapping, snapping, or moving something, in time ! Thanks buddy, you know we love you and want you to enjoy awesome music, that we grew up with.
Mark Knopfler is an absolute musical genius. He's one of the most incredible guitarists I have ever heard...even better when you watch the live concert videos of this song. If I ever had to listen to country music for an entire work day, I would quit.
@@kevinpettigrew4191 he's one of the most widely known, most celebrated by critics and fans alike, commercially successful, and talented guitarists ever. He's _ALWAYS_ near the top or at the top of any list of 100 best guitarists or 100 best songwriters. He's a multi millionaire because of how good a musician and hit maker he is. He famously got mentioned in one of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy books because Sultans of Swing was so iconic and well known by general readers that it was an easy reference to make, Douglas Adams used it as sex music in a sex scene in the book and said something about them both climaxing during the solo for this song. Knopfler is not some hidden underground guitarist that nobody except guitarists know about like Jason Becker.
I bought the LP when it first came out in the 70s. Loved it then, and AM still playing it. It now goes with me on my SD card in the phone, everywhere. This is one of Britain's best gifts to the world. There is a lot more than this one song.....
Mark Knophler is one of the greatest guitarists in rock n roll. He was in a department store and overheard the two men working there talking about MTV, which was playing on all the TV's, and this is what they were saying about Mark's chosen profession, so he decided to write down what they were saying and make a song out of it for "Poetic revenge" and Sting wanted to get in on it. 👏 Listen to what they were saying about bands on MTV. "Maybe get a blister on your little finger", "money for doing nothing, and your chicks for free. We got to install microwave ovens". 🙄
I am primarily a metalhead, but the Knopfler's lead in this song is probably my favorite of all time...the masterful bends, phrasing, and intricate fills throughout are just frickin' beautiful.
He's a master of class. He doesn't play a millions notes a minute. He plays the right notes at the right time with the right feeling. Songwriting with his guitar rather than treating it like a riff and solo machine. This song came out in the 80s when the big thing at the time was Van Halen and guitarists who shred, just playing a million notes very very fast but with no feeling and no class and as you say, elegance. Knopfler has that class and elegance. He's one of the best songwriters and guitarists to ever play the instrument. He is unique. Nobody plays like him. There's other fingerpickers on electric guitars but none like Knopfler
It's why the song is called Sultans of Swing. It swings. It rocks. It swings again and you can't help but move your body, your soul. This is one of the 5 best songs ever.
It was actually named off of a jazz band that mark saw play in a pub. The band was called the “sultans of swing.” Mark was amused by the band and their name and so he wrote a song about them.
Jamel, you are doing a great thing for many generations, and showing so many who have never heard the songs you play that music treasure is all around them they just have to listen. Thank you Man!
Mark Knopfler plays finger style guitar. That's what makes his sound so unique. You can tell when he chooses to pluck the chord tones all at once instead of strumming. Or you'll hear that alternating bass strum when he is picking his leads. Outstanding guitarist. There are some youtube videos with him and Chet Atkins tearing it up.
I've probably listened to this song a thousand times. In my opinion, this is one of the most brilliantly musical songs in existence. The more you listen, the more you pick up on the subtle nuances, and the depth and layers of the song. Not only is the vocals and lead guitar captivating, but the accompaniment is incredibly rich and diverse with variation instead of looping segments.
@@lawrencedockery9032 drums are fantastic. Part of the reason I like the song so much is that it's not made using a synthesizer, so you can actually hear a couple mistakes. Before the guitar solo the drummer actually tries pushing the tempo up one or two markings and so the drums sound a bit rushed. But I absolutely love it
From 8:18 to the end of the song is probably the greatest guitar solo in the history of rock and roll/music! I cannot stop listening to it. Sheer genius!
I am a 56 year old white guy who grew up in the Deep South and listening to Country & Western music all day is a living hell! The great thing about the South is that the Rockers are just as numerous as the trailer-trash! Rock 'n Roll comes from the South and the Delta Blues comes from the Deep South.
Just love to watch you process the feels and the grooves from when I first dropped the needle on this! Cranked it up so loud and danced, fell back, laughed, and just grooved, grooved, grooved...creole...creole. Thanks Jamel for reviving old loves!
True confession: You make me smile. If I need a lift, I know I can always come here and watch a video...and I'm going to end up smiling. I love your honesty, how the music affects you. When you're beaming at the camera...it's pure joy. So thank you.
I grew up listening to Dire Straits... which was kind of weird for a girl in Mexico City. My father gave me this album as a birthday present and it was awful (because I was 8 years old and didn't understand all the lyrics). LOL. Now I'm almost 40 and he passed away about 10 years ago. My English has improved and now I listen to all of that music paying special attention to the lyrics.I still have that CD.
Absolutely right!!! This is beyond classic, I remember hearing it for the 1st time on the radio in January 1979,wow what a moment that was, just mind boggling, even more so when I found out Mark knopfler was from my neck of the woods in the North-East of England!
@@duffman18 he was born in Glasgow but lived in Gosforth in his youth, & of course wrote a song about the 'Spanish city' in whitley Bay. He still has a geordie lilt in his voice.
Marks brother Dave is playing the rhythm line so tight and a good pace that allows Mark to go to the lead lines effortlessly. This song could be taught in a master class
Back in the 80's Freedom Fest was an International series of mega-sized rock festivals. Before he was released from prison in South Africa, the concerts were calling for the release of Nelson Mandela, and also celebrating his birthday. The segment from London was in Wembly Stadium... and Dire Straits appeared and played this song. Dave Knopfler's wife had just given birth, and he was with her... he couldn't appear with the band. They needed a "stand-in" rhythm guitarist for the gig. The managed to find some guy named Eric Clapton to handle the rhythm part. ;-)
Jamel ~ You asked about the “style”, the genre of this song... first of all, it’s a great question... when the song first came out in the late 70’s, it was unique then, too. At the time, Top 40 radio was playing hard rock, progressive rock, R&B, mellow easy listening, and disco was still breathing... But when “Sultans” came out, it was SO different from everything else; and perhaps that’s part of the reason why it caught the ears of so many listeners; it was unique, and a breath of fresh air. But, part of it (IMO) was also due to the guitar virtuosity of Mark Knopfler on this song (which he also wrote and sings) that really perked up people’s ears. Not only is Knopfler an incredibly tasteful guitar player ( he’s on my list of my top five favorite guitar players, and he can give me chills by playing just one note) but he also has incredible TONE, not a hard, crunchy, distorted rock sound, but clear as a bell with just the hint of an edge. “Sultans” is still hard to categorize, which is why your question is so valid, though if I were forced to label it into any one style/category, I suppose that it now fits into the too wide and too generic category of “classic rock”, (insert eye-rolling emoji here) which just sorta seems to lump a bunch of stuff together from that era of the 60’s and 70’s, whether the songs are of similar styles or not. If you get a chance, listen to the song again, but focus in on just Knopfler’s guitar playing, (both rhythm and solo), and the tone he gets, and you can hear how very tasteful he is with what he chooses to play. His guitar playing never “crowds” his vocal; he chooses the spaces between lyrical phrases to play riffs and segments. A final suggestion... if you want to hear how truly soulful and haunting his guitar work is, listen to Dire Straits’ “Brothers In Arm’s”. If the guitar playing in that song doesn’t give you chills, then, well, you’re just not able to be moved by any music. 😉🙏
Donny, thank you for this informative explanation and plugging in your own opinions on this song, and the band in general. I recently started collecting vinyls and I'm starting with the classics before I catch up to the newer artists. I was given "Brothers in arms" and "On every street" along with a few other records from my dad's friend to get my collection rolling, and I didn't really know what to make of Dire Straits so I really appreciate your insight because it has inspired me to give them an honest listen. I enjoy this guy's reactions, but it would be really great if you would start your own RU-vid channel to go into the history of various artists of your time to introduce them to newbies like me. I'd be the first to subscribe! Thank you again uncle Donny lol
Donny Thompson classic rock as a label is too big I agree. But as far as this song, Sultans doesn’t fall under classic rock. Classic rock falls under Sultans.
As a guitar player I think Mark Knopfler is underrated. Many people don't recognise him really in the guitar community. (probably because his songs are really hard to learn and he doesn't use distortion or solos too often) I was on one of his concerts in Slovenia, man It was great.
The genre is Dire Straits they are unique. This song is a staple of our local classic rock station, they play it all the time. Try their more mainstream hit Money For Nothing. I'll bet you've heard it too.
Dire Straits was very ecletic group. As a former radio DJ I can tell you that they don't fit into any genre. You should listen to "Brother's In Arms" by them on the album of the same name which is easily one of my favorite all time albums. Mark Knopfler, lead singer and guitarist also wrote most of the music for The Princess Bride.
@@ruxtonau He is also easily one of the most dynamic, and accomplished writers of soundtracks, and solo work of all time. Besides The Princess Bride, one of my all time favorite movies, there are many more. He has over 20 albums, including collaborations, and soundtracks, as a solo artist. He's also a guest on over 150 other albums or pieces. Mark and his keyboardist are the ones that are playing on Money For Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies by Weird Al Yankovic. It was their only stipulation for letting Weird Al do the parody. Credit is also given to Sting, who wrote the original song in the first place.
Oh, thank you for saying that, because I keep forgetting to bring it up. Brothers in Arms is an AWESOME album! One of my all time favorites. And the song is awesome, too.
Man with a soul listening to music I heard first at 13 with my older sister and my mom who was dropping us off at school in a torrential downpour, she let us stay in the car to listen to the end of the song, I think it was over half of the song left and it is a long song, FM radio played long songs back in '78. It was the first time all 3 of us heard the song.
As Mike Knopfler says: "The Sultans play Creole." Creole is a French term meaning a "mixture." "Sultans of Swing" is a mashup of: Folk, Country and Rock genres.
@RockyMountain Rider - The OP mistakenly called him "Mike". My response was an attempt at a Hearty Laughter Face, because I saw the error right away. 😁
I'm telling you growing up in the 70's was lit!!!! It makes me so happy that you and other people like the music from this time!!! I cherish all the good times dancing to this and disco!!!! You would have loved it! No such thing as auto tune and no one copied each other like they do now! Yoy are starting on a journey I lived!! CHEERS!!
I say Dire Straights and Mark Knofpler walks on the water . When this tape first came out I listened to it nonstop.for a week . I would get in my little Opel GT and just drive from one end of the city to the other , downtown ...everywhere . Listen ( in a private place ..late at night ) and you will fall in love with it ...pure magic . PK
