Vocal Coach reacts to Dire Straits - Money For Nothing 

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The song was not written by Sting, but he was given a writing credit because Mark Knopfler used a very small portion of melody from "Don't Stand So Close To Me" (The "I want my MTV part") - the reason why was a joke. You see the police did a promo for MTV where they said "I want my MTV" - so getting Sting to sing it to his own melody was funny. It was also a fortunate accident, Dire Straits were recording the record in Monserrat and Mark said "It would be really great if we could get Sting to sing on this" and apparently some surfers that were there said, oh he's on holiday here just down the beach.

The song Brothers in Arms from that same album is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard. Check it out.

Honestly this might be the greatest opening guitar riff ever. It’s so incredibly catchy and fun.

If anyone's tried to learn how to play this song, you soon find out how incredibly difficult that guitar riff is. One of the greatest riffs of all time.

A fun item. When Weird Al wanted to do a parody of this song, he asked Mark Knopfler for permission. He always does that even though he doesn’t have to legally. Mark Knopfler said yes as long as he could play on the song.

Sultans of swing live and Brothers in arms are two of the greatest songs there is. A must check for music fans.

There's a live version from Montserrat that features Sting, Eric Clapton, and Phil Collins added to Dire Straits. Totally epic.

“Sultans Of Swing” is another example of Mark’s pitch-singing style. So effective with the composition and performance of the song.

These guys have always been top tier. And I simply don't have enough good to say about Mark Knopfler. Such a talented artist

It was written by Mark Knopfler, the guitarist, after over hearing workers in a store say most of the lines. No Sting.

'Romeo and Juliet' is my favorite vocal performance by Mark for Dire Straits.

Knofphlers voice is part of his unique beauty. That along with his music writing, lyrics and guitar work.

You'll love their "Telegraph Road." Perhaps their compositionally best

You got it in one sentence: "It just makes you want to dance." Lol. From someone who was young at the time this was played in clubs, that's exactly what this song is about. We didn't exactly analyze the lyrics, we just hurled ourselves at the dance floor and randomly sang/yelled the words we understood while flailing around and enjoying adult beverages. It brings back fond memories and I'll still crank it up if I hear it, but it's not necessarily on any of my playlists these days. 🤣

The Live Aid 1985 version has Sting performing with them.

Think this is a very fair assessment. It's not Freddie Mercury level vocals, it's not super complex, but musically it's very much more sophisticated. That's part of what I love about Dire Straits, it's musically brilliant but lyrically and vocally very accessible. You can dance and sing along to many Dire Straits songs pretty much immediately, and can later appreciate the incredible instrumentation and unique sound the band produced.

Beth? This song was poking fun at the then just beginning of the MTV station ('80), where everything was about getting professionally done video, to go with a hopeful hit song in the regular MTV rotation. Knopler is an incredible guitarist, who is a true student of the instrument, and as such he knows there's so many minimally talented guitarists in groups that hit it big. He's done work with all genres of music-jazz, country etc.

The opening "I want my MTV" part is sung by keyboardist Guy Fletcher in this version. Dire Straits is my favorite band. I saw them live twice.

I love how great the opening drums and guitar are. Absolutely Iconic. This guitar riff is one of the most legendary guitar riffs of all time

When I was 16 these guys were my first concert. Amazing live. So many good songs. Brothers in Arms Romeo and Juliet Sultans of Swing Tunnel of Love Your Latest Trick

Sting was obsiously not present during Dire Straits tours. To see Live performances of 'Money for Nothing' with Sting as backing vocals, there are Charity Concerts : Live Aid (1985) : Dire Straits + Sting Music for Monserrat (1997) : Mark Knopfler (vocals+guitar) +Sting (backing vocals)+Eric Clapton (guitar)+Phil Collins (Drums)

There's a different live version from the earlier part of this century that has Knopfler, Sting on backing vocals, Clapton on 2nd guitar, and Phil Collins on drums. The one from Live-Aid also has Sting on the vocals.

Great reaction Beth. The Sting part of the song - ‘I want my MTV’ is the tune from The Police’s song ‘Don’t Stand So Close To Me’

There are too many amazing songs in the Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler catalog to list here, and any would be worthy of this kind of analysis, but if had to cast a vote for your next one I’d have to cast it for “Romeo and Juliet”. From the original studio version to the live versions in more recent years, never fails to move me.

The video for this song was one of the first to use computer animation and it got heavy air play on MTV. Mark Knopfler was born in Scotland and was 27 on Rolling Stones 100 best guitarists of all time.

I was growing up with this music in the 70's/80's, and it warms my old heart to see that younger people still can enjoy this kind of music, even if it has not been "converted" (or destroyed) by some DJ. Your reaction is spot on in my book. I love it.

He's actually singing in the voice of a character in this song: someone who is distinctly not him, and who I think he views as being thick and crude. I could be wrong, but the dopiness of his voice is put on a little here to fit that character. In other songs, he actually sings (as opposed to this pitched speaking), and has a less dopey, though still a somewhat broad, if idiosyncratic, northern accent.

Thanks Beth really enjoyed your video...Mark's singing style is unique as his guitar playing.. thats what ive loved about this man for most of my life.. 👍

The unique vocal sound is due to him singing blues with a geordie meets scottish accent.

Back in the day there was a cable channel known as MTV which stood for Music Television where they used to play music videos. To promote the channel artists would say “I want my MTV” in short little clips between songs

The original album track absolutely blows this out of the water, in terms of clarity of sound from the instruments, everything about it, is so much 'cleaner' (this is also why I hate live versions of tracks I know: the live track always varies in someway to the original, so part of my brain recognizes it as 'not the way it was') 👍👍👍👍

Man!!! What a rift…. Legendous.

"Sounds like everything is so far away." Interesting comment as the first song on the album is "So Far Away"

Yeah, "Queenie" isn't the word that was there when we listened to that song a billion times on the radio back then.

I love his voice. Totally unique. That's what you strive for in music.

The one singing ”I Want My MTV” is actually Guy Fletcher

Dire Straits was my very first concert ever in 1992 together with my sister and my mom who loved Mark Knopfler. I was so overwhelmed and after hundreds of concerts it is still in the top 10 of favorite concerts I've been to.

Great reaction and analysis. I've always found Mark Knopfler's vocal style to be really compelling. It may not be very technical, but it definitely lends itself to storytelling and that was always the point of their songs. Not to mention that he's a brilliant songwriter and one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Incidentally, Sting got a writing credit on this one because the melody of the "I want my MTV" part that he sang was borrowed from the Police song, Don't Stand So Close to Me.

Thanks for a great reaction!! One of my very favorite bands. Your Mom is the best!!

That wasn't Sting singing in this version. It was Guy Fletcher - one of the keyboardists

That guitar lick is top 5 all time all day

They were so popular when i was a kid :) That was golden age of music.

I heard this song when it first came out and became immensely popular. I’m not sure, but as an American I always thought part of the sound of his voice when singing the lines he heard the appliance store workers saying was him imitating their New York/New Jersey accents. That’s what it sounds like to me, not being from that area of the country. I believe he said in an interview that the appliance store where he heard these workers talking was in New York City.

LEGENDARY / BIG CLASSIC / GUITAR HERO / BIG RESPECT

I think you're missing the point - The times (80s), DireStraits, and this song represented the vibrancy in the youth of the UK then

Sting is singing live along tem in Live Aid video. It's easy to find it here in RU-vid.

Mark Knopfler is also unusual in that he doesn’t use a plectrum while playing guitars he picks the strings with his fingers and thumb of his right hand hence amazing arpeggio type solos.

You always explain things so well! So clearly! And without being over the top. Keep up your great videos :)

It's not Sting singing on this live version, it's keyboardist Guy Fletcher, but Sting did sing that part and the "I want my MTV" on the album and some other live versions

Great songwriter and guitarist. His voice is good for bluesy songs which require only a small pitch range and dynamic range. He wrote the song "Private Dancer" for Tina Turner. In her "All The Best" interview, she mimicked his demo vocals.

Yes the musicality of Dire Straits was incredible. In short, the results were most always extremely captivating. Thanks so much for your breakdown!

My favorite song from DS is Sultans of Swing. But this song makes me miss my MTV. The video was so cool.

There's a story behind the phrase "I want my MTV". It was the catchphrase of the MTV marketingstrategy. When they started, MTV was only offered on local cable networks, but not nationwide. So, they came up with this catchphrase, got celebrities to advertise it, and they got viewers to call their cable networks and tell them "I want my MTV". This strategy worked, elevating MTV to a national entity and later a global entity.

A lot of people say the Alchemy live album is their best concert footage but I think this concert is by far the best, with the best band line up too. Was lucky enough to see them in 1985 at the NEC in Birmingham on this tour

These guys are good live! I think this even sounds better then the studioversion which is very seldom that happens..great live band these guys! One of their best songs by the way..

Yeh - I wouldn't really go to Dire Straits for vocal performances but their playing and songwriting is on another level.

During the outro I almost heard Sting sing "Don't stand so, don't stand so, don't stand so close to me"

Interesting commentary. How about the Night They Drove Old Dixie Down from the Last Waltz gig? Helm's singing has the same kind of instrumentalist influence from drums as Knopfler with the guitar.

Dire Straits is one of best examples of band that plays different live from the record version, and even their live versions change a lot with the years. They're definitely a live playing band. I would check Alchemy Live!

This concert right here, is their absolute peak of performance. Every single one of their hit tracks, sounds and is performed at its best, right here. Especially Private Investigations. Phenomenal. Someone incredible here on youtube managed to make this concert with HD sound from an old VHS tape. I encourage everyone that likes Dire Straits to go and listen to that concert. Hank Marvin even joins in at the end of the concert. Enjoyyyy!

My favourite guitar player. Such a unique sound and never a false note

You killed me with this is one of my mum's favourite bands. It is one of mine, and now I feel olddd !! 😅

When I first heard this as a kid, I was growing up in a blue collar town where a lot of people who discounted the value of a music education, but I was in my school marching band, playing drums, and I knew how tough making music was. I knew that I wasn't good, but I knew enough to know what good musicianship sounds like. What I love about this song is that the narrator of the song is written from the perspective of the dismissive people I knew existed, and you talking about Knopfler's vocals makes sense - it's supposed to sound common and uneducated. The lyrics explain how "easy" it is to make music and become famous, while Knopfler's guitar tells an entirely different story. The "I Want My MTV" part was sung by Sting on the original album recording, and is sung in the same cadence and note pattern as "Don't Stand So Close To Me" - which had already been a big hit on MTV at the time. Great song... thanks for looking into it! From that same era, you should consider checking out some Genesis - I'd suggest giving "Turn It On Again" a listen. The miracle that is taking a song in 13/4 and making it an iconic pop song groove is something to behold.

That wasn't Sting at the beginning here. They used a sound alike at their concerts. Ironically, Sting DID sing the intro across the street at Wembley STADIUM when Dire Straits played LIVE AID. Dire Straits had 5 nights booked at Wembley Arena, (here), at the same time LIVE AID went on in July 85. The did LIVE AID then had just enough time to get to the arena to do this show. Sting did the live opening at LIVE AID.

How is it possible you haven't heard this song a million times, especially if it is your mom's favorite band?

00:50 Well, it was and it wasn't co-written by Sting. Mark invited Sting to come guest on the track, and Sting came up with the "I want my MTV" line, sung of course to the tune of "Don't Stand So Close to Me." Sony's legal department imMEdiately filed a claim that Sting should have a writer's credit on the song, despite the man himself telling them "Hey dudes, you lay off Mark about that." Sony's lawyers refused and prosecuted the claim so Sting did get the co-write credit, which made him so mad that when his own contract was up for extension, he yanked all his own work, all the Police's work, and everything away from Sony because of their greed and he took it all elsewhere to punish Sony. Classic lawyerly short-sightedness, as they've lost decades of royalties as a result. 05:35 There are several versions of the story; the one I'm familiar with has Mark drinking a beer in a NY bar and listening to an off-duty dockworker. Nonetheless, the essentials remain: he heard a working-class yob with small understanding of realities expressing his jealousy of bands on an MTV video. (Personally, I've always thought that being in the crosshairs of a flock of corporate suits and lawyers who are bound and determined to rob you of every penny they can is far worse than working in a warehouse.) 06:05 You note that by this point he's changed out the slur "f***ot" used in the album track to "queenie."

Me in 1985 walking across the parking lot at Lowry AFB with a time appropriate giant boom box on my shoulder. JAMMING this!!!!! Also....you are beautiful

Brothers in Arms Mandela, for a bit of crying 🙂

Thanks for this Beth. You’re right I can’t help a little dance when I hear it Mum

Guy Fletcher on keys and the 'Sting' part. Still plays with Knopfler now.

Sting doing the backing vocals. Always so good. Glad my parents raised me with this band. Love your analysis. Really makes me apriciate the mucus more.

_I want_ _(Don't stand)_ _I want my_ _(Don't stand so)_ _I want my MTV_ _(Don't stand so close to me)_ That bit of paraphrasing, that bit of self-parody, that bit of _Don't Stand So Close To Me_ from The Police has earned Sting, just, _so_ much money. And I wonder... did Mark Knopfler ever, in the years since this song became the spearhead of MTV's marketing, became an axis on which 80s culture revolved, did he ever go back to that appliance store, find that delivery guy, and slap a fat check into his hand, look him in the eye and say, "That's what you get for talkin' shit, mate"? I hope so. That'd've _awesome._

Knopfler is 100% attitude when singing.

Sultans of Swing and also Telegraph road , the Alchemy Live version in 1983 are 2 definitely worth doing too.. Also in Money for nothing he had to change some words describing the character who has Money and a helicopter etc.. the original version is not PC for today's public.

This is probably one of the most recognizable guitar intros in history. Thx Beth.

Never tried it myself, but I've heard several different guitarists of considerable skill say this song is one of the most deceptively difficult to play correctly.

Mark Knopler is one of the greatest guitarist ever . And his band was absolutely mindbogging how good they were .

the Knopf is first and foremost, a guitarist. Vocals work in this case because he's more of a storyteller from a lyrical standpoint.

"I want my MTV" Ah back when Music Television was about music.

Song Written by: Gordon Sumner / Mark Knopfler

Sting really lucked out getting writing credits lol, he happened to be on holiday where the album was being made and put his Dont Stand So Close to Me melody on the Mtv slogan of the time

I would call Mark Knopfler a great guitarists. Not necessarily the greatest vocalist, but his vocals fit his music so perfectly. It just works

Sting sang backup in studio, he didn't write the song. This was when MTV just started out and video was king. Knoffler wrote the song and it won tons of awards. Mark Knoffler is a musical genius and master guitar player. You need to read the words to his hits and songs. You'll soon learn how good he is.

everyone should take the time to listen to the music their parents enjoy preferably with them. one day they will no longer be there and having those songs to go back to and remind you of the times you spent together can really help pull you threw some tough times

The song was written by Mark from Dire Straits

Thanks once again Ms. "Roars". Mark is totally amazing with Dire Straits...or without. He blew my mind when it was Mark and Chet Atkins.

Best intro ever! No doubt!

Great (reaction) one - again ! Than you very much . Joachim Griebe from germany

While this live version is fun, it is way different than the studio version. It's loose and improvised and elements are missing. But Mark Knopfler is indeed a genius composing and performing and his guitar playing can be hauntingly mesmerizing. As others have mentioned, he wrote the score for a major motion picture called "Local Hero", set in Northern Scotland. His main theme for the movie is incredibly beautiful, and he used old Scottish folk melodies and styles as inspiration. It is only instrumental, but you really must listen to it, even if it's not for your reaction videos: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6pR1cVgk7Is.html (Going Home-Wild Theme- from "Local Hero " motion picture- Mark Knopfler) This video has incredibly wonderful still shots of Northern Scotland married to the poignant and moving music. But here is a song by Dire Straights and a live performance by Mark Knopfler that is worthy of your reaction: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-vyI9flHHT2Q.html (Mark Knopfler - Romeo And Juliet (Official Live Video)

This song plays nightly over the ceiling speakers at work... so fitting while on the clock, yet so obscure because none of my coworkers can understand why I belt it out every time... 😂 too much fun.

All of the best Dire Straits songs are duets: Mark Knopfler and his guitar. The vocals are perhaps not the sort you generally react to, but the guitar playing is otherwordly. Check out the live Alchemy Tour versions of Telegraph Road and Romeo and Juliet.

This is one of the most iconic songs. You should definitely try more Dire Strait tracks. They are one of my favourite bands. According to popular belief Mark Knopfler was standing in a TV shop and saw MTV playing on one of them and thought up the main lyrics. Edit-I wrote the comment before I got to the bit where you mentioned it. Although I believe the lyrics came from his frustration at being poor despite working hard and the people on TV seemingly getting money for doing 'nothing'.

It wasn't Sting. It was keyboard player Guy Fletcher. Sting sang that part on the album Brothers in Arms, but not here which is live at Wembley.

Sorry Beth for late viewing & thanks for sharing✌✌✌

I would love to see your reaction to Yes's " Leave it". It's one the most incredible vocal performances ever.

His later work when he got into country music, his voice improved. Such a great lower range. Must listen.

This was the 1st LP I ever bought, I had plenty of 45's before, though. I love this whole album, it has some serious Pink Floyd vibes on the "B" side of the album!

One of the all time great bands.

Little-known fact, the "M" in MTV also stood for MTV.