It was first recorded as a demo at Pathway Studios, North London, and quickly acquired a following after it was put in the rotation at Radio London. It did not take long for the popularity to find its way to record executives, and Dire Straits were offered a contract with Phonogram, a British record company. The song was then re-recorded and released in both the United Kingdom and the United States, though the demo version remained on the original UK Vertigo single.
It entered the American music pop charts in early 1979. Unusually, the success of this single release came more than six months after the relatively unheralded release of the band's debut album in October of 1978; the song reached the top 10 in both the UK and the U.S., reaching number 8 on the UK Singles Chart and number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and helped drive sales of the album, which also became a hit.
With its Dylanesque lyrics and economic guitar fills, the song was a marked change from the waning disco style and the nascent punk movement. The arrangement of "Sultans of Swing" was straightforward: two guitars, a bass, and a straight 4/4 beat on the drums. Dire Straits' original lineup has Mark Knopfler on vocals and lead guitar, David Knopfler on rhythm guitar, John Illsley on bass, and Pick Withers on drums.
The song's story is that of the diverse members of a working-class jazz group who only want to play their distinctive sound in a small London club, and don't care how popular they are. One player mentioned by name, "Guitar George", may have been a reference to musician George Borowski.
Although he was not given co-writer's credits on the song, Columbia recording artist Bill Wilson is said to have written many of the lyrics to the song while he and Knopfler were both studio musicians working a session in Nashville . During a live performance of the song in Indianapolis, circa 1991, Wilson had this to say before the song:
"I do this thing I cowrote about, I guess, it's been about 12 years ago I wrote the lyrics and a friend of mine used to work a lot of sessions for my old producer, Bob Johnston, and worked a session with this fellow from England by the name of Mark Knopfler. Has his own group over there called Dire Straits. He had this little melody. It sounded like "Walk, Don't Run". And he had this little story concerning a band that nobody wanted to listen to. Only a few people show up to hear. So we got together one night after the session and tossed these lyrics around on a napkin and I guess I wound up writing most of the lyrics to the tune. made enough money to buy a new Blazer that year I remember, so... didn't do too bad. It goes like this...".
The album version of the song featured a critically acclaimed extended guitar solo, reaching #22 on Guitar World's list of the greatest guitar solos. Knopfler improvised and expanded that solo many times during live performances. The definitive live version of the song came as an 11-minute epic performance at the 1988 Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert in London when Eric Clapton teamed up with the band to play the song.
* This song was often covered live by alternative metal band System of a Down.
* Former Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio covered this song periodically on his post-Phish solo tours.
Sultans of Swing
Dire Straits Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's a raining in the park but meantime-
South of the river you stop and you hold everything
A band is blowing Dixie, double four time
You feel alright when you hear the music ring
Well now you step inside but you don't see too many faces
Coming in out of the rain they hear the jazz go down
Uh but the horns they blowin' that sound
Way on down south
Way on down south
London town
You check out guitar George, he knows-all the chords
Mind, it's strictly rhythm he doesn't want to make it cry or sing
They said an old guitar is all, he can afford
When he gets up under the lights to play his thing
And Harry doesn't mind, if he doesn't, make the scene
He's got a daytime job, he's doing alright
He can play the Honky Tonk like anything
Savin' it up, for Friday night
With the Sultans
We're the Sultans of Swing
Then a crowd a young boys they're a foolin' around in the corner
Drunk and dressed in their best brown baggies and their platform soles
They don't give a damn about any trumpet playin' band
It ain't what they call Rock and Roll
And the Sultans
Yeah, the Sultans, they play Creole
Creole
And then the man he steps right up to the microphone
And says at last just as the time bell rings
"Goodnight, now it's time to go home"
Then he makes it fast with one more thing
"We are the Sultans
We are the Sultans of Swing"
The song "Sultans of Swing" by Dire Straits takes us on a trip to a rainy night in the southern part of London, where a band is playing Dixie music. The song starts with the singer walking in the park and hearing the music ringing in his ears, making him feel alright. The music takes him to a club where jazz plays down, and he sees guitar George playing rhythm with an old guitar, who's saving it up for Friday night with the Sultans. Also, there is Harry, who can play Honky Tonk like anything, and he does it while having a daytime job. Then, there are young boys making a fool in the corner, dressed in their best brown baggies and platform soles; they don't care about the trumpet playing band or what they call Rock and Roll.
In the end, the man steps up to the microphone and introduces the band, "We are the Sultans of Swing." The song talks about the band that plays jazz and swing music that sets them aside from rock bands. Mark Knopfler wrote the song from his experiences playing in different pubs with different bands in London. He wanted to highlight a band that played swing with no other intention but to make great music. The lyrics are a testament to the fact that memorable music can come from anywhere, be it a jazz club, a pub, or the corner of the street.
Line by Line Meaning
You get a shiver in the dark
You experience a feeling of excitement or anticipation in the night
It's a raining in the park but meantime-
Despite the rain in the park, something else is happening
South of the river you stop and you hold everything
You pause and pay attention to what's happening south of the river
A band is blowing Dixie, double four time
A band is playing Southern-style jazz at a fast tempo
You feel alright when you hear the music ring
The music makes you feel good and satisfied
Well now you step inside but you don't see too many faces
When you go inside, there aren't many people around
Coming in out of the rain they hear the jazz go down
People come in out of the rain and hear the jazz music playing
Competition in other places
There may be other places with jazz music
Uh but the horns they blowin' that sound
The instruments, especially the horns, are playing loudly and energetically
Way on down south
The music has an influence from the southern United States
Way on down south
The music has an influence from the southern United States
London town
The song is taking place in London
You check out guitar George, he knows all the chords
You pay attention to Guitar George, who is a skilled guitarist
Mind, it's strictly rhythm he doesn't want to make it cry or sing
He focuses on playing rhythm and not on flashy soloing
They said an old guitar is all, he can afford
People say he can only afford an old guitar
When he gets up under the lights to play his thing
When he plays guitar under the spotlight
And Harry doesn't mind, if he doesn't, make the scene
Another musician, Harry, doesn't care if he's not in the limelight
He's got a daytime job, he's doing alright
Harry has a regular job and is financially stable
He can play the Honky Tonk like anything
Harry is skilled at playing Honky Tonk-style music
Savin' it up, for Friday night
He's saving his energy for Friday night gigs
With the Sultans
With the rest of the band, the Sultans of Swing
We're the Sultans of Swing
We are the skilled and talented band, the Sultans of Swing
Then a crowd a young boys they're a foolin' around in the corner
A group of young people are messing around in the corner
Drunk and dressed in their best brown baggies and their platform soles
They are drunk and wearing their best bell-bottom pants and platform shoes
They don't give a damn about any trumpet playin' band
They don't care about the jazz band playing trumpet
It ain't what they call Rock and Roll
It isn't the type of music they prefer, which is rock and roll
And the Sultans
The band, the Sultans of Swing
Yeah, the Sultans, they play Creole
The Sultans of Swing play Creole-style music
Creole
A style of music with African, European, and Caribbean influences
And then the man he steps right up to the microphone
The announcer steps up to the microphone
And says at last just as the time bell rings
The end of the performance is being announced
Goodnight, now it's time to go home
The announcer is telling the audience to leave
Then he makes it fast with one more thing
The announcer quickly adds one more statement
We are the Sultans
We are the talented band, the Sultans of Swing
We are the Sultans of Swing
We are the skilled and talented band, the Sultans of Swing
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Mark Knopfler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@AlfredoJacome
what a monSter of grOup ! yo fliPo chavaLes, flIpo y lo peor de tout es que dentro de poco me voy a perder un concertazo da FAR-rite guayaquiLeña , pero C'EST LA VIE y a morte con O madrid y hala madrid en coupe d'euRope ante tout, niñatos y niñas querIdxs !!
Abur by now !
Alfredo DANIEL j
😍🎨🥣🥣🥣🥣🥣🥣🕎💛👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
@apollesilagan8833
Lyrics:
You get a shiver in the dark
It's a raining in the park but meantime-
South of the river you stop and you hold everything
A band is blowing Dixie, double four time
You feel alright when you hear the music ring
Well now you step inside but you don't see too many faces
Coming in out of the rain they hear the jazz go down
Competition in other places
Uh but the horns they blowin' that sound
Way on down south
Way on down south
London town
You check out guitar George, he knows-all the chords
Mind, it's strictly rhythm he doesn't want to make it cry or sing
They said an old guitar is all, he can afford
When he gets up under the lights to play his thing
And Harry doesn't mind, if he doesn't, make the scene
He's got a daytime job, he's doing alright
He can play the Honky Tonk like anything
Savin' it up, for Friday night
With the Sultans
We're the Sultans of Swing
And then the man he steps right up to the microphone
And says at last just as the time bell rings
"Goodnight, now it's time to go home"
Then he makes it fast with one more thing
"We are the Sultans
We are the Sultans of Swing"
@Esse2789
50 years of stage presence without any big frills, jumping around or showmanship. Pure brilliant music that I can listen to every day
@MyOneFiftiethOfADollar
Would you more carefully describe your issues with "jumping around or showmanship"?
@shishi1079
@@MyOneFiftiethOfADollar he just doesnt like it i guess. Why not. Some like some things and some dont
@АлексейПухарев-д5ы
Completely agree
@TeresaMoilanen-m5e
@@MyOneFiftiethOfADollar If it was Carlos Santana jumping around while playing the guitar in his younger years, I have no complaints, LOL
@duaneclarke6179
They didn't need anything else, always so tight
@AnnaLundberg-i1i
The Sultans of Swing has got to be one the best all-time songs of our lives!
@hectorluisbarrientosmargol9303
It is
@MarkSpark101
It really is along with a few others and some tom petty songs bob dylan etc for me
@joaquinguzman1603
No doubt