The vocalist for the 'trippy' beginning - the "I want my MTV" - was Sting. The song is based on something Mark Knopfler overheard while shopping in a hardware store; he was impressed by the 'realness' of the man's grousing, and turned it into this. He was criticised for some of the language, but refused to change it. For your next steps - I'd say Brothers in Arms, Walk of Life, and Telegraph Road.
Actually Mark didn't refuse to change the lyrics. Once he discovered how offense that particular word was to some people he stopped singing it. The song and Brothers in Arms album were released in 1985 and in their Live Aid performance that year he'd already changed the lyrics and he's continued to play around with different alternatives ever since, substituting words like "Queenie" and "Mothertrucker". When someone in Canada brought a court case a few years ago to try and get the song banned from being played, Mark apparently even offered to supply a version without the offending word. Fortunately the judge understood the context and narrative of the song and ruled against a ban.
I recall when MTV first launched, and it was exactly what it claimed to be back then, and it was fantastic. We all thought the future was going to be a better place.
MTV was all music videos all the time in the 80's, it was all new back then, before that it was only hearing the music on radio, records and in concert!
@6:13 hahahahah. Back in the 80s before y'all were born, the only stage lights were these massive high heat lamps that made people on stage sweat like nuts. That's why you have so many of the stage performers wearing headbands back then. It was to prevent sweat dropping down on their guitars and stuff, as well as flying off on the audience in the front rows.
Sting got a co-writing credit on the song for the use of that melody too, although it was Mark's idea to use it and the rest of the song is solely his. It must have earned Sting a few quid over the years.
That was the best of computer graphics at that time. My favorite part is the drum solo at the beginning. It last longer in the original version. I always go to full volume when it comes on my car radio.
Love Dire Straits. They are a great British rock band from the 70's-90's. Mark Knopfler is one of the best guitarists around. They have had so many hits including "Telegraph Road", "Romeo & Juliet", "Private Investigations", "Twisting By The Pool", "So Far Away" etc. They don't have a bad song.
So glad you like Dire Straits. Knopfler's guitar has a way of producing iconic riffs. I'd really like to see a reaction to some of his solo work since 1996. Hill Farmer Blues, Punish The Monkey, Why Aye Man, Let It All Go, What It Is, Boom Like That, Speedway At Nazareth, Don't You Get It, Get Lucky, Cleaning My Gun or anything else. Just so much good music.
This was the first song ever played on MTV Erurope. As some one who started playing guitar in 1980... force your kids to take up music. They may hate you at the time, but they'll be grateful in the long run.
Well picked up - this was written when Mark Knopfler overheard delivery men complaining about their job while watching MTV (back in the day when they actually played music videos). One of the best bands ever - try Brothers in Arms, Romeo and Juliet, Private Investigations - list goes on.
This video almost didn't happen because MK was not a fan of music videos. The song is a genius for many reasons in the music/lyrics space, but credit goes to the video director Steve Barron... like putting heavy rotation on the microwave @ 4:25
hi michael, hope you're good. i love dire straits. i think one of their best is walk of life and the video for that one would probably appeal to you. made me laugh my head off the first time and still raises a laugh even now. you have definitely got this reaction thing down to a fine art, it's fascinating to watch, you were not sure of walk of life to start off with were you ??? nice to see a new reaction .....lol. have a great weekend.
You might like to check out the live version of this song from the Music For Montserrat concert at The Royal Albert Hall. The song was recorded on the island of Montserrat and after a devastating volcanic eruption a host of music legends who'd also recorded there got together to perform to raise relief funds. Seeing Money For Nothing performed by Mark Knopfler, Sting, Eric Clapton and Phil Collins plus a couple of other Dire Straits alumni, with an orchestra and choir not playing/singing but all on stage tapping their feet and dancing is a wonderfully joyous experience. The whole concert is worth watching.
Without question Mark Knoepfler is one of the all time great guitarists, if you’d ever seen them live you would have been blown away. Up next, you should check out Walk Of Life, Calling Elvis, Romeo & Juliet. And you are spot on correct, it’s a shame that a network whose name literally means Music TeleVision left its roots and went stupid.
MTV unleashed a visual wave of creativity that bands and their labels had to jump on because that's where everyone was discovering new music.This video and others like A-Ha's "Take on Me" broke new ground in visual effects. Others, like Michael Jackson's "Thriller," were crafted like mini-movies with great storytelling. There are so many songs that when I hear them today I immediately see the video in my mind. And then MTV became stupid and turned into a reality show channel and many stopped watching.
This was when MTV played actual music videos 24/7, not reality shows or whatever they play now....I quit watching many years ago. MTV started while I was in high school, loved it! Of course there was an uproar of conservative a'holes that pressured cable companies to drop the channel. That sparked the "I want my MTV" slogan. Before MTV there were Promo videos that usually were behind the scenes of artists recording their songs. The public rarely got to see these videos. MTV spawned these creative mini movies .....miss those days!
Thank you for sharing . The whole thing is amazing .video , singing , music..it just flows together perfectly. The whole album Brothers in Arms is genius . Please react to the song Brothers in Arms .🇬🇧👍🏻💛🤍
It was the first song ever played on MTV-Europe when it launched a few years after MTV started in the US. The first song played on the latter was Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles.
There are, in my opinion, few songs that instantly raise your "cool" factor while listening to it. This song is, without question, one of them. Mark Knopfler knows how to make the sickest riffs out of seemingly thin air.
They are talking about the commercialization of music. All the advertisers on radio dictates for decades how long songs could be and what they could have in content. Then MTV comes along with all the tv ads for microwaves, ect.
usually, to write most songs, you start with a riff that just comes out in practice or a jam. Then the lyricist starts humming a melody and throwing words that rhyme out at key points. Come back afterwards and fill in the blanks. This is how some songs are written in 10 minutes, some take years.
You’d never have thought to write this? Are you a musician? A writer? A composer? This was based on a true story. His actual overheard conversation at an appliance store with employees who were watching MTV which broadcasted music videos 24/7 in the eighties. The recording companies provided the videos that sold records and CDs. MTV took in a fortune in commercials revenue. It’s a business model that works only if the music is good in the first place. Which poses the question, how good is most of today’s rock and pop music? And is it music when it’s mostly computer loops and rappers who can’t actually sing a lick.
Me being 18-ish when this song came out. Owned the crappiest car imaginable with a terrible radio. But when this song came on, no matter how bad the speakers were, cranked full volume that riff was amazing.
Michael, if only you were of age when MTV was in its heyday (the 80s) it was wall-to-wall smashing videos like this: first the artists recorded a banging song, then they filmed a mind blowing video to go with it, it was the law back then! 😂
Great job, as usual! Do the live version of this song, it is quite long, but really shows their talent! It is much better than this version. Have a great day, bro!
Hi Michael from the Uk .been loving all your videos ,great reactions.Please have a look at Iron Maiden any song but I love “Number of the Beast” or “Run To The Hills “ Cheers and carry on the great work 🙏🏻
Going Home Lady Writer Brothers In Arms Your Latest Trick Telegraph Road Walk Of Life Tunnel Of Love So Far Away Romeo And Juliet (strangest video EVER 🤣) Why Worry Once Upon A Time In The West Private Investigations Heavy Fuel Calling Elvis Twisting By The Pool And then there's Mark Knopflers solo stuff. You haven't even scratched the surface of this musical genius
MTV was awesome when it did videos. I'll never understand why they abandoned that format for reality shows. ...unless, of course newer acts just couldn't rock a video. Petty and the Heartbreakers' videos never matched the song. It was really cool af. Did MTV premier with "Video Killed The Radio Star"? Or is that just rumour?
The vocalist for the 'trippy' beginning - the "I want my MTV" - was Sting. The song is based on something Mark Knopfler overheard while shopping in a hardware store; he was impressed by the 'realness' of the man's grousing, and turned it into this. He was criticised for some of the language, but refused to change it. For your next steps - I'd say Brothers in Arms, Walk of Life, and Telegraph Road.
Actually Mark didn't refuse to change the lyrics. Once he discovered how offense that particular word was to some people he stopped singing it. The song and Brothers in Arms album were released in 1985 and in their Live Aid performance that year he'd already changed the lyrics and he's continued to play around with different alternatives ever since, substituting words like "Queenie" and "Mothertrucker". When someone in Canada brought a court case a few years ago to try and get the song banned from being played, Mark apparently even offered to supply a version without the offending word. Fortunately the judge understood the context and narrative of the song and ruled against a ban.
You would have LOVED MTV back in the day. All music all the time.
yes yes yes
I recall when MTV first launched, and it was exactly what it claimed to be back then, and it was fantastic. We all thought the future was going to be a better place.
oh yes!!
MTV was all music videos all the time in the 80's, it was all new back then, before that it was only hearing the music on radio, records and in concert!
¡¡MASTERPIECE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IVE ALWAYS LOVED THIS!!! That guitar is EEEEVILLLL!!! I always turned the volume wide open on this one!!!
Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler ,my very favorite. Awesome, been a fan from the start..
@6:13 hahahahah. Back in the 80s before y'all were born, the only stage lights were these massive high heat lamps that made people on stage sweat like nuts. That's why you have so many of the stage performers wearing headbands back then. It was to prevent sweat dropping down on their guitars and stuff, as well as flying off on the audience in the front rows.
The person singing "I want my MTV" is Sting, lead singer for the Police. It follows the tune of their hit, Don't Stand So Close to Me.
Sting got a co-writing credit on the song for the use of that melody too, although it was Mark's idea to use it and the rest of the song is solely his. It must have earned Sting a few quid over the years.
That was the best of computer graphics at that time. My favorite part is the drum solo at the beginning. It last longer in the original version. I always go to full volume when it comes on my car radio.
Love Dire Straits. They are a great British rock band from the 70's-90's. Mark Knopfler is one of the best guitarists around. They have had so many hits including "Telegraph Road", "Romeo & Juliet", "Private Investigations", "Twisting By The Pool", "So Far Away" etc. They don't have a bad song.
So glad you like Dire Straits. Knopfler's guitar has a way of producing iconic riffs. I'd really like to see a reaction to some of his solo work since 1996. Hill Farmer Blues, Punish The Monkey, Why Aye Man, Let It All Go, What It Is, Boom Like That, Speedway At Nazareth, Don't You Get It, Get Lucky, Cleaning My Gun or anything else. Just so much good music.
One of my favorite songs while working in a hotel restaurant/lounge!! Mark Knopfler was one of the ultimate guitarists.
This was the first song ever played on MTV Erurope. As some one who started playing guitar in 1980... force your kids to take up music. They may hate you at the time, but they'll be grateful in the long run.
The singer overheard some workers talking about the bands on MTV at the store and took their own words and turned it into this song!
They were the biggest band on the planet right then, and for very good reason.
Well picked up - this was written when Mark Knopfler overheard delivery men complaining about their job while watching MTV (back in the day when they actually played music videos). One of the best bands ever - try Brothers in Arms, Romeo and Juliet, Private Investigations - list goes on.
Great tune! HEY! CCR's "Fortunate Son" just hit ONE BILLION VIEWS as of yesterday! Crazy to imagine that number!
This video almost didn't happen because MK was not a fan of music videos. The song is a genius for many reasons in the music/lyrics space, but credit goes to the video director Steve Barron... like putting heavy rotation on the microwave @ 4:25
hi michael, hope you're good. i love dire straits. i think one of their best is walk of life and the video for that one would probably appeal to you. made me laugh my head off the first time and still raises a laugh even now. you have definitely got this reaction thing down to a fine art, it's fascinating to watch, you were not sure of walk of life to start off with were you ??? nice to see a new reaction .....lol. have a great weekend.
This is what MTV was all about.
You might like to check out the live version of this song from the Music For Montserrat concert at The Royal Albert Hall. The song was recorded on the island of Montserrat and after a devastating volcanic eruption a host of music legends who'd also recorded there got together to perform to raise relief funds. Seeing Money For Nothing performed by Mark Knopfler, Sting, Eric Clapton and Phil Collins plus a couple of other Dire Straits alumni, with an orchestra and choir not playing/singing but all on stage tapping their feet and dancing is a wonderfully joyous experience. The whole concert is worth watching.
"Walk of life" and "Brothers in arms"
Without question Mark Knoepfler is one of the all time great guitarists, if you’d ever seen them live you would have been blown away. Up next, you should check out Walk Of Life, Calling Elvis, Romeo & Juliet.
And you are spot on correct, it’s a shame that a network whose name literally means Music TeleVision left its roots and went stupid.
MTV unleashed a visual wave of creativity that bands and their labels had to jump on because that's where everyone was discovering new music.This video and others like A-Ha's "Take on Me" broke new ground in visual effects. Others, like Michael Jackson's "Thriller," were crafted like mini-movies with great storytelling. There are so many songs that when I hear them today I immediately see the video in my mind. And then MTV became stupid and turned into a reality show channel and many stopped watching.
You will LOVE Walk Of Life
Watch Telegraph Road from there Alchemy concert it has some of the best piano and guitar riffs ever. Great reaction as always.
This was when MTV played actual music videos 24/7, not reality shows or whatever they play now....I quit watching many years ago. MTV started while I was in high school, loved it! Of course there was an uproar of conservative a'holes that pressured cable companies to drop the channel. That sparked the "I want my MTV" slogan. Before MTV there were Promo videos that usually were behind the scenes of artists recording their songs. The public rarely got to see these videos. MTV spawned these creative mini movies .....miss those days!
Now please do Walk Of Life Official it's a great song and video
Love your reactions ❤
Thank you for sharing . The whole thing is amazing .video , singing , music..it just flows together perfectly. The whole album Brothers in Arms is genius . Please react to the song Brothers in Arms .🇬🇧👍🏻💛🤍
Believe this was the second music video ever played on M-TV when it launched.
It was the first song ever played on MTV-Europe when it launched a few years after MTV started in the US. The first song played on the latter was Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles.
I've got hours of MTV music on video tape somewhere
SIX BLADE KNIFE, and YOUR LATEST TRICK are both great Dire Strait's songs.
Good stuff Michael! My other comments were deleted. Anyway.
Keep on keepin' on buddy! 👍😎
That’s strange? I don’t ever delete any comments! Sometimes UA-cam hides then for whatever reason though!!! Thanks John appreciate ya mate!! 🙏
Love them
There are, in my opinion, few songs that instantly raise your "cool" factor while listening to it. This song is, without question, one of them. Mark Knopfler knows how to make the sickest riffs out of seemingly thin air.
Wow this was a big hit in the 80s
A powerful song. Yes, a banger, interesting word. Interesting when we know the song and we're looking forward for your reaction 👍👍👍👍
I really liked both versions of Brothers in Arms. The other one was done by Home Free
Mark was a journalist and many of the lyrics of his songs were things that happened. This song is over heard remarks by a guy in a shop watching MTV
I enjoy your channel, big fan. Also, how closely related to Bobby Flay are you? 🤔😜😂 I kid I kid. Keep it up sir. Have a great afternoon.
Too bad they didn’t add in how many times I actually watched it on MTV. Love Sting singing along. Great job together at LiveAid 1985.
As a young woman I had a temp job at MTV. It was really something else when it came out and I enjoyed it for years.
This video on MTV was revolutionary. Every time they played it, we all sat right in front of the television. Back when MTV was all videos.
god, I miss MTV 😔
They are talking about the commercialization of music. All the advertisers on radio dictates for decades how long songs could be and what they could have in content. Then MTV comes along with all the tv ads for microwaves, ect.
usually, to write most songs, you start with a riff that just comes out in practice or a jam. Then the lyricist starts humming a melody and throwing words that rhyme out at key points. Come back afterwards and fill in the blanks. This is how some songs are written in 10 minutes, some take years.
You’d never have thought to write this? Are you a musician? A writer? A composer?
This was based on a true story. His actual overheard conversation at an appliance store with employees who were watching MTV which broadcasted music videos 24/7 in the eighties. The recording companies provided the videos that sold records and CDs. MTV took in a fortune in commercials revenue.
It’s a business model that works only if the music is good in the first place. Which poses the question, how good is most of today’s rock and pop music? And is it music when it’s mostly computer loops and rappers who can’t actually sing a lick.
100% with you about MTV. It has totally betrayed it's origins
Next Dire Straits song "Walk of Life" please😊 Great reaction!
Me being 18-ish when this song came out. Owned the crappiest car imaginable with a terrible radio. But when this song came on, no matter how bad the speakers were, cranked full volume that riff was amazing.
Michael, if only you were of age when MTV was in its heyday (the 80s) it was wall-to-wall smashing videos like this: first the artists recorded a banging song, then they filmed a mind blowing video to go with it, it was the law back then! 😂
this was one of the first big hits on MTV
State of the Art graphics....circa 1985. We were blown away by how realistic it was. Just to give you a time capsule.
Legendary Song with the best intro from Mark Knopfler and Sting
"Its like the Rugrats on LSD." Classic! I grew up with MTV.
Thats the Billy Gibbons school of guitar
Great job, as usual! Do the live version of this song, it is quite long, but really shows their talent! It is much better than this version. Have a great day, bro!
Awesome band and song! Try SULTANS OF SWING and WALK OF LIFE next.
That’s Sting singing “I want my MTV,” by the way!
Now you'll have look up the Weird Al version.
this is based on a real story of a conversation they heard .
That's Sting singing in the background
It was a banger. 🎉
The little f*** got his own jet airplane
Moving hotnerchandise
I Want My MTV ! LoL
This was the first video to use CGI back in 1985
WHY IS THERE A JAR OF Hellmann's Mayonnaise BEHIND YOU
Hi Michael from the Uk .been loving all your videos ,great reactions.Please have a look at Iron Maiden any song but I love “Number of the Beast” or “Run To The Hills “ Cheers and carry on the great work 🙏🏻
I will check it out thanks so much rich!!
Going Home
Lady Writer
Brothers In Arms
Your Latest Trick
Telegraph Road
Walk Of Life
Tunnel Of Love
So Far Away
Romeo And Juliet (strangest video EVER 🤣)
Why Worry
Once Upon A Time In The West
Private Investigations
Heavy Fuel
Calling Elvis
Twisting By The Pool
And then there's Mark Knopflers solo stuff. You haven't even scratched the surface of this musical genius
Try twisting by the pool, Walk of life, Private Investigations.
Try:
*Down By The Waterline*
*One World*
*Brothers In Arms*
Be well
S.W.
Back when MTV was cool and this song was cooler!!
MTV was awesome when it did videos. I'll never understand why they abandoned that format for reality shows.
...unless, of course newer acts just couldn't rock a video. Petty and the Heartbreakers' videos never matched the song. It was really cool af.
Did MTV premier with "Video Killed The Radio Star"? Or is that just rumour?
Love it.....but luv walk of life more lol
You can write a song about Mayo
Helloo! Can you do Nighwish-Ghost river please?
I’ll add it to my list!
Short ginger boys are the cutest... you're probably 6', 2" at least.
Hey brother. Hows things