Wiki for Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing — Last.fm Wiki "Sultans of Swing" was the first single release of the British rock band Dire Straits . 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 - The Very Best of Dire Straits by Dire Straits on Apple Music Sultans of Swing 16 Songs Album Review Exactly ten years after Dire Straits' first compilation, Money for Nothing, appeared in the stores, their second, Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits, was released. A decade is a significant span of time, and the average band would have produced enough material for an entirely different collection, one that shared no similarities with its predecessor.

Dire Straits is not the average band, however, and during those ten years, they released exactly two albums — 1991's On Every Street, their first studio album since Brothers in Arms in 1985, and 1993's On the Night, a live album culled from tapes of the record's supporting tour. Not quite enough new material for a new greatest-hits album, but it had been years since Dire Straits had released an album of any sort (a compilation of BBC sessions snuck into the stores in 1995) — hence the birth of Sultans of Swing. Unsurprisingly, it covers much of the same ground as Money for Nothing, containing all the essentials ("Sultans of Swing," "Romeo and Juliet," "Tunnel of Love," "Private Investigations," "Twisting by the Pool," "Money for Nothing," "Brothers in Arms," "Walk of Life"), with the exception of "Telegraph Road," which was left on the earlier compilation.

A live "Love Over Gold," "Lady Writer," and "So Far Away" replace "Down to the Waterline," "Where Do You Think You're Going," and a live "Portobello Belle," which is really just a trade-off, since they're all equal in quality. Then there are the three hits from On Every Street ("Calling Elvis," "Heavy Fuel," "On Every Street"), all of which are pleasant re-creations of the Brothers in Arms sound; a live version of "Your Latest Trick" from On the Night, and, inexplicably, Mark Knopfler's "Wild Theme (Theme from Local Hero)." Fine tunes all, but none of them are reason enough to replace Money for Nothing with Sultans of Swing. But for casual fans or curious listeners looking for an introduction/sampler, it's the better choice, simply because it covers more ground and contains more music while remaining quite listenable and entertaining. Customer Reviews Classics Never Go Out Of Style by lilsmartrat7 Dire Straits have the best of the best, from the sad, lonely, depressing stories to the upbeat riffs and walking baselines. The classics never truely go out of style do they?

Dire Staits cover any emotion a person could be looking for. Light and romantic (Romeo and Juliet), mysterious (Private Investigations), or the bright and cheery music that just makes you want to dance! (Twisting by the Pool, Lady Writer, Walk of Life). Dire Straits had it right... Two thumbs way up! classic by buffben A classic band with all of their best music in one album. It can't get any better! Curious absences by NaLuv How could any "best of" collection omit "Industrial Disease" from Love Over Gold? What a fun song! Biography Formed: 1977 in London, England Genre: Rock Years Active: '70s, '80s, '90s Dire Straits emerged during the post-punk era of the late '70s, and while their sound was minimalistic and stripped down, they owed little to punk. If anything, the band was a direct outgrowth of the roots revivalism of pub rock, but where pub rock celebrated good times, Dire Straits were melancholy. Led by guitarist/vocalist Mark Knopfler, the group built their sound upon the laid-back blues-rock of J.J.

Cale, but they also had jazz and country inflections, occasionally dipping into the epic song... Top Albums and Songs by Dire Straits 1.

Sultans of Swing Dire Straits Backing Track for Guitar solo - PS3 Youtube Sultans of Swing Dire Straits Backing Track for Guitar solo Added: January 21, 2009 (over 7 years ago) Duration (5:56) Views: 579,063 by Tore Henrik Jacobsen Category: Music Likes: 737 Dislikes: 48 Go to Youtube Video Description i have uploaded this backing track with lyric`s hope you like the video Please rate and comment:) Lyrics: You get a shiver in the dark It's been 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 all right when you hear the music ring Well now, you step inside but you don't see too many faces Comin' in out of the rain to hear the jazz go down Competition in other places Oh, 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 But he's strictly rhythm he doesn't want to make it cry or sing They say 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 all right He can play the honky tonk like anything Saving it up for Friday night With the Sultans, with the Sultans of Swing And a crowd of young boys, they're fooling 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 playing 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" And he makes it fast with one more thing "We are the Sultans, we are the Sultans of Swing" "Sultans of Swing" was the first single release of the British rock band Dire Straits.

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 1978. BBC Radio were unwilling to play the song due to its high lyrical content; after it became a U.S.A. hit, however, their line softened. 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 vocals, along with 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.

(Wikipedia) Lyrics: You get a shiver in the dark It's been 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 all right when you hear the music ring Well now, you step inside but you don't see too many faces Comin' in out of the rain to hear the jazz go down Competition in other places Oh, 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 But he's strictly rhythm he doesn't want to make it cry or sing They say 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 all right He can play the honky tonk like anything Saving it up for Friday night With the Sultans, with the Sultans of Swing And a crowd of young boys, they're fooling 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 playing 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" And he makes it fast with one more thing "We are the Sultans, we are the Sultans of Swing" Dire Straits - Communiqué (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs Dire Straits Report Usually, the second album of a group is a difficult one.

Left overs from the first recordings have to be reconsidered hastily, for a rush release, especially if the debut was a success. At a first approach this record falls in this category, but after careful and repeated auditions, the persistent listener will be greatly rewarded. The tracks are superb, both music and lyrics, and the only downside is that this record didn't generate any great singles, such as "Sultans of swing", except from "Lady writer" that was actually released as a single in 1978, with, relatively, little success. The record contains songs that, more or less, deal with the same issues that their previous record did. What is great about them is that Mark Knopfler, has expanded his music vocabulary and with a different producer the results would probably be more evident. For example ,"Once upon a time in the west" is a great start and an instant classic as it is, but six years later at the live "Alchemy" record, it was transformed with great effect in a ten minute opus, with keyboards and lengthy guitar solos.

Of course other songs, such as "Where do you think you're going?" with the bitter lyrics and fabulous guitar built up at the end, "Single handed sailor" with the magnificent guitar phrase, and the underrated "Follow me home", would not be complimented with a similar treatment and they are perfect examples of Mark Knopfler's song writing. The legendary producer Jerry Wexler, did a great job, by not overproducing the songs, giving to the whole recording a sense of intimacy, that suits like a glove to the songs. Overshadowed by their debut, released just nine months before it, and by their follow up "Making movies", two years later, the album deserved better. The casual listener, seeking out hits, most likely will be disappointed. But since the four songs from this album, that resurface at their compilations and live recordings, are by no means indicative of the album and it's mood, Dire straits fans should get this record. Not For Nothing Is Dire Straits Back On The Top Again - tribunedigital-chicagotribune Not For Nothing Is Dire Straits Back On The Top Again September 20, 1985|By Jan DeKnock.

This was a great week on the charts for the British group Dire Straits, which suddenly has become one of the hottest acts in America after years of just so-so success. The group first broke onto the U.S. scene in 1979 with a quirky little song, ``Sultans of Swing`` (which hit No. 4), but wasn`t able to parlay that into superstar status, despite a number of critically acclaimed albums. All that changed with the release of another quirky little song, ``Money for Nothing,`` which this week rose to No. 1 on America`s singles charts. At the same time, the Dire Straits album ``Brothers in Arms`` was able to hold on to its top ranking on the LP list, which means that for the fourth time in the last six months, a British act has held No. 1 on both the singles and album charts in the same week. (The others were Phil Collins, Tears for Fears and Wham.) Why has a cult favorite like Dire Straits suddenly become such a power on the pop charts? There are a number of reasons, all having to do with momentum.

First, in the last year or so, the group`s leader and principal songwriter, Mark Knopfler, has received a lot of notice for his many outside projects, including writing the title track for Tina Turner`s big comeback album, ``Private Dancer,`` and receiving an Oscar nomination for his soundtrack for the movie ``Local Hero.`` Then, he and Dire Straits chose a more commercial path for their latest album, and ensured that its first single would receive proper attention from radio programmers because a Very Important Person--Sting--was listed as co-songwriter. If that wasn`t enough to build new interest in the group, Dire Straits made a very big impression at the Live Aid benefit, and then followed that up with their first U.S. tour in many years. All that added up to a very big summer for Dire Straits--and helped make ``Money for Nothing`` their first No. 1 single in America. However, the group could lose that distinction next week, because the American band Kool and the Gang continues to challenge with their big ballad ``Cherish,`` which moved from No. 4 to No. 2 this week. Although ``Cherish`` lost its No.

1 ranking on the black chart this week, it still holds the top spot on the adult contemporary list, and continues to build momentum on the pop chart. The guess here is that ``Money for Nothing`` will be able to hold on to No. 1 for one more week, but after that, look out for ``Cherish.`` Here are predictions for next week`s singles charts (last week, this column correctly forecast six of the Top 10 songs): 1. ``Money for Nothing,`` 2. ``Cherish,`` 3. ``Freedom,`` 4. ``Don`t Lose My Number,`` 5. ``Oh Sheila,`` 6. ``Pop Life,`` 7. ``St. Elmo`s Fire,`` 8. ``We Don`t Need Another Hero,`` 9. ``Dress You Up,`` 10. ``Dare Me.`` MORE: Top 10 Dire Straits Songs Top 10 Dire Straits Songs By Michael Gallucci July 20, 2013 11:38 AM REDDIT Warner Bros.

Records Dire Straits came out of nowhere when their debut album was released in 1978. Really. They had formed only the year before and hadn’t gigged much before they recorded a demo tape that caught the attention of record-company execs. They were an immediate hit, especially with rock radio, which embraced their clean, guitar-based sound. After a few stumbles — a boring second album, a great but unheralded third one — frontman Mark Knopfler led them to the top of the charts in 1985 with ‘Brothers in Arms,’ one of the decade’s biggest sellers. They made only one more album after that before calling it quits in 1995. The Top 10 Dire Straits Songs celebrate their best. 10 From: ‘Love Over Gold’ (1982) In the early ’80s, things weren’t going so well for British industry. On top of, and in addition to, everything else, workers’ strikes, anxiety and physical and mental illnesses were fall-out symptoms of the decline of British manufacturing during the era.

Knopfler rolls through a bunch of aftershocks — some real, some made up — on this musically springy cut from the band’s fourth album. From: ‘Love Over Gold’ (1982) Running almost seven minutes, the sprawling ‘Private Investigations’ feels like an epic from its very first droning notes. Knopfler spins a film noir-style tale of diaries, whiskey bottles and shuttered blinds as classical acoustic guitar picks away ominously in the background. This is Dire Straits at their most literary-minded and atmospheric. From: ‘Brothers in Arms’ (1985) Before ‘Brothers in Arms’ became a monster-selling album and the band’s only No. 1 LP in the U.S., ‘So Far Away’ was released as the record’s first single in the U.K. It was released in the U.S. as the third single, long after ‘Brothers in Arms’ was on its way to multi-platinum glory, reaching the Top 20. Either way, it opens the album and is one of its most scaled-down cuts. Nothing too fancy — just straight-up, laid-back rock at its cleanest.

From: ‘Twisting by the Pool’ EP (1983) In between ‘Love Over Gold,’ their most difficult album, and ‘Brothers in Arms,’ which made them global stars, Dire Straits released a four-song EP of retro-leaning rock and swing cuts. They’re mostly throwaway numbers, but the record’s anchor song is loads of fun, a Chuck Berry-style rocker that presages the more popular ‘Walk of Life’ (see No. 5 on our list of the Top 10 Dire Straits Songs). Following the commercial and critical bomb of their second album, 1979’s ‘Communiqué,’ Dire Straits returned the next year — tighter, more focused and armed with their best set of songs. ‘Making Movies’ keeps those songs at the center of the picture, pushing aside the wayward habits of the group’s first two albums. ‘Skateaway’ sticks closer to a traditional rock-radio format than any other song on the album.

From: ‘Brothers in Arms’ (1985) Dire Straits’ biggest album is filled with several drawn-out set pieces that rely on the slow build to set their mood (two songs clock in at more than eight minutes; another three are more than six). But one of its best songs — which almost didn’t make the album — barely pushes past the four-minute mark. ‘Walk of Life’ was originally released as the B-side to the U.K. ‘So Far Away’ single (see No. 8 on our list of the Top 10 Dire Straits Songs) that came out before ‘Brothers in Arms.’ It eventually made it to the A-side, hitting the Top 10 all over the world. One of Knopfler’s loveliest songs, and maybe his all-around greatest composition, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ bridges Shakespeare, ‘West Side Story’ and a modern rock ‘n’ roll love story where fame, not family, is keeping the young lovers apart. The single didn’t chart in the U.S. — a shame, because it’s one of Knopfler’s most timeless songs.

A companion piece of sorts to the same album’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ (see No. 4 on our list of the Top 10 Dire Straits Songs), ‘Tunnel of Love’ is the sprawling set piece of the band’s third album, an eight-minute epic that ends with Knopfler’s all-time greatest guitar solo. Following the dismal ‘Communiqué,’ ‘Making Movies’ marked a creative, if not exactly, commercial comeback. They’d have to wait another five years for that. From: ‘Brothers in Arms’ (1985) Ironically, Dire Straits’ biggest hit (and only No. 1) — a take-down of MTV and its building up of disposable pop stars — was a massive hit on the music-video network and made the band temporary pop stars. With a hook sung by fellow British serious-artist-turned-radio-star Sting , ‘Money for Nothing’ wants it both ways. No matter: It’s a pivotal ’80s track. Dire Straits had little more than a demo and a few gigs behind them when they released their self-titled debut album in 1978. And for the most part, that record shows their relative inexperience.

Besides a few cuts, it’s filled mostly with forgettable guitar-based jams and the skeletal frames of half-thought-out songs. But their debut single, ‘Sultans of Swing,’ is a masterwork of precisely pointed guitar, a ringing rhythm section and late-night cool. It earned Knopfler a gig with Bob Dylan and put the band in the history books. What’s Your Favorite Dire Straits Song? Did we overlook one of your favorite Dire Straits songs in our Top 10 list? Let us know what you think we should have included in the comments section below. Top 100 Classic Rock Songs Welcome back to Ultimate Classic Rock It appears that you already have an account created within our VIP network of sites on . To keep your personal information safe, we need to verify that it's really you. To activate your account, please confirm your password. When you have confirmed your password, you will be able to log in through Facebook on both sites. Enter your password YES, Activate My Account Now! Welcome back to Ultimate Classic Rock It appears that you already have an account on this site associated with . To connect your existing account just click on the account activation button below. You will maintain your existing VIP profile.

After you do this, you will be able to always log in to using your original account information. Sultans of Swing Dire Straits Backing Track for Guitar solo - YouTube Sultans of Swing Dire Straits Backing Track for Guitar solo Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.

Uploaded on Jan 21, 2009 i have uploaded this backing track with lyric`s hope you like the video Please rate and comment:) Lyrics: You get a shiver in the dark It's been 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 all right when you hear the music ring Well now, you step inside but you don't see too many faces Comin' in out of the rain to hear the jazz go down Competition in other places Oh, 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 But he's strictly rhythm he doesn't want to make it cry or sing They say 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 all right He can play the honky tonk like anything Saving it up for Friday night With the Sultans, with the Sultans of Swing And a crowd of young boys, they're fooling 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 playing 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" And he makes it fast with one more thing "We are the Sultans, we are the Sultans of Swing" "Sultans of Swing" was the first single release of the British rock band Dire Straits.

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 1978. BBC Radio were unwilling to play the song due to its high lyrical content; after it became a U.S.A. hit, however, their line softened. 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 vocals, along with 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.

(Wikipedia) Lyrics: You get a shiver in the dark It's been 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 all right when you hear the music ring Well now, you step inside but you don't see too many faces Comin' in out of the rain to hear the jazz go down Competition in other places Oh, 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 But he's strictly rhythm he doesn't want to make it cry or sing They say 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 all right He can play the honky tonk like anything Saving it up for Friday night With the Sultans, with the Sultans of Swing And a crowd of young boys, they're fooling 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 playing 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" And he makes it fast with one more thing "We are the Sultans, we are the Sultans of Swing" Category Dire Straits Born: 1977 Dire Straits were a British rock band.

Dire Straits were a British rock band, formed by Mark Knopfler (vocals and lead guitar), his younger brother David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and vocals), and Pick Withers (drums and percussion), and managed by Ed Bicknell, active between 1977 and 1995. Although the band was formed in an era when punk rock was at the forefront, Dire Straits played a more conventional style, albeit with a stripped-down sound that appealed to audiences weary of the overproduced stadium rock of the 1970s. In their early days, Mark and David requested that pub owners turn down their sound so that patrons could converse while the band played, an indication of their unassuming demeanor. Despite this oddly self-effacing approach to rock and roll, Dire Straits soon became hugely successful, with their first album going multi-platinum globally. Throughout the band's career Mark Knopfler was the songwriter and driving force behind the group.

The band's best-known songs include "Sultans of Swing", "Lady Writer", "Romeo and Juliet", "Tunnel of Love", "Telegraph Road", "Private Investigations", "Money for Nothing", "Walk of Life", "So Far Away", "Brothers in Arms", "On Every Street", "Your Latest Trick" and "Calling Elvis". Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler have sold in excess of 120 million albums to date. Mark Knopfler, his younger brother David Knopfler, John Illsley, and Pick Withers formed the band in 1977. Dire Straits (a name given to the band by a musician flatmate of drummer Pick Withers), recorded a five-song demo tape which included their future massive worldwide hit single "Sultans of Swing" during 1977. The now famous demo tapes of five songs were "Wild West End", "Sultans of Swing", "Down To The Waterline", "Sacred Loving" (a David Knopfler song) and "Water of Love".

They took the tape to DJ Charlie Gillett, who had a radio show called "Honky Tonk" on BBC Radio London. The band simply wanted advice, but Gillett liked the music so much that he played "Sultans of Swing" on his show. Two months later, Dire Straits signed a recording contract with Phonogram Records.[3] The band's success came too late for original drummer Patrick Scott, who quit the band in the mid-1970s, believing that they would never break through. In October 1977 they recorded demo tapes of "Southbound Again", "In The Gallery" and "Six Blade Knife" for BBC Radio London and in November demo tapes were made of "Setting Me Up", "Eastbound Train" and "Real Girl". The group's first album, Dire Straits, was recorded at Basing Street studios in West London in February, 1978, at a cost of 12,500 f. Produced by Muff Winwood, the album had little promotion when initially released in the United Kingdom on Vertigo Records, a division of Phonogram, and was not well-received.

However, the album came to the attention of A&R rep Karin Berg at Warner Bros. Records in New York City. She felt that it was the kind of music audiences were hungry for, but only one person in her department agreed at first. Many of the songs on the album reflected Mark Knopfler's experiences in Newcastle, Leeds and London. "Down To The Waterline" recalled images of life in Newcastle; "In The Gallery" is a tribute to a Leeds sculptor/artist named Harry Phillips (father of Steve Phillips); "Wild West End" and "Lions" were drawn from Knopfler's early days in the capital. That same year, Dire Straits began a tour as opening band for the Talking Heads after the re-released "Sultans of Swing" finally started to climb the UK charts. This led to a United States recording contract with Warner Bros. Records and, before the end of 1978, Dire Straits had released their self-titled debut worldwide. They received more attention in the United States and landed at the top of the charts in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Their debut album eventually went top 10 in every European country.

The following year Dire Straits embarked on their first North American tour. They played 51 sold-out concerts over a 38-day period. "Sultans of Swing" scaled the charts to number four in the United States and number eight in the United Kingdom. The song became one of Dire Straits' biggest hits and was a fixture in the band's live set. Bob Dylan, who had seen the band play in Los Angeles, was so impressed that he invited Mark Knopfler and drummer Pick Withers to play on his next album, Slow Train Coming. Recording sessions for the group's second album, Communique', took place in December 1978 at Compass Point Studio in Nassau. Released in June 1979, Communique' was produced by Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett, and went to number one on the German album charts with Dire Straits simultaneously at number three. Featuring the single "Lady Writer", the second album continued in a similar monochromatic vein as the first, if somewhat more polished, and displayed the expanding scope of Knopfler's lyricism on the opening track "Once Upon a Time in the West".

In the coming year, however, this approach began to change, along with the group's lineup. Dire Straits set about recording tracks for their third album, Making Movies, from July to August 1980, for release in October of that year. During the recording sessions guitarist David Knopfler left the band to pursue a solo career. The sessions continued with Sid McGinnis on rhythm guitar and keyboardist Roy Bittan from Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. The album was produced by Jimmy Iovine with Knopfler also sharing credit. After the recording sessions were completed, keyboardist Alan Clark and Californian guitarist Hal Lindes joined Dire Straits as full-time members for tours of Europe and North America. The 1985 - 86 world tour which followed the album's release was phenomenally successful. The tour began on April 25, 1985 in Split, Yugoslavia (now Croatia).

While playing a 13-night residency at Wembley Arena (and the 10th of July concert was issued in 2005 on Wembley does the Walk DVD), the band moved down the road to Wembley Stadium on the afternoon of July 13, 1985, to appear in a Live Aid slot. Their set included "Money For Nothing" with Sting as guest vocalist. The tour ended at the Entertainment Centre in Sydney, Australia, where Dire Straits still holds the record for consecutive appearances at 21 nights. The last show of this extended stay in Sydney in April 1986 was recorded and broadcast on Australian and New Zealand television and is well-known for the one-off calypso rendition of "So Far Away". The band also made an impromptu attempt at the famous Australian folk song "Waltzing Matilda". In a two-year span, Dire Straits had played 247 shows in over 100 different cities. In 1987 Mark Knopfler concentrated on solo projects and film soundtracks.

Dire Straits regrouped for the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert in 1988 at Wembley Stadium, in which they were the headline act. They were joined for their set by Eric Clapton who performed his hit "Wonderful Tonight" with the group and played rhythm guitar on "Romeo and Juliet" and "Sultans of Swing". Soon afterwards, Williams left the band. In September 1988 Dire Straits disbanded, at least temporarily. The tremendous success of the Brothers in Arms album and the tour that went with it left the band members under a significant amount of stress, and Knopfler announced the group's official dissolution, saying that he "needed a rest". A greatest hits album, Money for Nothing, was released in October 1988 and reached #1 in the United Kingdom. In January 1991, Knopfler, John Illsley and manager Ed Bicknell decided to reform Dire Straits, which now comprised four members: Knopfler, Illsley and keyboardists Alan Clark and Guy Fletcher.

The band members began recording tracks for a new album, this time accompanied by other session musicians including steel guitarist Paul Franklin, percussionist Danny Cummings, saxophonist Chris White and guitarist Phil Palmer. Highly regarded American session drummer Jeff Porcaro played drums for the sessions, but turned down an invitation to join the band full-time because of his commitment to Toto. The result was the band's final original studio album, On Every Street, which was released in September, 1991, six years after Brothers in Arms. On Every Street was a widely anticipated release, but met with mixed reviews and moderate success. The opening track "Calling Elvis" was the first single release in the United Kingdom (the video for this song being based on the 1960s television show Thunderbirds), peaking inside the Top 30 in the singles charts. There were three further tracks released from the album as singles, the last of which was "The Bug", which contains backing vocals by Vince Gill, who was also invited to join the band full time and declined.

The new album was regarded by some reviewers as an 'underwhelming' follow-up and did not sell anywhere near as well as Brothers in Arms; however it still reached the # 1 position in the United Kingdom. Dire Straits released one last album in 1995 before disbanding. Live at the BBC was released as a contractual album release to Vertigo Records. The group's third and final live album was a collection of live recordings spanning the years 1978-81, which mostly featured the original lineup of the band. Mark Knopfler quietly dissolved Dire Straits in 1995. He had previously expressed a desire to give up touring on a big scale which ultimately led to the band's final breakup. In 1996 he began his career as a solo artist. In 2002, Mark Knopfler was joined by John Illsley, Guy Fletcher, Danny Cummings and Chris White for four charity concerts. Brendan Croker joined Knopfler during the first half, playing mainly material composed with The Notting Hillbillies.

Illsley came on for a Dire Straits session, towards the end of which, at a Shepherd's Bush concert, Jimmy Nail came on to provide backing vocals for Knopfler's solo composition "Why Aye Man". In October 2008, John Illsley told the BBC he would be interested in a reunion tour for Dire Straits. Yet he also suggested that Knopfler does not have any interest in reforming the group at present due to his continued success as a solo artist. Knopfler declined when Illsley asked him to reform Dire Straits. zubaka.com × Hurray! :) Now any person, artist, musician can create a micro-blog, share music and photos, tell about yourself to all world. To do it you just need send request to BeWithMusic.com admin. Request you can send by " this link ". An example of how your page will look like you can see here: Enigma . You will have possibility to edit pages, add news / posts into different categories. P.S.

You do not have to be an author or a member of a music band, if you are an ardent admirer of a band and you are willing to share information about this band, talk about updates in band work - Join to us! :) × Dire Straits, "Sultans of Swing," Acoustic Guitar Cover - YouTube Dire Straits, "Sultans of Swing," Acoustic Guitar Cover Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Jun 5, 2009 See Lyrics Below Butch takes a shot at the "Soul-tins of Swing," the first single by the British rock band Dire Straits. The 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. With its Dylanesque lyrics and vocals, along with economic guitar fills, this song was a marked departure from the waning disco style and the nascent punk movement.

The song's unique feature is that nearly every fill is different from the last, and no fills in any of the verses are repeated. The arrangement of 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. 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 its popularity to reach 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. The song 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 1978.

BBC Radio was unwilling to play the song due to its high lyrical content; after it became a U.S.A. hit, however, their line softened. 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.

LYRICS: You get a shiver in the dark Its been 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 all right when you hear that music ring You step inside but you dont see too many faces Coming in out of the rain to hear the jazz go down Too much competition too many other places But not too many horns can make that sound Way on down south, way on down south London town You check out guitar george he knows all the chords Mind he's strictly rhythm He doesn't want to make it cry or sing And 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 Hes got a daytime job hes doing alright He can play honky tonk just like anything Saving it up for Friday night With the sultans with the sultans of swing A crowd of young boys they fooling 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 playing band It ain't what they call rock and roll And the sultans played creole And then the man he steps right up

 To the microphone And says at last just as the time bell rings Thank you, goodnight, now its time to go home And he makes it fast with one more thing We are the sultans of swing Category

Question: Which pop groups first singles release, in 1979, was entitled, "Sultans of Swing"?
Answer: DIRE STRAITS