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Dire Straits — Money For Nothing
Album: Brothers In Arms
Avg rating:
7.7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 833









Released: 1985
Length: 8:05
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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I want my, I want my MTV
I want my, I want my MTV
I want my, I want my MTV
I want my, I want my MTV

Now look at them yo-yo's, that's the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Money for nothin' and your chicks for free

Now that ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Lemme tell ya them guys ain't dumb
Maybe get a blister on your little finger
Maybe get a blister on your thumb

We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these color TV's

See the little faggot with the earring and the makeup
Yeah buddy that's his own hair
That little faggot got his own jet airplane
That little faggot he's a millionaire

We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these color TV's
(Move-a, move-a... uh)

(We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries)
We gotta move these refrigerators
(We gotta move these color TV's)
Look here, look here

I shoulda learned to play the guitar
I shoulda learned to play them drums
Look at that mama, she got it stickin' in the camera
Oh, man we could have some fun

And he's up there, what's that? Hawaiian noises?
He's bangin' on the bongos like a chimpanzee
Oh, that ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Get your money for nothin' and your chicks for free

We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these color TV's

Listen here
Now, that ain't workin' that's the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Money for nothin' and your chicks for free

Money for nothin', chicks for free
Get your money for nothin' and your chicks for free
Money for nothin', chicks for free
Money for nothin', chicks for free
Money for nothin', chicks for free

Get your money for nothin', get your chicks for free (Ow, yeah)
Get your money for nothin' and your chicks for free (What's that?)
Get your money for nothin' and your chicks for free (Look at that, look at that)
Get your money for nothin' and your chicks for free (I want my, I want my, I want my MTV) (Bozos)

Money for nothin' and your chicks for free (I want my, I want my, I want my MTV)
Get your money for nothin' and your chicks for free (I want my, I want my, I want my MTV)
Ow, money for nothin' and your chicks for free (I want my, I want my, I want my MTV)

(Easy easy money) money for nothin', (Easy easy chicks) chicks for free (I want my, I want my, I want my MTV)
(Easy easy) money for nothin', your chicks for free (I want my, I want my, I want my MTV)
(That ain't workin')

Money for nothin', chicks for free
Money for nothin'
Comments (65)add comment
No comments on Sting on this track? Totally makes it.
Posted 1 year ago by tgrier    [ Reply ]
Long Live                                                                                                                      Radio Paradise
My rating is a               SOLID:                                                                                  8 - Most Excellent   


And I am SO HAPPY to get no "thumbs down"  
Posted 6 years ago by Tomasni    [ Reply ]
Why would you continue to play this offensive song? I know it's a "classic" but it's offensive to women and gays.
 
Posted 6 years ago by bselves    [ Reply ]
 ddog wrote:
So over played in the 80's it's still hard to listen to.

 
Nice riff, but I've heard enough of this particular cut.
Posted 7 years ago by junebaby65    [ Reply ]
So over played in the 80's it's still hard to listen to.
Posted 7 years ago by ddog    [ Reply ]
{#Bananajam}{#Drummer}{#Bananajam}
Posted 9 years ago by Eric_Gustafsson    [ Reply ]
 scraig wrote:

worst. video. ever.

 
Yes, it is worse than another animation video from same year - Sledgehammer. But it is 3D animation in 1985. You must deal with it.
Posted 9 years ago by otaznick    [ Reply ]
 MojoJojo wrote:
Huge fan of MK and DS. That being said, I could easily go without this song for the remainder of my days.

 
Exactly what I came here to post, although today my preferred term of banishment is a lot shorter than yours. I love Mark's guitar playing but less so on this album. 

Good lord, I had forgotten I was in such a lengthy conversation about this song!
Posted 9 years ago by kcar    [ Reply ]
Hey Bill - this one jumps about two thirds of the way through... ;-)
Posted 9 years ago by AndyFarang    [ Reply ]
I like how good this stream sounds.
Posted 9 years ago by cohifi    [ Reply ]
Huge fan of MK and DS. That being said, I could easily go without this song for the remainder of my days.
Posted 9 years ago by MojoJojo    [ Reply ]
Ahhhhh the drums....
Posted 9 years ago by francois_cheval    [ Reply ]
My headphones wont get any louder!

Love this song so much, pretty sure I broke my first car's speakers with it. 
Posted 9 years ago by ench    [ Reply ]
 kcar wrote:
Did not know Mark was gay. Not that worried that he has a voice in one of his songs use the word "faggot." 

Money For Nothing is one of those radioactive songs with a half life of...hell, the rest of my life. Truly played to death. I remember hearing a teaser for an MK interview in which the announcer said that Mark didn't know where the Dire Straits were in the present and didn't care to know. I'm sure he was thinking of this song. And I actually loved this band when they were around...

Did he ever enjoy writing "MfN" or was he just churning something out for an FM hit single? Can Bill and Rebecca just launch this one into the heart of the sun? 

 
Knopfler never really gives the impression that he enjoys anything afaik...
Posted 9 years ago by SuperWeh    [ Reply ]
 BillG wrote:

I'd say that as a gay man, Knopfler has more rights to the word "faggot" than he might otherwise have.

 
I remember an interview long ago with Mark Knopfler about this song.  He said that he was in an electronics/appliance store with his girlfriend when he overheard one of the workers (who move and load the microwave ovens and other stuff) commenting on him as the little faggot with the earring.  It seems like the worker was envious and disparaging of the little guy with all the money and made the faggot reference because of appearances.  
Posted 10 years ago by fstory    [ Reply ]
 lemmoth wrote:

So Bill I saw 1 Yahoo Answers reference to a 1996 statement from Mark that he was gay.  But then Wiki says that he was married for the third time in 1997, has had children with that wife to whom he remains married.  Just sayin, I don' think Mark is gay.

 
Right you are.  I'll add that to my personal 'disinformation' list. A long one, that... :-)
Posted 10 years ago by William    [ Reply ]
 BillG wrote:

I'd say that as a gay man, Knopfler has more rights to the word "faggot" than he might otherwise have.

 
So Bill I saw 1 Yahoo Answers reference to a 1996 statement from Mark that he was gay.  But then Wiki says that he was married for the third time in 1997, has had children with that wife to whom he remains married.  Just sayin, I don' think Mark is gay.
Posted 10 years ago by lemmoth    [ Reply ]
Surprised I had not rated this one yet.  8
Posted 10 years ago by xtalman    [ Reply ]
 kcar wrote:
Did not know Mark was gay. Not that worried that he has a voice in one of his songs use the word "faggot." 

Money For Nothing is one of those radioactive songs with a half life of...hell, the rest of my life. Truly played to death. I remember hearing a teaser for an MK interview in which the announcer said that Mark didn't know where the Dire Straits were in the present and didn't care to know. I'm sure he was thinking of this song. And I actually loved this band when they were around...

Did he ever enjoy writing "MfN" or was he just churning something out for an FM hit single? Can Bill and Rebecca just launch this one into the heart of the sun? 

 
Not that being married to a woman necessarily means MK isn't gay, but he is on his third marriage to a woman.
Posted 10 years ago by Antigone    [ Reply ]
 kcar wrote:
...Did he ever enjoy writing "MfN" or was he just churning something out for an FM hit single? Can Bill and Rebecca just launch this one into the heart of the sun? 

 
I don't know if he was trying to churn out an "FM hit", but it seems pretty obvious that he churned out this song (and it's accompanying video) in order for it to get it played on MTV (which is mentioned at least a dozen times in the lyrics).  MTV returned the favor by playing that video incessantly for at least a year
Posted 10 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
While I agree with every word written in this post, I also have to say that this song - for me anway - has entered a strange paradox.

It was so overplayed that it seems like everyone everywhere stopped playing it altogether.  Because of this, I haven't heard it for at least 10 years or so.  As a result of hearing it so many times in such a short period, all of the faces, places, and memories of the time when this was released are etched in my mind.  Hearing this once a decade brings those images of 1985 flooding back.

For this, I give it high marks.  Good song or not, overplayed or not, it is very iconic. 

kcar wrote:
Did not know Mark was gay. Not that worried that he has a voice in one of his songs use the word "faggot." 

Money For Nothing is one of those radioactive songs with a half life of...hell, the rest of my life. Truly played to death. I remember hearing a teaser for an MK interview in which the announcer said that Mark didn't know where the Dire Straits were in the present and didn't care to know. I'm sure he was thinking of this song. And I actually loved this band when they were around...

Did he ever enjoy writing "MfN" or was he just churning something out for an FM hit single? Can Bill and Rebecca just launch this one into the heart of the sun? 

 


Posted 10 years ago by GarageDragon    [ Reply ]
Did not know Mark was gay. Not that worried that he has a voice in one of his songs use the word "faggot." 

Money For Nothing is one of those radioactive songs with a half life of...hell, the rest of my life. Truly played to death. I remember hearing a teaser for an MK interview in which the announcer said that Mark didn't know where the Dire Straits were in the present and didn't care to know. I'm sure he was thinking of this song. And I actually loved this band when they were around...

Did he ever enjoy writing "MfN" or was he just churning something out for an FM hit single? Can Bill and Rebecca just launch this one into the heart of the sun? 
Posted 10 years ago by kcar    [ Reply ]
{#Bananajam}........... 10, next
Posted 10 years ago by Peter_Bradshaw    [ Reply ]
BillG wrote:

I'd say that as a gay man, Knopfler has more rights to the word "faggot" than he might otherwise have.

 

 

Knopfler is nothing but quoting!


Posted 10 years ago by Stingray    [ Reply ]
 BillG wrote:

I'd say that as a gay man, Knopfler has more rights to the word "faggot" than he might otherwise have.

 
Not that it makes any difference, but are you saying that MK is gay? {#Stupid}
Posted 10 years ago by Antigone    [ Reply ]
Certainly a 10 - and so much more!

 

...easy-easy chicks for free! Haaaa...!!!!


Posted 10 years ago by Stingray    [ Reply ]
 Imkirok wrote:

DS usually threw one or two pop songs on to sell records in the United States.  This is it for this album.



 
Right, because making a hit record is as easy as that...just throw in a gold record whenever you feel like "one or two" need to be on the "US release"...that's all it takes
Posted 10 years ago by rdo    [ Reply ]
 sirdroseph wrote:
This has got to be the all time worst song on the greatest album!  This album is fantastic cover to cover except for this piece of trash.{#Sick}

 
DS usually threw one or two pop songs on to sell records in the United States.  This is it for this album.


Posted 10 years ago by Imkirok    [ Reply ]
 DaMoGan wrote:

Awww, c'mon.  It's definitely not the best song on the album, but it is fun and catchy.  Of course, it is insulting to gay people, so perhaps you have a point.



 
I'd say that as a gay man, Knopfler has more rights to the word "faggot" than he might otherwise have.
Posted 10 years ago by William    [ Reply ]
 gratefulgator wrote:

I think the popularity might relate to MTV - I always think of the video.  This was back when MTV played videos...

 
Yes, MTV did play videos back then, and to ensure that the video for this tune was played over and over and over again, every fΩ©king day for what seemed like an eternity, Mr. Knopfler and Sting made a point of collectively mentioning "MTV" at least a dozen times throughout the song.
Posted 10 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
I respect that this 'ain't' a censored version of the song. 
Posted 10 years ago by ziakut    [ Reply ]
oooa  mooooa!
Posted 10 years ago by Krakus    [ Reply ]
Im looking thru my record collection searching for songs Canada can ban when they make beastiality legal.
Posted 11 years ago by stunix    [ Reply ]
That little Clampett got his own cement pond.
That little Clampett he's a millionaire! 
Posted 11 years ago by ziggytrix    [ Reply ]
 Sawyer wrote:
I am a huge Mark K. fan, but this not their best effort by a longshot. Somehow it got real popular with radio stations though.  Oh well still a 6 for me.  

 
I think the popularity might relate to MTV - I always think of the video.  This was back when MTV played videos...
Posted 11 years ago by gratefulgator    [ Reply ]
 sirdroseph wrote:
This has got to be the all time worst song on the greatest album!  This album is fantastic cover to cover except for this piece of trash.{#Sick}

 
Awww, c'mon.  It's definitely not the best song on the album, but it is fun and catchy.  Of course, it is insulting to gay people, so perhaps you have a point.


Posted 11 years ago by DaMoGan    [ Reply ]
Great album  {#Bananajumprope}
Posted 11 years ago by k2y2te    [ Reply ]
My amp goes to 21! {#Bananajam}
Posted 11 years ago by dirtbagpook    [ Reply ]
This has got to be the all time worst song on the greatest album!  This album is fantastic cover to cover except for this piece of trash.{#Sick}
Posted 11 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
I am a huge Mark K. fan, but this not their best effort by a longshot. Somehow it got real popular with radio stations though.  Oh well still a 6 for me.  
Posted 11 years ago by Sawyer    [ Reply ]
the best thing about this song is/was wierd al yankovich's parody of it...

another song that should just be tossed and forgotten 
Posted 11 years ago by gjr    [ Reply ]

This song is soooo good for the ears...
 
Posted 11 years ago by Lazarus    [ Reply ]
And the volume goes way up (to 11 !) {#Bananapiano}
Posted 11 years ago by Geertvandenhende    [ Reply ]
Alas, Dire Straits has not dated very well. 

Good memories anyway, apart from radio stations at the time playing it to death ! 
Posted 11 years ago by bb_matt    [ Reply ]

Ever heard of a 25 year lag time on censorship?


>>Dire Straits' 'Money for Nothing' Banned in Canada

Jan. 14, 2011

The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council has ruled that "Money for Nothing," a Dire Straits hit from 1985, is too offensive for Canadian airwaves. The song is being singled out for the repeated use of an anti-gay slur - "that little faggot" - in its second verse.

This hasn't stopped some Canadian classic rock radio stations from playing the song. In the days since the ruling, stations in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Edmonton, Alberta have protested the decision by playing an unedited version of the song on repeated for a full hour.

Dire Straits keyboardist Guy Fletcher shared songwriter Mark Knopfler's reaction in the forum of his website, writing "Mark tells me that due to the ban, he has now substituted the word faggot for 'fudger'...for Canada."

Though "Money for Nothing" has been a staple of rock radio for over two decades, the move to ban the song came as a result of a complaint by a listener in St. John's, Newfoundland. The ruling does not ban the song outright - versions with the offending words edited out are safe for airplay.




Posted 13 years ago by treatment_bound    [ Reply ]

Mark Knopfler, Sting, Eric Clapton and Phill Collins - "Money For Nothing" Live at The Royal Albert Hall, (1997):  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1lNMBsNEw8

"essa seria a melhor banda do mundo!...."

"Money for nothing was never played with a fender... It was played with a pensa for many years during 1987-1992 and a couple of other guitars during 1985-86 shows but never with a fender. "

"Mark always said the best way to play money for nothing was how he recorded it. volume turned up full on a les paul!  "


Posted 14 years ago by calypsus_1    [ Reply ]
Prefer ... "On The Night" Album Version
Posted 15 years ago by augenblick    [ Reply ]
Love it everytime I hear it; and I don't hear it that often. And all I can do is shake my head when I hear/read people saying that they USED to like a song and don't anymore 'cause it's been played a gazillion times. Wish I could turn you off 'cause it's been said a gazillion times and still dosn't make any sense. pbm
Posted 17 years ago by Patti    [ Reply ]
UncleRemus wrote:
The opening, which I notice RP did not play...
Yeah, gotta sacrifice some things so we can hear those 10 minute DMB and Santana wankings
Posted 20 years ago by JokesandJokesandJokes    [ Reply ]
have we been bad that you're punishing us with this? My frickin Monday is hard enough... you're supposed to provide my brain narcotics. :P
Posted 20 years ago by Nuance    [ Reply ]
My anthem of the 80's.... but a tad dated today. The opening, which I notice RP did not play, is somewhat reminiscent of the extended opening of Steve Miller's Jet Airliner, and I think sets the tone for the rest of the song. The sarcasm is dead-on, MTV being the soma of the masses. It doesn't matter what happens to you, just so long as you have your videos. Still, I gotta go with the writer who earlier said the influence of this song has been blunted by endless rotation.
Posted 20 years ago by UncleRemus    [ Reply ]
i'm having a hard time remembering how much i actually liked this song when it was all over the place - certainly not as much as most of the other stuff on the album - "your latest trick" was a nice underplayed track "making movies" is still probably their best album, IMHO
Posted 20 years ago by ninja_band    [ Reply ]
ksb wrote:
Though I love the sarcasm in this song, it was really only interestering the first 100,000 times I'd heard it.
ksb Is that how many times we've heard this song in the last 19 years? It's okay on the RP playlist as long as we only have to hear it a few times a year.
Posted 20 years ago by Leslie    [ Reply ]
reminds me of my family. my parents and my sister and i used to dance to thsi together in the living room when i was.. probably 5ish. heh.
Posted 20 years ago by PattonFever    [ Reply ]
Though I love the sarcasm in this song, it was really only interestering the first 100,000 times I'd heard it.
Posted 20 years ago by ksb    [ Reply ]
lolitampeg wrote:
i never noticed they flat out call people faggots in this song. "that little faggot is a millionaire" gotta open up my ears......too funny.
The story behind this tune:Mark Knopfler overheard some moving men as they were watching MTV, and their words more or less comprise the lyrics to this song. So the use of the word "faggot" isn't the name calling you may believe it is(at least on Knopfler's part).
Posted 20 years ago by redeyespy    [ Reply ]
i never noticed they flat out call people faggots in this song. "that little faggot is a millionaire" gotta open up my ears......too funny.
Posted 20 years ago by lolitampeg    [ Reply ]
EXCRUCIATING.... as overplayed as "Magic carpet ride", "Carry on my wayward son", & "Freebird", When I'm in my car, the station is switched on the opening notes of these songs. It's such a pity too, cause they're all great songs.- ruined by the idiot masses who listen to music now and then, and only want to hear what they know.
Posted 20 years ago by toastee    [ Reply ]
i LIKE THE SING BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO PLAY IT HERE...I CAN HEAR IT ON THE RADIO ON MY WAY BACK HOME
Posted 20 years ago by masterhead    [ Reply ]
Mark Knopfler + Sting = \:D/ \:D/
Posted 20 years ago by BoFiS    [ Reply ]
Oh no, I can't hear this song. It has been played to death on commercial radio. I still like to hear the first two Dire Straits albums, but this song is not what I expect to hear on Radio Paradise. Back to my own MP3s...
Posted 20 years ago by spn    [ Reply ]
Oooooh, I'm a freshman in college again. More Dire Straits, please! :D
Posted 20 years ago by yellowdog    [ Reply ]
Oh my this song is Godlike! Brilliant :) :)
Posted 20 years ago by SteveGriff    [ Reply ]
What can I say apart from this song is Dire straits signature song to get the full song get the brothers in arm album cause the very fist verse on that version is always missed out WHY?! but still you cant diss them they are the best
Posted 21 years ago by Peter_g    [ Reply ]