‘Money for Nothing’ is a song by British rock band Dire Straits, the second track on their fifth studio album, Brothers in Arms. It was released as the album's second single on 28 June 1985. The song's lyrics are written from the point of view of two working-class men watching music videos and commenting on what they see. The song features a guest appearance by Sting who sings the signature falsetto introduction, background vocals and a backing chorus of "I want my MTV". The groundbreaking video was the first to be aired on MTV Europe when the network launched on 1 August 1987.
It was Dire Straits' most commercially successful single, peaking at number 1 for three weeks on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Top Rock Tracks chart and number 4 in the band's native UK. In July 1985, the month following its release, Dire Straits and Sting performed the song at Live Aid. At the 28th Annual Grammy Awards in 1986, ‘Money for Nothing’ won Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and was nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year as well. Rolling Stone listed the song as the 94th greatest guitar song of all time.
Knopfler modelled his guitar sound on ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons' trademark guitar tone, as ZZ Top's music videos were already a staple of early MTV. Gibbons told Timothy White of Musician in late 1985 that Knopfler had solicited Gibbons' help in replicating the tone, adding, "He didn't do a half-bad job, either, considering that I never told him a goddamned thing."
n 2000, Knopfler appeared on Parkinson on BBC One and explained again where the lyrics originated. According to Knopfler, he was in New York City and had visited an appliance store. At the back of the store was a wall of televisions which were all tuned to MTV. Knopfler said that standing next to him, watching the TVs, there was a male employee, dressed in a baseball cap, work boots, and a checkered shirt, who was delivering boxes. As they were watching MTV, as Knopfler recalled, the man came out with lines such as, "What are those, Hawaiian noises?... That ain't workin'," etc. Knopfler then requested a pen to write some of these lines down, and eventually put them to music.
The music video for the song features early 3D computer animation illustrating the lyrics. The video was one of the first uses of computer-animated human characters and was groundbreaking at the time of its release. The video was awarded "Video of the Year" (among many other nominations) at the third annual MTV Video Music Awards in 1986.
Songwriters – Mark Knopfler, Sting
Producers – Neil Dorfsman, Mark Knopfler
SONG LYRICS
[Intro]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
[Instrumental Break]
[Verse 1]
Now look at them yo-yos, that's the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain't working, that's the way you do it
Money for nothing and your chicks for free
Now that ain't working, 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
[Chorus]
We got to install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We got to move these refrigerators
We got to move these colour TVs
[Verse 2]
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
[Chorus]
We got to install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We got to move these refrigerators
We got to move these colour TVs
Hoover mover, uh
[Chorus]
Got to install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
He's gotta move these refrigerators
Got to move these colour TVs
Looky here, look out
[Verse 3]
I should a learned to play the guitar
I should a learned to play them drums
Look at that mama, she got it sticking in the camera
Man, we could have some
And he's up there, what's that? Hawaiian noises?
He's banging on the bongos like a chimpanzee
Oh, that ain't working, that's the way you do it
Get your money for nothing, get your chicks for free
[Chorus]
We got to install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We got to move these refrigerators
We got to move these colour TVs
[Verse 4]
Listen here
Now that ain't working, that's the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain't working, that's the way you do it
Money for nothing, and your chicks for free
[Refrain]
Money for nothing, chicks for free
Get your money for nothing, chicks for free
Money for nothing, chicks for free
Money for nothing, chicks for free
Money for nothing, chicks for free
Money for nothing, chicks for free
Ow, Money for nothing, yeah
And the chicks for free
What's that?
Get your money for nothing, and your chicks for free
Look at that, look at that
Get your money for nothing (I want my, I want my)
Bozos
Chicks for free (I want my MTV)
Money for nothing (I want my, I want my)
And chicks for free (I want my MTV)
Get your money for nothing (I want my, I want my)
Chicks for free (I want my MTV)
Ah, money for nothing (I want my, I want my)
Chicks for free (I want my MTV)
Easy, easy money for nothing (I want my, I want my)
Easy, easy, chicks for free (I want my MTV)
Easy, easy money for nothing (I want my, I want my)
Chicks for free (I want my MTV)
That ain't working
[Outro]
Money for nothing, chicks for free
Money for nothing, chicks for free