Money for nothing

Har researchat lite om texterna på en del låtar som är med i höstpasset. Hopplöst att surfa fram hela texten till African Soldier, men den är ju också ganska ny - man måste kanske ha tag i CD-konvolutet?

Bättre lycka med Dire Straits' gamla megahit Money for nothing, som (i en upphottad version) inleder intervallerna. Jag har aldrig varit mycket till musikvideo-tittare, så jag har aldrig riktigt begripit vad den här underliga texten går ut på, från Wikipedia:

Musical and lyrical themes

The recording contains a very recognizable hook, in the form of the guitar riff that begins the song proper. (The song is also notable for its extended overture, which was shortened for radio and music video). The guitar riff continues throughout the song, played in full during each chorus, and played in muted permutation during the verse.

The song's lyrics are written from the point of view of a working-class man watching music videos and commenting on what he sees.

Knopfler described the writing of the song in a 1984 interview with critic Bill Flanagan:

The lead character in "Money for Nothing" is a guy who works in the hardware department in a television/​custom kitchen/​refrigerator/​microwave appliance store. He's singing the song. I wrote the song when I was actually in the store. I borrowed a bit of paper and started to write the song down in the store. I wanted to use a lot of the language that the real guy actually used when I heard him, because it was more real....

In 2000, Knopfler appeared on Michael Parkinson's interview program and explained again where the lyrics originated. According to Knopfler, he was in New York and stopped by an appliance store. At the back of the store, they had a wall of TVs which were all tuned to MTV. Knopfler said there was a man working there dressed in a baseball cap, work boots, and a checkered shirt delivering boxes who was standing next to him watching. As they were standing there watching MTV, Knopfler remembers the man coming up with classic lines such as "what are those, Hawaiian noises?...that ain't workin'," etc. Knopfler asked for a pen to write some of these lines down and then eventually put those words to music.

Intressant! Och nyligen så har visst sången i originalversion blivit okej att spela i Kanada, efter många års censur (pga missförstånd).

Påpassligt värre så är en hyllningskonsert-tour till Dire Straits' ära på G runtom i Sverige

Texten från http://www.guntheranderson.com/v/data/moneyfor.htm:

Now look at them yo-yo's, that's the way you do it
You play the guitar on that 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

/ Em7 - - - / - - G A / :

{Refrain}
We got to install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We got to move these refrigerators
We got to move these color TV's

/ C - G - / C - D - / Em7 - - - / A - B - C# - - - /

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

{Refrain}

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
Man we could have some
And he's up there, what's that, Hawaiian noises
Bangin' on the bongos like a chimpanzee
Oh, that ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Get your money for nothin' get your chicks for free

{Refrain}

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

Money for nothin' and chicks for free
  I want my, I want my, I want my MTV
{Repeat, ad lib to fade}