Sultans Of Swing by Mark49

Mark49 - Sultans Of Swing

Mark49

Oct 28, 2023 10:16am

"Sultans of Swing" is a song by British <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_music" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">rock</a> band <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dire_Straits" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Dire Straits</a>, written by lead vocalist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Knopfler" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Mark Knopfler</a>. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demo_(music)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">demo</a> of the song was recorded at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathway_Studios" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Pathway Studios</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_London" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">North London</a>, in July 1977 and quickly acquired a following after it was put in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotation_(music)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">rotation</a> on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Radio_London" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">BBC Radio London</a>. Its popularity soon reached record executives, and Dire Straits were offered a contract with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonogram_Records" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Phonogram Records</a>. The song was then re-recorded in February 1978 at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basing_Street_Studios" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Basing Street Studios</a> for the band's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dire_Straits_(album)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">eponymous debut album</a>.The B-side, "Eastbound Train", is a live track that otherwise only appears on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hope_%26_Anchor_Front_Row_Festival" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Live at the Hope & Anchor Front Row Festival</a> album. The single would go on to reach the top 5 in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Canada</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">South Africa</a>, and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">United States</a> as well as the top 10 in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Australia</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Ireland</a>, and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">United Kingdom</a>.The song has since remained a staple of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classic_rock" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">classic rock</a> radio, and is one of the band's most recognizable songs. "Sultans of Swing" was composed by Mark Knopfler on a National Steel guitar in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_tuning" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">open tuning</a>. He thought the song was "dull" until he bought his first <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Stratocaster" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Stratocaster</a> in 1977: "It just came alive as soon as I played it on that '61 Strat ... the new <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chord_(music)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">chord</a> changes just presented themselves and fell into place."The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyrics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">lyrics</a> were inspired by a performance of a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixieland_jazz" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Dixieland jazz</a> band playing in the corner of an almost empty <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pub" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">pub</a> in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deptford" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Deptford</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_London" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">South London</a>. At the end of their performance, the lead singer announced their name, the Sultans of Swing; Knopfler found the contrast between the group's dowdy appearance and surroundings and their grandiose name amusing.The song is set in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common-time" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">common time</a>, with a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempo_(music)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">tempo</a> of 149 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beats_per_minute" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">beats per minute</a>. It is in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_(music)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">key</a> of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D_minor" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">D minor</a> with Knopfler's vocal range spanning G2 to D4. It uses a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chord_progression" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">chord progression</a> of Dm–C–B♭–A for the verses, and F–C–B♭ for the choruses<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultans_of_Swing#cite_note-sheet-9" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">]</a> The riff uses <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triad_(music)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">triads</a>, particularly <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_inversion" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">second inversions</a>. The song employs the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andalusian_cadence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Andalusian cadence</a> or diatonic phrygian tetrachord. All the chords are compatible with a D natural minor scale, except for the A major triad, which suggests a D harmonic minor scale. Knopfler used similar triads on "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Writer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Lady Writer</a>".Ken Tucker of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_Stone" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Rolling Stone</a> singled out "Sultans of Swing" as a highlight of the album for its "inescapable hook" and compared Knopfler's vocal stylings to those of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Dylan" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Bob Dylan</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultans_of_Swing#cite_note-rs-ds-15" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">[15]</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cash_Box" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Cash Box</a> said that "the phrasing of the vocals is reminiscent of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Reed" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Lou Reed</a>" and that "the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrangement_(music)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">arrangement</a> of moderate beat and excellent guitar work are exceptionally fluid and engaging."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultans_of_Swing#cite_note-cb-16" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">[16]</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Record_World" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Record World</a> said that "The lyrics are thoughtful and the hook instantly memorable."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultans_of_Swing#cite_note-rw-17" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">[17]</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Rolling_Stone_Album_Guide" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">The New Rolling Stone Album Guide</a> called the song "an insinuating bit of bar-band mythmaking" whose lyrics "paint a vivid picture of an overlooked and underappreciated pub combo".<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultans_of_Swing#cite_note-18" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">[18]</a> The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spokane_Chronicle" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Spokane Chronicle</a>'s Jim Kershner wrote that "Sultans of Swing" is "remarkable, both for its lyrics that made fun of hip young Londoners and the phenomenal guitar sound of Knopfler", which "sounded like no other guitar on radio".<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultans_of_Swing#cite_note-19" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">[19]</a> Jon Marlowe of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Palm_Beach_Post" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">The Palm Beach Post</a> called it "an infectious, sounds-damn-good-on-the-car-radio ode to every bar band who has ever done four sets a night, seven nights a week".<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultans_of_Swing#cite_note-20" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">[20]</a> Classic Rock critic Paul Rees rated the live version on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alchemy:_Dire_Straits_Live" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Alchemy</a> to be Dire Straits' greatest song.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultans_of_Swing#cite_note-21" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">[21]</a>Writing in 2013 on the impact of the song, Rick Moore of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Songwriter" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">American Songwriter</a> reflected:With "Sultans of Swing" a breath of fresh air was exhaled into the airwaves in the late '70s. Sure, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Fagen" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Donald Fagen</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Waits" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Tom Waits</a> were writing great lyrics about characters you'd https://singsnap-cdn.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/message-board/threads/NN5F/48a2187571_2ZTC_media.gif