IIRC the song's actually about Mark Knopfler's grievances with rock fans, with the lyrics quoting a bigoted store clerk he overheard (with verse 2 being the most notorious portion that was taken verbatim) and using those ignorant statements as a representation of everything that Knopfler felt was wrong with those audiences.
Funny, I'm learning this riff these days. I'm 47. First time I listened to the words (I'm French so I can ignore english lyrics) I thought it was a self-criticism of Dire-Straits having fun about how rich they are (so self awareness), then I saw this as a criticism of people who think being a rock star is easy (so self-defense), and now I think it's both, and that's the power of true song writer : they describ and let us think. And the riff: what a right hand finesse, still working on it.
Dire Straits was working at George Martin's AIR Studios in Montserrat at the time. They wanted to use the MTV theme (I want my MTV!) and somebody found out that Sting was on the island surfing. A handy happenstance that just worked out.
It's not about installing microwaves and color TVs though. It's about being disrespected as an artist and the anger at people casually assuming because you're a musician you don't have to work hard at your craft to stay relevant. (also, little brag here, I used to work with the guys who made the music video for this song, played Warhammer with one of them regularly)
The actual sound, on the other hand, is basically impossible to recreate. Dire Straits themselves have never been able to. It was just a fluke of how the studio happened to be set up that day.
I think I saw something where he explained it. He doesn't use a pick so pluck the strings, if I was going to try to get the sound I'd use a little bit of phaser along with a cranked amp/distortion pedal.
https://www.guitarplayer.com/news/classic-tones-money-for-nothing-dire-straits says as much. But also "But the utterly unique timbre of “Money for Nothing” is just as much a product of some fortunate microphone (mis)placement. [...] The team later tried to recreate the sound using the same gear, alas to no avail."
And I'm sure you'd get just as close to the original sound as Knopfler himself would be able to. But the exact sound to that one recording is going to stay unique.
Which is hilarious because by that time he had played it live so much that he no longer played the same riff. If Al’s band had done it, they’d probably have matched the studio recording riff better.
Just listened to them back to back and never noticed how different they are. I've always liked the main riff in the Weird Al version better, but I think now I have a clearer idea of why I prefer it. It's just a little more punchy
It's weird since the lyric is written from the point of view of a blue collar/homophobic narrator. It's like asking if Mark Twain would write Huck Finn without using the N word today. Are people just simply oblivious to context these day?
Not weird. You can say “oh it’s from this POV, so it’s okay” but … if it was released today it’d 100% get static. Plus, it’s a song - when people hear it on the radio it’s not like they’re going to immediately know the context. So on first listen they’re just going to hear something that sounds like the artist is embracing a slur.
Not sure what this is doing here, other than Mr. O'neil being a goofball, but Shaq molesting Mr. Barkley's poor, exposed and vulnerable scalp is the kind of content I come to usersub for.
When Wierd Al wanted to cover 'Money for Nothin' for 'UHF', Mark Knoppfler agreed, but on the condition that he got to play lead guitar on it. So that's *also* Mark absolutely SHREDDING on 'Beverly Hillbillies'.
The playing wasn't the difficult part, it was reproducing the sound that proved to be impossible. What they got was kind of an accident, they just tried stuff till they got something they liked for the recording. But they could never get that exact sound back afterwards when they tried to reproduce it. They got close, but not the same.
I've heard he (Knopfler) uses an idiosyncratic picking style that makes some of his songs (like Sultans of Swing) difficult to play if you don't also play the way he does.
pupquine
It is hard, though, despite looking very simple
Hatseflats01
Love his vibes
TheSlightlyConfused
mcbotulism
Is that caption having a stroke?
OfficerCrabtree
“Imaginabla”, “Instaling”, “Microvawes”. For fucks sake, can’t anyone spell anymore?
TheLastGreatAudit
Shaq-Fu in action
VinchVolt
IIRC the song's actually about Mark Knopfler's grievances with rock fans, with the lyrics quoting a bigoted store clerk he overheard (with verse 2 being the most notorious portion that was taken verbatim) and using those ignorant statements as a representation of everything that Knopfler felt was wrong with those audiences.
MsQuin
I would really like for this to be true,i stopped listening to it because i assumed it was just language the artist used.
Metlahaed
That riff is what made me want to play guitar
YouTubeRed
MichelGoussu
Funny, I'm learning this riff these days. I'm 47. First time I listened to the words (I'm French so I can ignore english lyrics) I thought it was a self-criticism of Dire-Straits having fun about how rich they are (so self awareness), then I saw this as a criticism of people who think being a rock star is easy (so self-defense), and now I think it's both, and that's the power of true song writer : they describ and let us think. And the riff: what a right hand finesse, still working on it.
taez555
Beverly... Hills, that is.
YouTubeRed
jwhennig
Don’t forget the 30s of silence that preceded the song.
electrajet
Dire Straits was working at George Martin's AIR Studios in Montserrat at the time. They wanted to use the MTV theme (I want my MTV!) and somebody found out that Sting was on the island surfing. A handy happenstance that just worked out.
Elsoyyo
BackPackJohniee
Exactly!
PleasePMMeYourFeet
What is that? Hawaiian noises?
nuncamente
That video tho - computer animation tech from 1980s was cray cray.
nuncamente
https://youtu.be/wTP2RUD_cL0
LlamaLlamaQuack
I find this amusing cause Shaq is an EDM performer known as DJ DIESEL lol
SnappyCrunch
Shaq? You mean Dr. O'Neal?
DickTastrophy
Look at them yo-yos
UserNamesArentEasy
That's the way you do it.
dalaiyoda
We don't mention the guy who's a millionaire with his own jet airplane.
slenderonion
We can mention it because it mocks the people who call them a bundle of sticks
slenderonion
Also those bundles of sticks probably get more tail, than those mockers see online :D
hergurh
ironymus
This was state of the art CGI in 1985, but there are non sentient people out there believing the Moon landing was faked using CGI IN 1969!
RainierCamino
YouTubeRed
CelestialSea
It's not about installing microwaves and color TVs though. It's about being disrespected as an artist and the anger at people casually assuming because you're a musician you don't have to work hard at your craft to stay relevant. (also, little brag here, I used to work with the guys who made the music video for this song, played Warhammer with one of them regularly)
datphone777365
What factions.
CelestialSea
Warhammer Fantasy, I played WoC Khorne, mostly heavy cavalry, he played High Elves.
slendfung
AND getting Sting to sing backup
Thewayofthebear
It's actually a pretty easy riff to play. Great riff though.
MichelGoussu
The F you is to take with a smile, of course, as a sign of admiration as the riff is hard for me.
MichelGoussu
F you. I'm learning it these days. Playing it right, right-hand-wise is hard. And the subtleties, and singing over it ?
FrankPembleton
complexity has no correlation to quality
Higure
The actual sound, on the other hand, is basically impossible to recreate. Dire Straits themselves have never been able to. It was just a fluke of how the studio happened to be set up that day.
Thewayofthebear
I think I saw something where he explained it. He doesn't use a pick so pluck the strings, if I was going to try to get the sound I'd use a little bit of phaser along with a cranked amp/distortion pedal.
Higure
https://www.guitarplayer.com/news/classic-tones-money-for-nothing-dire-straits says as much. But also "But the utterly unique timbre of “Money for Nothing” is just as much a product of some fortunate microphone (mis)placement. [...] The team later tried to recreate the sound using the same gear, alas to no avail."
Thewayofthebear
I didn't disbelieve you, was more thinking about how I'd go about it.
Higure
And I'm sure you'd get just as close to the original sound as Knopfler himself would be able to. But the exact sound to that one recording is going to stay unique.
alltheLalz
There ain't a big enough loudspeaker in the world for that riff!
TK421isAFK
I own a modified Klipschorne with 2 extra mid-tweet horns, and an oversize mid-range (10"x18") horn, and your statement is correct. It's 1/2
TK421isAFK
fed with either a Crown PowerBase 2 or McIntosh MC2105, and I once got a complaint from people 4 blocks away (commercial area, mid-day). 2/2
Chronomechanist
I had to take it out of my driving playlist because I didn't feel safe driving with it on.
FrankPembleton
Mark Knopfler has a new album coming out soon
Acc87
thanks, now I know what to get my dad for birthday. Need to keep an eye open for a vinyl release
Herebychoice
https://twitter.com/MarkKnopfler/header_photo
Freyja33
And then playing it again for a song about a man named Jed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WPzFnZkZmI&ab_channel=alyankovicVEVO (It's the same guitarist, he wouldn't let Weird Al do it unless he got to play the riff)
Freyja33
same keyboardist too
GuitarBobMonterey
Haha, love Al spinning around, wondering which camera is on.
Troldann
Which is hilarious because by that time he had played it live so much that he no longer played the same riff. If Al’s band had done it, they’d probably have matched the studio recording riff better.
Freyja33
Just listened to them back to back and never noticed how different they are. I've always liked the main riff in the Weird Al version better, but I think now I have a clearer idea of why I prefer it. It's just a little more punchy
Troldann
You might enjoy this: https://strongsongspodcast.com/episode/weird-al-for-nothin-and-your-jokes-for-free
isthisjunkmail
...maybe get a blister on your thumb.
laton
*baby
camcam1234
We've got to install microwave ovens,
custom kitchen deliveries,
tintifaxius
We gotta move these refrigerators
ballsoutflyer
We got to move these color TV's
shyriath
*deliverIEIEIEIES
counterintel
Don't forget the part that doesn't make the radio edit version!
mcbotulism
The stations 'round here still play it unedited. I'm mildly surprised.
l0calh0st
Yeah buddy, that's his own hair.
taez555
Which is crazy since it was perfectly ok for years when it was being played on MTV. The verse is all about context.
jzbstl
Much different era. I wonder if Knopfler would’ve written that lyric today.
taez555
It's weird since the lyric is written from the point of view of a blue collar/homophobic narrator. It's like asking if Mark Twain would write Huck Finn without using the N word today. Are people just simply oblivious to context these day?
jzbstl
Not weird. You can say “oh it’s from this POV, so it’s okay” but … if it was released today it’d 100% get static. Plus, it’s a song - when people hear it on the radio it’s not like they’re going to immediately know the context. So on first listen they’re just going to hear something that sounds like the artist is embracing a slur.
NotGoodAtUserNames1
thegarts
That is kind of disturbing.
Diablodin
is this what bald people do to other bald people to assert dominance? XD
Snookiepoopshoots
Salty
boarbque
Not sure what this is doing here, other than Mr. O'neil being a goofball, but Shaq molesting Mr. Barkley's poor, exposed and vulnerable scalp is the kind of content I come to usersub for.
Nimitz007
WaterUnderTheRocketAppliances
The weirdest part is that there isn't a full audience to watch this
smashpro1
Probably happened during the 2020 season.
NotGoodAtUserNames1
Nah; this is from like 10
years ago. it’s just during warmups before the game.
userfriendly19777
One the most iconic guitar riffs!
boarbque
When Wierd Al wanted to cover 'Money for Nothin' for 'UHF', Mark Knoppfler agreed, but on the condition that he got to play lead guitar on it. So that's *also* Mark absolutely SHREDDING on 'Beverly Hillbillies'.
LucidPariah
That's great! Wonder why more of the original artists don't agree to let Al cover their tunes if they get to play the music
TheBlueMuppet
I love how it was "only if", like that wasn't the most awesome thing that couldve happened.
dwolvin
YEah, Iconic but (Been a very long time, could be wrong) I don't think very difficult....
chetnixandflill
Quite simple, in fact.
InkyBlinkyPinkyAndClyde
The playing wasn't the difficult part, it was reproducing the sound that proved to be impossible. What they got was kind of an accident, they just tried stuff till they got something they liked for the recording. But they could never get that exact sound back afterwards when they tried to reproduce it. They got close, but not the same.
dalaiyoda
Doesn't have to be difficult to have soul.
dwolvin
I agree, but the clip referred to it as difficult.
dalaiyoda
You mean "hardest"? I assumed that was meant in the "this is a banger" sense, but I guess it's open to interpretation.
Lawow74
I've heard he (Knopfler) uses an idiosyncratic picking style that makes some of his songs (like Sultans of Swing) difficult to play if you don't also play the way he does.
RoutemasterFlash
Yeah, I'm pretty sure it means it rocks hard, not that it's difficult.
lMrBodybagl
In today's gen lingo, "going hard" or "the hardest" means something that's the best.
dwolvin
Let me take the onion off my belt so I can sit down and listen...