Bear in mind that “Sultans of Swing” was from their first album, which they recorded in 1978 at a total cost of £12,500 (about £69,000, or $94,000, in today’s money).
They didn’t have a horn player in their band, much less multiple horns, and as a new band, recording their debut album on a shoestring budget, even if Knopfler had wanted horns in that song, they probably didn’t have the money for it.
Agreed. It’s clear from the lyrics (and from interviews) that they aren’t a great band (maybe not even a good band), but they’re up there playing what they want to play, even though the “crowd of young boys” doesn’t like their music.
I always thought the song was about discovering a gem of a band playing Dixieland Jazz, of all things, in an English pub; unappreciated and ignored. It’s a hipster’s greatest dream.
To learn that it is just about a crappy bar band is a major let down. We’ve all seen our fair share of terrible bands. Heck, I’ve been in a terrible bar band. It makes the lyrics mundane IMO.
Has anyone here heard the Leo Moracchioli cover of it? (Link included for those who haven’t)
After the success of that song, he should have found them and bought them some new instruments.
Indeed, just because some drunken yobs do not appreciate world music, that is supposed to imply the Sultans of Swing are somehow mediocre?
Their lead guitarist just plays rhythm and doesn’t want to make it cry or sing. Does that sound like a good guitarist to you?
If it’s traditional Swing you don’t want your guitarist to showboat. It’s not a lead instrument.
I won’t debate the meaning since Knopfler weighed in, but I had always assumed George was rhythm guitar and Harry was lead – like Mark and David Knopfler. Rhythm guitar is an underappreciated skill and I took it to mean George had focused on mastering it.
Now I know it’s al just a 5 minute song about a shit band
Unless you’re a horn player, absolutely not. So we can hear less of Mark Knoppfler’s solos and rhythm tracks?
I don’t know that it’s fair to say they were a “shit” band.
They were a local bar band, just some guys playing music for a couple of bucks on the weekend. The funny thing is that their name is so lofty, The Sultans of Swing, a giant name for a little band.
Heh, all this time I though the lyrics were–
They don’t give a damn about any jumpin’, playin’ band
It ain’t what they call rock and roll
Which I thought meant bands where the members jumped around theatrically while playing-- they’re poseurs, as opposed to musicians who just stand there and play good music.
I disagree that “he didn’t have a high opinion of them” I think we was lamenting their circumstances and lack of respect couldn’t be any less. He didn’t seem to be critical of their abilities or performance, but rather the irony of having a kingly name in such a dive bar.
Mary Spender doesn’t agree and demonstrates why it works better as written. She also recommends listening to the Alchemy live version. Really good video like much of her stuff.
Agree with those saying the song’s narrator respects the band — even if Knopfler didn’t care for them in real life. And LSLGuy: the lyrics strongly imply the Sultans have horns, and that Harry is saving is creativity for Friday night “with the Sultans”. I think the narrator respects “Creole” and is saluting the guitarist’s purity with "Mind, he’s strictly rhythm…”
The only bad mouthing is directed at the hipsters ignoring the band.
Lyric excerpts:
…you stop and you hold everything
A band is blowing Dixie, double-four time
You feel alright when you hear the music ring
—-
…you don’t see too many faces
Coming in out of the rain to hear the jazz go down
Competition in other places
Ah, but the horns, they’re blowin’ that sound
—-
You check out Guitar George, he knows all the chords
Mind he’s strictly rhythm, he doesn’t want to make it cry or sing
— -
And Harry doesn’t mind if he doesn’t make the scene
He’s got a daytime job, he’s doing alright
He can play the honky-tonk like anything
Saving it up for Friday night
With the Sultans
With the Sultans of Swing
—-
And a crowd of young boys
They’re fooling around in the corner
Drunk and dressed in their best brown baggies
And their platform soles
They don’t give a damn about any trumpet playing band
—-
And the Sultans
Yeah, the Sultans, they play Creole
Yeah, I always thought the song was paying respect to a working band that want going to ever make it, but still play what they want; just a bar band on a rainy night.
Knopfler can say what he wants, but I’m going to be a deconstructionist and say he’s wrong. The Sultans are a fair band, playing good bar music. They’re not the Shitty Beatles, which was not just a clever name. The narrator just walked in and heard this group, and sure the local kids hate it, but fuck them, they have no taste.
If one really wants to be a deconstructionist, Knopfler is making fun of the Sultans because he has a recording contract and they don’t. Argumentum ad populum. Kinda cheesy to say “I’m a great artist and you’re not” on your first album! Let’s wait and see, Mark Sultan.
You’ve convinced me. Regardless of what might have inspired the song, there’s nothing in the lyrics that say they’re bad – just unsuccessful.
And these lines are pretty glowing compliments:
That’s only half of it:
the music is good enough to make you “feel alright”
Guitar George knows all the chords
He hears them play from outside, stops, and thinks “hold everything” then goes in and stays until they finish for the night.
I’d imagine if you told a band that they’d be pretty pleased.