Song 2: Sultans of Swing (Dire Straits)

Song 2: Sultans of Swing (Dire Straits)
(Level: C1 / Upper-Intermediate to Advanced / ***) 

Photo credit: rtbf.be   

You are going to watch a music video of Dire Straits' Sultans of Swing.

Dire Straits? 

to be in dire straits means to be in extreme, awful poverty. 

Dire Straits: a British band formed in 1977 by band leader Mark Knopfler (guitar and vocals), his brother David Knopfler (guitar), John Illsley (bass) and Pick Withers (drums). 

Although the band was formed in a period when punk rock reigned, Dire Straits worked within the conventions of "classic" rock with a sound that appealed to audiences.   

The band's most famous songs include: "Sultans of Swing", "Romeo and Juliet", "Money for Nothing", "Tunnel of Love", "Private Investigation", "Walk of Life" and “Brothers in arms”.

The commercial success of "Brothers in Arms" (song and album) in 1985 was mainly due to the fact it was the first fully digitally recorded album available in the (then) new Compact Disc format. Besides, it was considered a "must have" album in a limited range of available music in CD format.

A long period of inactivity followed this success during and six years later, Dire Straits' final studio album On Every Street was released in 1991. The singer would then decide to concentrate on solo projects and the band finally decided to call it quits in 1995.

Sultans of Swing" was Dire Straits' first single. It was first recorded as a demo in London and quickly acquired a real popularity after it was put in the rotation at Radio London. 

The song's story is that of the members of a working-class jazz group who only want to play their distinctive sound in a small London club, and don't care how popular they are.

Before watching

The following words could be useful:

to get a shiver: frissonner

the horns: les trompettes

the chords: les accords

to do alright: bien s'en sortir

a honky tonk is an American word for a bar where music, usually country music, is played. 

In the song: He can play the honky tonk like anything means he can play a honky tonk piano (in French: piano bastringue) that has been modified to alter the sound so as to make it more percussive. 

And when he plays it like anything means he does it really well.

to fool around: faire les imbéciles
They don't give a damn = they don't care   (Lit. Ils n'en ont rien à foutre!)

It ain't = It isn't

While watching

Watch, listen and read the lyrics. 

No question this time!  Enjoy the song!  

Watch the video by clicking HERE