Mark Knopfler has said that the song is supposed to be from the perspective of an appliance mover talking about a rock star, comparing what he has to do to get paid as opposed to the rock star. Hence "I shoulda learned to play the guitar, I shoulda learned to play them drums". Yeah, man you got it spot on.

Hey guys. Mark Knopfler was in an appliance store and overheard some delivery guys commenting on what was playing on MTV. He wrote down what they were saying and made a song. Later on he changed THAT word to mother or trucker when he played it live. Dire Straits are more enjoyable live. I highly recommend the song Telegraph Road Live Alchemy. It's the most epic song with beautiful lyrics and solos you'll ever encounter. The solo instrumental at the end is of biblical proportions. Thanks guys love your channel and reactions. Cheers All the best from Australia 👍👍

In today's language, the character in the video is "Hating" on the Rockstar lifestyle. He's saying "they get their money for nothin' and their chicks for free". He's portraying a blue collar worker who resents having to work so hard for his money and Rockstars make millions by doing nothing. Obviously it's a perception full of ignorance, but well-stated in the lyrics of the song. There is an alternate version of the song that changes the lyrics so it doesn't offend anyone, but the original version honestly depicts how that type of guy would talk.

You got the message right. This video was state of the art when it came out. That's why it was nominated for so many awards. Did you happen to notice who was on backing vocals? If not, maybe you haven't reacted to The Police yet. That's Sting on backing vocals.

This video was groundbreaking in the mid ‘80s- its originality and style still holds up today! Not to mention that guitar riff is definitely one of the most recognized in rock! 🔥

Sting is singing “I Want My MTV,” but he is singing it to the tune of “Don’t Stand So Close To Me” by The Police. So, he has writing credits on this song.

THIS song defines the 80’s in that whenever anyone my age 50’s who were in their 20’s during the 80’s immediately goes back to that decade, which btw was sooooooo much fun. About the “word” pfttttt who cares, people are soooooo sensitive these days.

Oh to go back to the eighties, people weren't so easily offended, we were free and the music rocked!! 🤘🤘😁

They have two versions of this song. The clean, and the uncensored. Most of the critics like to listen to the real one because it's true to it's core! He explains that wasn't meant to insult anyone. I still love this song because the reaction point of view is so real

That's Sting singing "I want my M-TV" and he's also in the backing vocals.

I’m just glad you found the “uncut” version of the video! 🤣 on most of the videos the cut that word out. BUT you can listen to WAP all day long 🙄 what the hell kind of sense does that make? Great song from a great era in music! One of the most recognizable and iconic riffs ever!

I love this song and what was a creatively innovative video at the time lyrically or animation wise there had been nothing else like it! You have to view it from the era it was made and accepted in. It’s a vibe!

Since you've done Sultans, Walk of Life would be a solid choice for your next Dire Straits song.

The higher voice doing backing vocals is Sting of The Police xx

He's singing as a normal working man, grafting to earn a livelihood, and they look at rock stars whom they perceive to have it easy

"Brothers in arms" may be their masterpiece. It is very moving. I recommend you guys reacting to this song.

Radio stations played this song CONSTANTLY in the summer of 1985. The other song that was being played constantly the same summer was "We Don't Need Another Hero" by Tina Turner. That song was a part of the Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome movie soundtrack.

So glad you guys found your way to this one, what a classic. That opening guitar riff is one of the all time greats, and this whole intro is always the first thing I play on any new sound system/speakers that I get - it's a great way to test the whole dynamic range, and it just rocks so damn hard when Mark's guitar kicks in. Great reaction as always guys, peace and love from Canada!☮

You got it right. Like others have said, Knoffler basically wrote this word for word on what he heard some dudes talking about at an appliance store. They had no idea an actual rock star was there and was ironically buying a part to fix an appliance lol Good reaction

This is like an unburied time capsule.The "F" word was used in the context.of the story. It was.sung in the 2nd person. It tried to demonstrate how someone being misconstrued was actually doing well. The term was wrong back then even as it is now, but back then even as a closet gay high schooler I got it, it wasn't hurtful to me cause i got the song, which is Artistic. It's a great Rockin' song loaded with facts

You were spot on! Nicely interpreted! 👏🏻👏🏻

Yes so glad you done this one!. 😊

The second verse relates to the advent of music videos, and how you don't need to be talented, just have a great video and you can become wealthy. It also has to do with the types of bands that were out in the 80's. It wasn't all hair bands, but techno and such. Lastly, these guys are British so they express themselves differently than we do.

It's also another excellent example of the music of the period having a strong stereo' affect, with the sound being very different between the left and right.

Lord I was 15 when this song came out. We used to go to the swimming pool with my boombox that was about foot & 1/2 long & Everyone would be dancing!! Oh man those were the days!!! You have to remember then we we listen to our music in our cars, our boombox & our home stereo's with big ass speaker's. Music sounded different from everyone of them!!

Saw them back in the day, on 92, brilliant gig 🔥🎸🎸🎸Mark Knopfler is a guitar hero

The secret is that when he uses the slur it isn't about the guy being gay it's him being a pretty boy and the fact the removalist guy is insanely jealous of him and envies him. It takes it from hate to something else.

Also as others have said, that's Sting from The Police doing backup vocals on this. You guys really need to dig into their music catalogue.

It’s the average physically hardworking working man imaging what it might be like, how much easier their lives would be, being a rockstar.

This was one of the early videos on MTV, which at the time only played music videos 24/7. The video was magic back then. The "F" word was used by most young men and older men for that matter, if a guy was a little weak he would be teased by his friends and called that word all in fun. It was very common and just used most of the time in jest and no harm was meant. The workers were jealous that not only did rock stars get paid handsomely for their music but even got all the girls for free and the only pain they endured was a blister on the finger from strumming the guitar or playing the drums. I GET IT, LOL. Great reaction and understanding these lyrics, esp. for the era the song was played.

Another classic tune.Thanks for doing this one.Have a great day

You understood the song PERFECTLY man !

This song is about class. The working class versus the entitled . The musicians put a lot a work to get where they are. But, when you are working hard labor , it’s hard to feel sorry for those not in you position.

This was the first video ever shown on MTV Europe xx

Mark Knopfler was in a store and overheard two workers complaining about having to bust there backs to make a living and were jealous of the rock starts on the tv's that were being displayed for sale.

You need to react to the live version with Sting, Phil Collins and Eric Clapton

Very solid reaction. Most people don't get this song the first time hearing. The writer often wrote songs based on normal, uninteresting things he saw and heard. The instrumentals carry the songs and the words are enough to keep your attention. I appreciate your reaction to the f word. Today the most vulgar horrible, offensive words are in common use. But anything dealing with homosexuality is completely taboo. This boomer does not get it. Dont get me wrong, I never liked that word. Never liked haters. Anyways, you addressed the word, figured out the context, pointed out that today that would not fly, and then enjoyed the rest of the song. I think that was perfect. Obviously the word was from the perspective of someone calling Dire Straits a group of for having long hair and rock costumes and make-up. The song ain't making judgments. It is laughing at someone's perspective of rock groups. They get money for nothing with the biggest risk being a blister on their finger from playing a guitar. Lots of envy and jealousy. And I think Dire Straits is making fun of themselves a little as well. Again, well done. I don't think another reaction channel got this song. I always really enjoyed this song because the instrumentals are rockin' good and the lyrics are a fun and funny story.

Believe it or not, that was cutting-edge 3-D computer graphics. It got alot of attention, even from the local news channels - "hey look what they can do with computers now!"

That’s awesome u got what the song was about first listen. I had heard this song many times growing up and never actually listened to the lyrics. I didn’t find out what it was about till recently lmao

TELEGRAPH ROAD from ALCHEMY LIVE, look forward to an experience like no other. A MASTERPIECE. You won't regret it. DIRE STRAITS. All the best from DIRE STRAITS home country England. Well done 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

Walk of Life is definitely your next reaction...if so, be sure to react to the video. Love watching yalls reactions. ❤️

I love this song. I had MTV playing all the time in the 1980s. My children grew up listening to wonderful music, playing video games I also played. The graphics inspired me to take computer college classes and I become a computer programmer and worked IT until I retired. I am 71 now and still love this music and video games.

And what I notice is the '80s style earring in his ear a lot of it has come back and it's awesome and yes he gets it

Hes a blue collar worker jealous of the rockstars not having to work but get all the money and choice of women

I feel bad for the younger people. I grew up in the late 80's and 90's MTV was amazing!!!

I remember I was 12 years old when this first aired on the radio. It was an immediate hit.

The story behind this song is, a couple of Dire band members overheard Furniture movers saying things like ‘We gotta move these things’ while walking past Motley Crue’s Girls Girls Girls on the TV at an Electronics store.

I always get the tingles when that guitar riff comes in at the beginning - for real

This was the very first song ever played on MTV Europe... very fitting song indeed. As someone who started playing guitar at age 12, you have no idea how many people I've heard utter that line with great regret : "I should have learnt to play the guitar"

You're spot on with your assessment of the song. This video received heavy play on MTV early in its existence. As others stated, this is a critique by a store employee while watching a video on MTV in the early 80s. Some of the terminology used would be an issue today.

I grew up in the 70s and 80s and that word had nothing to do what people apply it to be meaning now. Me and my friends we all called each other that word.

May I say guys that plaque on your wall is so dam nice.👍👍. This song is so good.🍻

I enjoy various reaction channels, and as far as this particular song is concerned, this may be the first instance I've seen where the reactors managed to correctly interpret the meaning and perspective. Good job! 🙂 The composer/lyricist got the idea for the song from a visit to an appliance store, where he overheard a conversation between some of the hard working folks on the job there (who were watching the display televisions that were playing MTV), talking about how they had to do back-breaking, real work while the MTV musicians had it easy...much of the song, including the bits you went back to listen to a few times, is nearly direct quotes of those appliance store workers.

Brilliant Track From Dire Straits 👍 Another Great Band. Mark Knopfler Is a Genius Guitar Player - Have To Say Never Heard This Version With This Particular Lyric With The Word Yer Reffering To . Dire Straits Have a Lot Of Great Tracks Like - So Far Away Romeo And Juliet Lady Writer Tunnel Of Love Brothers In Arms

Brother In Arms might mess with your feelings!

He's talking about men that go perform with all the makeup and jewelry making alot of money, so yes that's exactly what he's calling them. People need to understand that when I was growing up we didn't have that crazy " omg I'm offended " " I'm going to sue you for say that " thing, it was like " oh you're offended, well don't look, don't listen, turn the channel " that's it. This. Song was not edited until some time in the 2000's, I miss those good old days when we just listened to music, hung out in town talking to everyone and no fighting and suing.

Classic that's in my head all the time

That was Sting playing the high part. "I want my, I want my, I want my MTV. And he also sang at the beginning of the song.

The guy singing the background vocals “I want my MTV“ is the musician Sting

You got it. Spot on. ☺️

Try the live version from the ‘Live Aid Concert 1985’ 🤟🏽 Great reaction as always and congrats on the 100k 👊🏼💥

Mark Vogel and you got it right on. Knopfler has always liked writing songs from experiences he encounters. Great song from a great artist.

Mark Knopfler tried to play guitar like ZZ Top and got Sting in for Guest Vocals. This is the result. Of course, this was also the time when almost all of MTV's line up was them playing videos. Yes, at one time, MTV actually played music. It was a magical time. Now, when they do the MTV Video Awards, they have like, 6 Awards, and what's the point, you can't see any of those videos on the station, anyway! As for more Dire Straits, how about the song "Heavy Fuel?" That's one that no one has covered, but is a fun little romp.

In the background is lead singer of The Police, Sting, singing “l want my MTV” ♥️

Love the song. My favorite thing to do is turn the volume all the way up for the intro of it. The drums in the intro are the best

Talking about them playing music and thier touring also they have alot of perks with playing music and being smart

One of, if not the most iconic guitar riff ever?

So glad they watched the unedited version. It'd be canceled today in a microsecond. You go it right: The lyric sung in third person...he's singing about a conversation he overheard expressing jealousy about rockstars, while he's working in retail.

I loved this song as a kid and dang it still is awesome.

Great reaction and insight!! Mark Knopfler called out critics and the general public. Artists put their time and effort, into making something that they, themselves are proud of, but ultimately, is judged and criticized by the public. I don't know ( and don't care) what his sexual orientation is, but I'm sure that's his answer to whoever made it an issue. These guys are genuine, their music is heartfelt and relatable. Some people like it, some don't...and I think they're ok with that.

Great guitar sound effect. Raw and hard!

The lead singer of the band overheard two store employees commenting about music videos playing on the stores television displays. Their comments were taken and implemented into the song lyrics. Basically they were saying they had to work hard for their money while these music stars had it too easy and were over paid.

Nah, you straight nailed exactly what he was talkin bout. Plus, them TVs back then was like a sofa… probably weigh 120 lbs and they had to haul up 3-4 flights of stairs to peoples apartments… nobody tryna do that all day. Bet they wish they had taken that recorder more serious in elementary school. 🤣

Sting is singing in background "I Want My MTV" became the channel's calling card in music.

In the early 1980 s dire straights ruled music. The guy with him is Sting from the Police who you have to explore. They were HUGE!

When he uses the word faggot, he's actually referring to how people look at him at that point. He was a different type of cat back in high school or whatnot and now the same people who gave him shit back in the day, can look at him now and say he's made it.

That analysis was spot on.

This is one of the 1st music videos back in the day. MTV never does videos anymore. 😂😂

The term 'fagot' was not something people found inappropriate at the time, like so much else. Another forgotten expression in the song is 'color tv'. There was apparently still black and white television in 1985.

So many great songs but the most moving and powerful is Brothers In Arms.

You totally got it.

The part with the f word is a conversation between 2 workers. One saying "check out that little..." and the other saying "ya, but we're here busting our butts for peanuts. And that little ... has a plane, money and doesn't have to work". Mark Knopfler used to work for a living and that's the crap he heard said. He's not calling anyone that name.

Essentially he’s singing about how the rockstars are getting “money for nothing” while they have to move refrigerators, color tvs and microwave ovens for work.

From what I understand this song came from an actual conversation Mark (the singer) over heard while movers were moving stuff into his new house. Basically talking shit about him. And that’s Sting from the band the police song back up vocals.

Thumbs up for this. Sting got on early and did well and again, we buy the products and the lyes. Don’t matter who you sleep with

Brothers In Arms is an amazing song, too. Give it a listen.

Mark Knopfler founded Dire Straits in the 70's w/ his brother David Knopfler (guitar), Pick Withers (drums) and John Illsley (bass) ...They had a huge hit single 'Sultans of swing' in 1978... The scored several platinum records, but David Knopfler left after the 2nd record 'Communique' and Pick Withers left in 1982 after the 4th album 'Love over gold'. Despite Dire Straits essentially being a Mark Knopfler solo project by 1983 (he had John Illsley on bass, Terry Williams on drums, Alan Clark on keyboards) ... the band was huge at that point. This 1985 album 'Brothers in arms' would sell 9 million copies in the US alone... 'Money for nothing' would be their biggest hit single, which featured the vocals of Sting of The Police. By 1990, Mark Knopfler was becoming disillusioned by the success of Dire Straits, but he still recorded and released a final studio album 'On every street' in 1991 and launched a massive world tour. After the 1993 live album 'On the night'... Mark Knopfler ended Dire Straits as a band. In 1996, Mark Knopfler released his first solo album 'Golden Heart'... he has been recording and touring as a solo artist since.

dire straits are up there with Fleetwood mac and UB40 as my favourite bands ever

Color TVs were heavy as fuck back in the 80s and 90s lol you needed 4 people on some just to get those things in your house.

Man I've watched like 10 of these reactions waiting for someone to understand it... This is the closest I've gotten lol. Took me like 50 listens and an argument with a friend to really understand this song, but this guy got most of it on the first try. Workers are making fun of him for taking what they see as the easy route, calling him a f-bomb for having long hair. They don't understand the work that went into becoming a guitarist, a drummer, etc, and they don't see the irony in the fact that they're installing appliances for these people who actually applied themselves. Also, this is one of the best guitar / drum intros of all time.

Do "heavy fuel" and "calling elvis" next, great dire straits tunes 👌🏻

Your analysis was spot on.

Yes

You should check out Ride Across the River, the 1986 Sydney live show. Has a really good flute and guitar call and response in it.

This was high end graphics for this time. Now! …you can react to the Weird Al version called Beverly Hillbillies. (About the show Beverly Hillbillies). 😂😂😂 It’s really good. The lyrics haven’t aged well. …but they wrote in the perspective of some guy who install appliances, which really happened. The singer said he really heard this conversation, like his job (being in a band) was so easy, and the guy saying this was an idiot, he was the type of person to call people f****t. He was an idiot. That’s the point of the song, people having a perspective that being in a band is really easy. Obviously it’s not. I’m not defending any of it, just stating the facts.

This Video was cutting edge State of the Art never seen before Computer Animation that mesmerized the MTV Generation!

You gotta react to Dave: panic attack live @ future festival 2017, Black live at the brits 2020, heart attack... hes 🔥 he's deep as hell in his rappin

As a kid in the 80s, the opening guitar riff single-handedly made me want to learn guitar. Ironically, I never learned that riff! 🤷‍♂️🤣

Back then words that trigger so many people today were thrown around all the time and very very few even cared.

you nailed the meaning