In Dire Straits

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From the MUSIC section: Money for Nothing

In dire straits. Definition: in extreme danger or difficulty

That’s where Mark Knopfler found himself -in dire straits- after using the offensive word “faggot” in Dire Strait’s song Money for Nothing. The music press didn’t find the word amusing and radio stations around the United States deleted it and Warner Brothers had to provide edited versions of the song.

Knopfler’s lyrics reflect critical remarks made by some “yo-yo” he saw watching MTV at a kitchen appliance shop on the Upper East Side of New York City. Knopfler was so amused and inspired by what the “blockhead” was saying, that he grabbed a pen and wrote the lyrics to Money for Nothing right there on the spot.

In the words of Knopfler: “I wanted to use a lot of the language that the real guy actually used when I heard him, because it was more real.”

Ironically, the song and video that satirized MTV and pseudo rock stars ended up making Mark Knopfler a rock star too. But a genuine one.

The song reached the Number 1 spot on the charts in the USA on September 21, 1985, where it stayed for 3 weeks.
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Vocabulary:

Faggot. (Slang: disparaging and offensive). Término despectivo para un hombre homosexual

Yo-yo. Persona incompetente, tonta (argot); también significa yoyó (juguete)

Blockhead. Imbécil (argot)

On the spot. En el mismo sitio

Published by: Drew Crosby