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You get a shiver in the dark,
It's a raining in the park but meantime-
South of the river you stop and you hold everything
A band is blowing Dixie, double four time
You feel alright when you hear the music ring
Well now you step inside but you don't see too many faces
Coming in out of the rain they hear the jazz go down
Competition in other places
Uh but the horns they blowin' that sound
Way on downsouth
Way on downsouth
London town
Check out guitar george, he knows-all the chords
Mind he's strictly rhythm he doesn't want to make them cry or sing
They said an old guitar is all, he can afford
When he gets up under the lights to play his thing
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
Savin' it up, for Friday night
With the Sultans
We're the Sultans of Swing
Then a crowd a young boys they're a foolin' 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 playin' band
It ain't what they call rock and roll
Then the Sultans
Yeah the Sultans they play creole, creole
And then the man he steps right up to the microphone
And says at last just as the time bell rings
Goodnight, now it's time to go home
And he makes it fast with one more thing
We are the Sultans
We are the Sultans of Swing
It's a raining in the park but meantime-
South of the river you stop and you hold everything
A band is blowing Dixie, double four time
You feel alright when you hear the music ring
Well now you step inside but you don't see too many faces
Coming in out of the rain they hear the jazz go down
Competition in other places
Uh but the horns they blowin' that sound
Way on downsouth
Way on downsouth
London town
Check out guitar george, he knows-all the chords
Mind he's strictly rhythm he doesn't want to make them cry or sing
They said an old guitar is all, he can afford
When he gets up under the lights to play his thing
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
Savin' it up, for Friday night
With the Sultans
We're the Sultans of Swing
Then a crowd a young boys they're a foolin' 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 playin' band
It ain't what they call rock and roll
Then the Sultans
Yeah the Sultans they play creole, creole
And then the man he steps right up to the microphone
And says at last just as the time bell rings
Goodnight, now it's time to go home
And he makes it fast with one more thing
We are the Sultans
We are the Sultans of Swing
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yeah, i'm 16, yeah my favourite bands are straits and the who, not really a big deal. amazing song this, talking about how people have lost touch with music, and how ordinary people can do incredible things, ie be the "sultans of swing".
It´s not the write your age and say what you think of the band/artist.
seriously, no one cares how old you are or what the rest of your age group listens to
A rock and roll song about a jazz band..."they don't give a damn about any trumpet playing band - it aint what they call rock and roll" The same thing can be said about Mark Knopfler as was said about Amadeus Mozart "he uses too many notes" his riffs will boggle the mind.
It's about an amateur band playing out-of-fashion music without interest for popularity and revenues but only for the love of playing it.
And there really were just a few lads playing pool in the corner. ignoring the band as it played on regardless, until finally announcing " Thank you for coming along we are ..The Sultans Of Swing !"
I suggest we track down that original band, get them back together. and have them record their own version of this classic song.. maybe mark could even guest on it with them !
BTW, (for everyone else who may have been offended) I'm not suggesting this isn't a great song or an amazing solo as I've just finished learning it on guitar but that's not the really the point of songmeanings.net
Bloody Hell! Fantastic!
If it doesn't make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, then you've got no soul... it's out of this world and makes me smile from ear to ear totally involuntarily, and bop around with the rhythm.
Just incredible. I haven't figured out the meaning of this song yet, but to be honest, it's one of those rare few that don't need a meaning... just listening to them for the sheer musical prowess is enough.
I can only thank my Dad for getting me interested in Dire Straits when i was a very young child... it's a love of music that I hope will never leave me...