Song
Money For Nothing
Dire Straits
Album:
Brothers In Arms
Song Meaning of Money For Nothing by Dire Straits
Dire Straits' song Money For Nothing talks about rock star excess versus the daily grind of working class people.
Mark Knopfler wrote the lyrics from the POV of two working men watching music videos and commenting on what they see.
He got the idea while at an appliance store in New York City. They had a wall of TVs and all were tuned to MTV. One of the delivery men standing beside him started talking about what he saw, and Knopfler took notes. The song features Sting who sings the signature falsetto introduction and background vocals.
The video was one of the first in the music industry to use computer animation and won Best MTV Video at the 1986 MTV Music Awards.
It also stirred up controversy due to the use of the word "f*ggot" in the lyrics. When the band would perform live, they'd replace it with "queenie" to avoid offending anyone.
Money For Nothing lyrics by Dire Straits
I want my—I want my MTV [4x]
Now look at them yo-yos, that's the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Money for nothin' and your chicks for free
Now that ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Lemme tell ya them guys ain't dumb
Maybe get a blister on your little finger
Maybe get a blister on your thumb
We got to install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We got to move these refrigerators
We got to move these colour TVs
See the little faggot with the earring and the make-up
Yeah buddy that's his own hair
That little faggot got his own jet airplane
That little faggot he's a millionaire
We got to install microwave ovens
Custom kitchens deliveries
We got to move these refrigerators
We got to move these colour TVs
We got to install microwave ovens
Custom kitchens deliveries
We got to move these refrigerators
We got to move these colour TVs
I shoulda learned to play the guitar
I shoulda learned to play them drums
Look at that mama, she got it stickin' in the camera man
We could have some fun
And he's up there, what's that? Hawaiian noises?
Bangin' on the bongoes like a chimpanzee
Oh, that ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Get your money for nothin', get your chicks for free
We got to install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We got to move these refrigerators
We got to move these colour TVs
Listen here
Now that ain't workin' that's the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Money for nothin' and your chicks for free
Money for nothin' and chicks for free
Get your money for nothin' and your chicks for free
Money for nothin', chicks for free
Get your money for nothin', chicks for free
Money for nothin', chicks for free
Get you money for nothin', get your chicks for free
Get you money for nothin', and the chicks for free
Get you money for nothin', and the chicks for free
Look at that, look at that
I want my—I want my—I want my MTV [repeat until the end]
Get you money for nothin', and the chicks for free
Money for nothin', chicks for free
Get you money for nothin', and the chicks for free
Get you money for nothin', and the chicks for free
Easy-easy money for nothin', easy-easy chicks for free
Easy-easy money for nothin', chicks for free
That ain't workin'
Money for nothin' chicks for free
Money for nothin' chicks for free
Release Date
1985
Songwriter/s
Mark Knopfler, Sting
Producer/s
Neil Dorfsman, Mark Knopfler
Label/s
Vertigo
