Dire Straits’ Money For Nothing and the Problematic F Word
Dire Straits’ “Money For Nothing’ ” went to #1 in the US and Canada in 1985. Driven by frontman Mark Knopfler’s strong guitar riff and an iconic guest vocal from Sting, it was incredibly popular on the new music television channel, MTV. This was not only because of its groundbreaking animated video but also because it name-dropped MTV in the lyrics. Inspired by a conversation Knopfler heard at an electronics store and written in a persona, the song also features a nasty homophobic slur that you may or may not hear in the version your local radio station plays today.
Inspired by the guitar sound of ZZ Top, Knopfler coupled a catchy riff with an intro and chorus based on The Police’s “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” and invited Sting to contribute a backup vocal. Groundbreaking special effects and animation made the video unforgettable.
“I Want My MTV” was inspired by the ads famous rock/video stars made to support the fledgling music television station. The Police were among those to star in the commercials:
Written in first person from the perspective of an appliance store delivery person, Money For Nothing is a cynical take on the easy life of a rock star, and features a homophobic slur (“the F word”) in its unedited, original version. Does the fact that it’s in the voice of an admittedly repugnant narrator make the creative choice to use a slur ok?
The Canadian broadcasting authorities got complaints from listeners about the F word more than two decades after its release and took the original version of the song out of rotation.
Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler also wrote another song in first-person from the perspective of a working person, and gave it to Tina Turner to sing: Private Dancer.