Yes, denizens, I want my MTV. Of course, I’m old enough to remember that MTV stands for “Music Television” for a reason. I’m probably even older to some of you for actually writing what I just wrote. I do apologize, but seriously? I miss the days of creative music videos. Then again, I also miss the days of creative music…and now I bet some of you are wondering if I’m even older than you originally thought. I swear, I’m in my 30s. And, no, that doesn’t mean I was born in the 30s.
Anyway, when I think of MTV from “way back when,” the 1985 Dires Straits song “Money for Nothing” is one of the songs that immediately comes to mind. Brilliant marketing ploy, if you think about it, using MTV as part of your lyrics, thus ensuring a permanent mnemonic for an entire generation.
This ended up being the biggest hit that Dire Straits ever had, more than likely because of the video’s influence. It was such a popular video, in fact, that it was the first to appear on MTV’s European launch in 1987. With a catchy guitar riff, Sting’s annoyingly infectious falsetto, somewhat cryptic, tangential lyrics, and a video that used early computer animation in whimsical (although shockingly simplistic now) ways, it’s no wonder that this continues to be considered one of the most influential entries from the days of early music videos.
However, it’s also an offensive song as well. Here, from the always unquestionable Wikipedia:
The singer, or more properly the first-person narrating character, refers to a musician “banging on the bongos like a chimpanzee” and describes a singer as “that little faggot with the earring and the make-up,” and bemoans that these artists get “money for nothing and chicks for free.” These lyrics were criticized as being sexist, racist, and homophobic, and in some later releases of the song the lyrics were edited for airplay; “faggot” for example is often replaced with “mother” (itself a shortened version of “motherfucker”).
It’s such a shame that a song that should have remained light-hearted and silly instead allowed itself to be brought down by caustic and hurtful epithets. I know that Mark Knopfler has tried to make excuses for using these lyrics, but really, they’re inexcusable. The song was edited for radio play, by completely removing the second verse. However, the music video uses the full song, offensive lyrics and all.
I don’t want to use the excuse that the 80s “were different times.” However, they were. They were a decade of unbelievably mixed messages…a decade marked by the presence of gender-bending musicians like Boy George…and marred by music and movies that slipped in the “f” epithet like it was any other insult. It always shocks me when I’m watching or listening to something from my childhood and all of a sudden, a character utters this word. It’s as jarring as Sixteen Candles‘ painfully stereotypical Long Duk Dong.
So here it is, denizens…the dark side of Flashback Fridays. Not everything from my generation’s adolescence is Smurfs and snap bracelets and PEZ dispensers. But the good news is that things change. Things have changed since we were young. Things are still changing. However, I do still want my MTV…I just wish it came with actual music videos.
Here, then, is the video. This is the unedited version of the song. So if you’d rather not hear it, skip it. Or let me know what you think of this song. Is it a decent song ruined by poor choices by the writers? Or do you think it sucks regardless? What about the video? Cutting edge? Or painfully cheesy and dated?
