song "Sultans of Swing" (with Dire Straits)

E655377

"Sultans of Swing" is a 1978 rock song by Dire Straits, written and sung by Mark Knopfler, renowned for its clean guitar tone, intricate solos, and storytelling lyrics that helped launch the band to international fame.

All labels observed (2)

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Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf single
song
artist Dire Straits
bSide Eastbound Train
chartPositionAustraliaKentMusicReport 10
chartPositionCanadaRPMTopSingles 1
chartPositionNetherlandsTop40 2
chartPositionNewZealandSinglesChart 1
chartPositionUKSingles 8
chartPositionUSBillboardHot100 4
composer Mark Knopfler
countryOfOrigin United Kingdom
firstRadioSupportFrom BBC Radio London
linked to: BBC London 94.9
followedBySingle Water of Love
followsSingle none (debut single)
genre pub rock
rock
roots rock
guitarStyle fingerpicking
hasCompilationTitle Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits
hasGuitarRecognition frequently listed among greatest guitar songs
hasLiveVersion Sultans of Swing (Alchemy: Dire Straits Live)
Sultans of Swing (On the Night)
hasMusicVideo no original 1978 promo video
includedInAlbum Dire Straits
inspiredBy a jazz band playing in a South London pub
isBreakthroughWorkFor Dire Straits
key D minor
language English
length 5:47
lyricalTheme struggling jazz band playing in a nearly empty pub
lyricist Mark Knopfler
notableFeature clean Fender Stratocaster guitar tone
intricate fingerstyle guitar solos
storytelling lyrics about a pub band
originalDemoRecordedAt Pathway Studios, London
performer Dire Straits
producer Muff Winwood
rankedOnList Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
recordingYear 1977
recordLabel Vertigo Records
Warner Bros. Records
releaseYear 1978
singleVersionLength 5:10
tempo moderate
timeSignature 4/4
trackNumber 6
vocalist Mark Knopfler
writer Mark Knopfler

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Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Mark Knopfler notableWork song "Sultans of Swing" (with Dire Straits)
Dire Straits notableWork Sultans of Swing
linked to: song "Sultans of Swing" (with Dire Straits)