May
19
19
This Day In Music
On May 19th in 1978, Dire Straits released “Sultans of Swing” as a single although it did not chart as a hit until 1979.
First recorded as a demo in 1977, the song received immediate air-play at Radio London. The heavy rotation and its enormous popularity led Phonogram Records to sign Dire Straits, and they subsequently re-recorded ”Sultans of Swing” for their first album, Dire Straits.
The original demo only cost £120 to produce, but the low cost hides a real gem. ”Sultans of Swing,” written by Mark Knopfler in a bar, features many of the musical and lyrical components that came to define Dire Straits as one of the great “classic” rock bands of 1980′s.
Take a listen for yourself below: