That Ain't Working
There is a strong argument that Money for Nothing by Dire Straits is the production standard for dynamic range and clarity.
Money for Nothing by Dire Straits broke cultural ground as an MTV pioneer when it was released in 1985. That's fine. I'm more interested in the indulgent intro that lies somewhere between Shine on You Crazy Diamond and Orinoco Flow. Featuring guest vocals by Sting, this build starts low and slow, simmers, and then boils over into a towering guitar riff ear worm for the ages. Songwriting and cultural impact aside (both of which are considerable), there is a strong argument to be made that this production is the standard for dynamic range and clarity.
Let's get this out of the way; it would be remiss not to mention this song says the slur "faggot" thrice in its lyrics. This isn't a trigger warning–those don't work or at least not the way we think they do. Also, it seems quaint to even mention in an age where Eminem is playable cartoon avatar in Fortnite. I won't spend much time discussing it; plenty of others already have. This is an old song and an old controversy. "Money for Nothing" has been censored and re-released; altered and re-re-released; and uncensored and re-re-re-released.
I prefer the original recording. In context, Dire Straits leading man Mark Knopfler, is obviously mocking the jealousy and homophobia of the song's fictional POV character. I'll leave it at that. I've linked the original version above. If you'd like a censored radio edit, it's here: Money for Nothing (Single Edit) [2022 Remaster].
Either version you choose to listen to sounds sublime. So much so that I contemplated not recommending Money for Nothing. It's a cliche choice when talking about high-fidelity audio. But I just have to. It's fabulous. Cliches are such for a reason, yes?
Listening to Money for Nothing play on an original vinyl through a pair of McIntosh XR-19s I once restored remains one of my most singular musical experiences. (And I am not a big vinyl guy.) Fuzzy Les Paul guitar rips along over tight drum beats and synth warbles I could feel in my chest. The symbol splashes are shiny and bright, with the vocals nestled perfectly in the mix. You can listen to any of the parts at any time throughout the track. It's a simple song outside the intro, but sounds deep and wide like almost nothing else when played on a high end audio system.
There's also the MTV of it all. The cheesy early-CGI video was groundbreaking and a cultural phenomenon at the time. I don't think it's aged well, but I'm sure it sold a lot of color TVs.
From a songwriting perspective, I actually find Money for Nothing a bit underwhelming. This is not a hot take. The avant-garde intro and eight-minute-plus track length are not justified by what is a by-the-numbers radio rock song. (Hello, radio edit.) However, the execution is genuinely flawless. The ceiling on how satisfying this record can sound is about as high as it gets: it simply does not run out of steam.
Money for Nothing is a jam begging to be kicked out. Turn it up.
Data
Song: Money for Nothing
Album: Brothers in Arms
Artist: Dire Straits
Genre: Rock
Year: 1985
Length: 8:26
Composer: Mark Knopfler
Producer: Mark Knopfler, Neil Dorfsman
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