Writing songs for the Canadian market? Mind your language!
It is important not to cause offense these days, particularly when in some jurisdictions it is the person who is being offended who decides whether or not an offense has been caused.
Words can offend, there is no doubt of that, and most of us wouldn't dream of using certain words that are widely held as being offensive.
But words can change in their meanings, and the threshold of offensiveness changes over time.
So certain words that could have been used at one time may not be permissible now. Whether it is their meaning or their degree of offensiveness that has changed would be open for debate in individual cases.
So here's the song...
Cover your ears around 1.48, 1.56 and 2.00.
Well I'm not going to repeat the word here and get banned in Canada too, but I can tell you from a close and detailed reading of Wikipedia that it means a bundle of sticks and that no-one really knows why it has become a word that could cause offense.
However that isn't the point. If it is used as an offensive word, then it is offensive. I think that is reasonable to say.
What is unreasonable though is the banning of this song, or at least this verse, from the airwaves.
This song is unusual in that the lyrics are written in first person. And it is not the singer Mark Knopfler who is telling the story, it is a character he has invented.
So if the character is the person who is prone to the use of offensive language, then it is a feature of the art that is this song.
But according to the logic of the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, you can't create fictional characters who use offensive language and incorporate their words into a song. Well you can, but it won't be broadcast.
Oh by the way, here's another song on the same topic. Once again the performers are singing in character. Cover your ears at 2.12...
Legend has it that when Shane MacGowan and Kirsty MacColl performed the song on Top of the Pops, as shown above, in December 1987, the BBC insisted that the word 'arse' should be replaced by 'ass', which in the UK means nothing other than a donkey. The other word remained. How times change...
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David Mellor
David Mellor is CEO and Course Director of Audio Masterclass. David has designed courses in audio education and training since 1986 and is the publisher and principal writer of Adventures In Audio.
@mathiasrubilarortiz: Digger
@JillOc: Great song first technology music video made
@JennyCornes-n9u: Whit dire straits song iis the world save I'm truth and justice.
@Halpin2006: At 1:52, the controversial verse is said to have come from a retail store supervisor who actually said the words that Mark is singing! And at 3:01, that Hungarian model was hoping to do some nude posing, only to be disappointed with lingerie shots. And there never was an Ian Pearson band. ian was a producer for Dire Straits.
@BattSabbath: Heavy asf
@MajinBadat: It's crazy to think this video led to the creation of the TV series Reboot.
@oakroyal: I remembered the World Premiere of Money For Nothing on MTV
@lesyjavaz8607: 1994 baby and 2026 we still here
@MarcKoffsket: Right before I realized that there is in fact higher intelligence. Let's market our brand. Humans, and Earth...
@hectorfuentes3210: Este era un vídeo de última generación , 😂
@eddiehitler9822: Dat riff do
@notsans9995: Is this AI
@obiuss: We don't talk about the F-Bomb with an hard T? No? Okay, then...
@TurquoisechannelshortsYT replies to @obiuss: It’s a peak song
Don’t worry abt the lyrics
@obiuss replies to @obiuss: @TurquoisechannelshortsYT I'm with you. It Is a peak song from a better, a less worrysome time.
@avestaskl1481: August 2026? 🖤🥃
@EstebanAlmeida-z9b: ES UNA ROLA SIMPLE YO SOY SIMPLE TU ERES SIMPLE ESTO ES PURO ROCK ROCK PURO THE LITTLR FUCKETS IT THE NERDS HELLO MI PEOPLE❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
@YankNNeckPod: I remember when i was younger around when vh1 classic was still around and they played the music block of the classic and this video came on. I miss vh1 classic
@joseorellana8670: 2026🎉😊
@regishouam7448: dire straits and sting love it
@AurelioDeLaFuente-c4b: I remember John Miller doing rounds on the CHS parking lot with the music sounding very loud on his Red Dodge Dakota
@AurelioDeLaFuente-c4b: I remember back in the 80s when MTV was in its early stages UNFORGETTABLE
@TheBusinessMusic69: Heavy rotation though
@jorgieg1: Still delivers!!!
@spacecoyote8921: ReBoot. If you know, you know.
@vdb492: most uncle song to ever exist
@madnimrod2489: Thumbs up if you remember when they referenced this song in Reboot
@jeremybeaird2719: Asking Gibbons for advice "figure it out! "
@darasannz919: Remembering '86...my fave❤ 🥁🥁🥁
@willcarrick7919: Youtube cut the entire intro. Which i pay for.
@willcarrick7919: Why are they cutting the intro
@carchick7545: My first video watching MTV ❤
@נוריתאביטל: יש פה הרבה שירים שזה לא הקליפ המקורי, נראה לי שזה משנות ה80.
@MonicaLlaurado-x4u: Con inteligencia artificial i no hay bunos videos de que año es esto😜🫣🫣😂😂
@ConanCnutKicker: These graphis were so good in the 70s that we actually though those sprites were real people.
@robynsegg: I just realized that Dire Straights predicted the rise of the flat-screen TV 40+ years ago. 😊
@johanholtz8913: Its holtz here a sunday no people outside in trelleborg they shame❤
@raulrivas250: ❤
@JanBee1122: How the hell did I not ever know that was Sting at the beginning "I want my MTV"?
@JokerFishClownShoe: Stop censoring art.
@LucianoOliveira-y3u: Depois dessa música 😢 boa noite 🥱 tenho que dormir 😔.
@BondageSpider: I should've learned to play the guitar.
I should've learned to play them drums.
@Swaze73: Still epic.
@OscarManuelDiazsantiago: El intro ❤❤❤❤❤😂😂😂😂😂😂i love the 80s CDMX
@stephenpowell5912: Great tune from 1985 from the Brothers in Arms Album ,My late Dad (1954-2002)Loved Dire Straits since 1978 and i'm sure he had most of their albums .R I P Dad ,Miss you so.much GBNF ,Thank you also for your service to the Nation 1974-1992 🇬🇧🫡👏🙏😪
@Fercheva_oficial: 1:29
❌️Baby, get a pistol on your son
✔️Maybe get a blister on your trumb
@darkhumour2210: Niu lai
@denis-kelev: Fluo period remember Agassi and so many fun things
@deliolucas: Video pesca
@ArnaudSpitz: Bonjour aujourd'hui 176 400 484 vues le 22 août 2026 et bon anniversaire à mats Wilander bisous 😘😘😘
@KirkShiloh: Back when musicians made music. This song is prophetic
@juliocesargaspar1574: Que fuerza tiene este tema más en el inicio ma mata. Saludos desde Argentina
@Tnredneckdad: Man, that’s awesome. That’s about as good as any cover of that song I’ve heard. And Mark Knopfler is one of the greats. He’s not hard to impersonate.
@guitarheel99: Hi! George Newman, U 62!
@kolicky: I'm a little faggot and i love this song.
@BaneBranislav-hv7yy: Buva muva😊🎉👍🙌👏👏👏👏
@JohnCandysghost: Love the Hard T
@prologf7746: До 1989-90 гг.в СССР данная композиция была неизвестна.Но короткий проигрыш с 0:35 и до 0:54 звучал иногда в заставке передачи "Утренняя почта" в 1986 году и позже
@la-1982 replies to @prologf7746: Так вот откуда мне был знаком был этот рифф...
@prologf7746 replies to @prologf7746: Eще этот фрагмент ставили в конец многих документальных и других передач советского ТВ, где шли финальные титры
@diegolanzolla4573: Grande Mark Knofler
@kawinduekanayaka1829: Watching after niu lai movie ❤
@mikeyoung9439: 🪩
@marcfield1234: I was today years old when I learned that the backing vocal in track is Sting not Dire Straits.
@adenihil: Look at ‘em Bozos..
@borkug1566: Backvocals sound like Sting lol
EDIT: oh boy it's in fact Sting!
@judymansell: STING
@Punky_64: Siempre uso esa canción para decir...
Curi recién salido del horno 🗣🗣🗣🔥🔥🔥
@jfly237: 01:50 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
@michaelbirchall2247: 1:48
@TainaLuccas-ig6px: Grande música lindo vídeo clipe
@chris_the_forester: Absolutely love the little bit at 2:10 where they are carrying the fridge and the door falls open. Annoying as hell when moving heavy shit already sucks. Been there, done that. 😂
@snuckumsgm: yooo i didnt know empire remixed this song, a game show brought me here😭
@ChrisR: As a kid I always thought the lyrics were money for nothing and checks for free.
@RodolfoGarcia-l1q replies to @ChrisR: For some people yes😮😮😮
@Blessed_dna: Damn I miss the 80s. It was really fun.
@EvanHatanpaa: For anyone who doesn’t know, the original sound for the song was created by accident
@EvanHatanpaa: Really love your music It’s a real 1980s gem of classic rock
@antonfadin4725: I need to have children to show the ultimate dad song
@WhiskeysDad: Stings synth intro into drums into guitar riff...iconic
@jrmtopan1661: Finally I know... The G n'R song entitled Sweat Child of Mine was inspired by this song.... Hmmm... How stupid we all are
@Mattes50A05: A song about an appliance store delivery guy has no business going this hard.
@ThunderHunter2019 replies to @Mattes50A05: Yet it works.
@TheBusinessMusic69 replies to @Mattes50A05: 😘
@muhammedzain8859: If I ever meet @markknopfler. My only question is... Did the delivery guy ever get in contact with you after you've turned his random words into the best rock song ever produced
@mahi19835: Money money screw it
@mahi19835: Money money money kiss it
@Walt0n81: This song slaps
@theSTEE7ERS58: Dire Straits 🫶🎶Excellent album 🎼🎺🥁🎷🎸🎹👌
@RaoufHamana-u5t: The best intro of all time
@judymansell: A commercial for a car on T.V.This was the music for it. I knew the song right away even if there were no words!
@mrwhiteyo6277: DIGGER🎉🎉🎉
@bankrupt_batman: That cgi is honestly impressive when you consider how old the song is. It predates toy story by at least 15 years. The song was released in 1985.
@mertgunter638: 🎩🤙🏻
@KyleSimpson-u9j: 😂
@deangreeves4233: 🔥🔥🔥
@Ricky_Oswald: Discovered in Spain
They where street performers
@V4Now: "The moon landing was staged with cgi!"
Cgi after the moon landing in the 80s...!
@rencewellbtc: Holy cow! The block figures world is one of the visual hallucinogenic stages on a light to medium DMT trip using Mimosa bark and Banisteriopsis vine to get there! I’ve seen the blocks for myself. I’ve been there!
@Anna-MariedeVries: Listen to the words. Mental attitude. Just acquisition, young bravado, nothing really trying to be something 😂😂🎉😂✨️
@bradangus407: 2026 anyone?
@Crispy1-d2o: Why does this look like Minecraft?
@michellek8076: This song STILL HAS IT wonderful memories Dire Straits!
@mannycastillo3087: Only to out that people like Diddy, Clive Davis, Weinstein you know the Epstein and Donald peanut gallery gang.
@deanmoloney817: You cant differentiate between genuine threats and any other threat that being said i think people should have free speech. There is no imaginary line that says what is and what isn't offensive to every person
@wayward.wallace: Cutting edge whenever the f**k this aired. Cutting edge in 2026