Is "Money for Nothing" Offensive?

Is "Money for Nothing" Offensive?


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BvBPL

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Or are millionaires in makeup and earrings with their own helicopters and jet airplanes immune to that?
 
Your OP lacks context. Who is giving the money and what isn't the recipient doing to merit the money?
 
Your OP lacks context. Who is giving the money and what isn't the recipient doing to merit the money?

The Dire Straits song:


I imagine he's referring specifically to this verse:

See the little faggot with the earring and the makeup
Yeah buddy that's his own hair
That little faggot got his own jet airplane
That little faggot he's a millionaire

As to the question in the OP, I think it depends entirely on who you interpret the speaker to be; Whether you think the narrator is expressing his views sincerely or sarcastically. I take the latter interpretation.
 
@Owen Glyndwr: The video is geoblocked for me; no Canadians allowed. But judging by the verse quoted, it's not something I'd have wanted to hear anyway.

I still don't see the point of the thread.
 
I like Weird Al's version better for some reason. Beverly Hillbillies.
 
Isn't it just a satirical commentary on how some people speak or think and pointing out some attendant facts?
 
The song is from the perspective of somebody stuck in a dead-end job fitting kitchens and household luxuries for people richer than he'll ever be, sneering at people like the band singing the song, and feeling superior for them, for having a job that isn't 'really working', but which gets them enough money to have people like him come and fit the kitchens and household luxuries that his job will never let him have. That verse says more about the character than about the band.
 
The song is from the perspective of somebody stuck in a dead-end job fitting kitchens and household luxuries for people richer than he'll ever be, sneering at people like the band singing the song, and feeling superior for them, for having a job that isn't 'really working', but which gets them enough money to have people like him come and fit the kitchens and household luxuries that his job will never let him have. That verse says more about the character than about the band.

First youtube comment on that video:

"We've gotta install Microsoft Office"

:rotfl:
 
Oh, so some people think that musicians don't work?

I've never been a professional performer, but I put in my time learning what I needed to in order to pass the Western Board of Music exams in practicals and theory. That involved a minimum of two hours a day in practice, every day, and I often put in more than that. It drove my family nuts when I was trying to cram those Bach pieces into my memory for the exams (they understood 1940s-style waltzes and polkas, but not minuets and other such music). It wasn't required to learn them by memory but since I play be ear a hell of a lot better than by reading notes, there was no way I was going to risk losing my place on the page and then having a disaster happen. So I memorized all the pieces I had to play, training my fingers and feet to know what to do, if I should happen to lose concentration. It took hours of practice every day, for 3-4 months to do this, plus the work required for theory and composition (another hour or two per day). And at these times I avoided listening to other music as much as possible. Some people can deal with distractions in these situations; I never could.


I have no idea how much work is required to become a professional-calibre guitarist or drummer, but it's probably considerable. No, it's not manual labor like plumbing or other such jobs... but then a lot of plumbers and electricians wouldn't have the patience to practice music for four to six hours a day or more, either.
 
Oh, so some people think that musicians don't work?

I've never been a professional performer, but I put in my time learning what I needed to in order to pass the Western Board of Music exams in practicals and theory. That involved a minimum of two hours a day in practice, every day, and I often put in more than that. It drove my family nuts when I was trying to cram those Bach pieces into my memory for the exams (they understood 1940s-style waltzes and polkas, but not minuets and other such music). It wasn't required to learn them by memory but since I play be ear a hell of a lot better than by reading notes, there was no way I was going to risk losing my place on the page and then having a disaster happen. So I memorized all the pieces I had to play, training my fingers and feet to know what to do, if I should happen to lose concentration. It took hours of practice every day, for 3-4 months to do this, plus the work required for theory and composition (another hour or two per day). And at these times I avoided listening to other music as much as possible. Some people can deal with distractions in these situations; I never could.


I have no idea how much work is required to become a professional-calibre guitarist or drummer, but it's probably considerable. No, it's not manual labor like plumbing or other such jobs... but then a lot of plumbers and electricians wouldn't have the patience to practice music for four to six hours a day or more, either.

I haven't been a paid musician, but i did play lead guitar up to the start of the uni years - just abandoned it then. I used to play a number of Dire Straits solos and riffs, including Money for Nothing. (though i used a pick; almost no one playing electric guitar uses just fingers, like Knopfler did).
And i do recall thinking that being paid to play guitar is a bit of a scam, BUT it should be noted that in reality i never was particularly enthusiastic about being a musician/band member, and solitary art (writing) fitted me far better. :)

That said, you don't just get a blister on your finger by playing guitar. The bottom part of your fingers will get hardened by the strings... At first it will be very painful ;)
 
Moderator Action: Please note that I have removed the RD tag from this thread because the OP provided so little content to discuss. It should also be noted that whilst the quoted lyrics are essential to the discussion, any further use of the offensive word contained therein is not acceptable (in an RD thread or otherwise). ~ Arakhor
 
Oh sheesh.

I was genuinely under the impression that the offensive aspect of that piece was the reference to the private plane and being a millionaire, in the light of growing income inequality and all.
 
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If it was based solely on "gifts", would it not be ironic hypocrisy? Seems the lyrics are offensive, if we are being literal.
 
In today's world everything is offensive to someone. My big left toe? Offensive to notoetarians.

So I wouldn't be surprised if this song is offensive to some people.

I doubt OP is offended by the lyrics himself. More likely he's trying to troll libruls by asking why they don't get offended over this, completely ignoring the context of the song. He then succeeds at it too.
 
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