This song is the perfect starter for Dramarama’s “Vinyl" record. The jangling guitar and manic pacing kick things off with a bang, so to speak. As to what John is singing about, when listening to the track, clearly there is some sort of excitement conveyed. I always thought that excitement was for starting or ending a road tour because of the driving references. A careful read of the lyrics reveals a little more. Perhaps the excitement John is singing about is about procuring and experiencing illicit substances (okay drugs, I said it!)

Either way, this is one fine tune and really gets me pumped up every time I hear it.

This song just came up on my stereo and just as every time I have heard this song, I was immediately drawn into the groove. It was nearly 30 years ago that this song poured out of my radio speaker and I experienced it for the first time. I fell in love the song and Dire Straits at the same time. I was in graduate school at the time and music radio was degenerating into disco and other worthless uninteresting fluff. “Sultans of Swing” was like a slap in the face, a call to wake up and listen to a real music again. The story Knopfler tells in this song is as evocative as his guitar work. Thank you Dire Straits!