This song is about rock star excess and the easy life it brings compared with real work. Mark Knopfler wrote it after overhearing delivery men in a New York department store complain about their jobs while watching MTV. He wrote the song in the store sitting at a kitchen display they had set up. Many of the lyrics were things they actually said.
Sting sings on this and helped write it (he and Knopfler are the credited writers). That's him at the beginning singing "I want my MTV." Sting did not want a songwriting credit, but his record company did because they would have earned royalties from it. They claimed it sounded very similar to a song Sting wrote for The Police: "Don't Stand So Close To Me."
Lyrics
I want my—I want my MTV
Now look at them yo-yos, that's the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Money for nothin' and your chicks for free
Now that ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Lemme tell ya them guys ain't dumb
Maybe get a blister on your little finger
Maybe get a blister on your thumb
We got to install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We got to move these refrigerators
We got to move these colour TVs
See the little faggot with the earring and the make-up
Yeah buddy that's his own hair
That little faggot got his own jet airplane
That little faggot he's a millionaire
We got to install microwave ovens
Custom kitchens deliveries
We got to move these refrigerators
We got to move these colour TVs
We got to install microwave ovens
Custom kitchens deliveries
We got to move these refrigerators
We got to move these colour TVs
I shoulda learned to play the guitar
I shoulda learned to play them drums
Look at that mama, she got it stickin' in the camera man
We could have some fun
And he's up there, what's that? Hawaiian noises?
Bangin' on the bongoes like a chimpanzee
Oh, that ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Get your money for nothin', get your chicks for free
We got to install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We got to move these refrigerators
We got to move these colour TVs
Listen here
Now that ain't workin' that's the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Money for nothin' and your chicks for free
Money for nothin' and chicks for free
Get your money for nothin' and your chicks for free
Money for nothin', chicks for free
Get your money for nothin', chicks for free
Money for nothin', chicks for free
Get you money for nothin', get your chicks for free
Get you money for nothin', and the chicks for free
Get you money for nothin', and the chicks for free
Look at that, look at that
I want my—I want my—I want my MTV
Get you money for nothin', and the chicks for free
Money for nothin', chicks for free
Get you money for nothin', and the chicks for free
Get you money for nothin', and the chicks for free
Easy-easy money for nothin', easy-easy chicks for free
Easy-easy money for nothin', chicks for free
That ain't workin'
Money for nothin' chicks for free
Money for nothin' chicks for free
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