Chords
Sultans of Swing

Sultans of Swing was written by Mark Knopfler. It was inspired by a jazz performance that Knopfler witnessed at a pub in Deptford, London, where a band named Sultans of Swing was playing to an almost non-existent audience. The irony of the situation and the musicians dedication to keep playing despite the lack of audience inspired Knopfler to write the lyrics to the song.

Key: Dm

Introduction:  Dm   Dm   Dm/C*   Dm   Dm   Dm   Dm   Dm/C*  

difficulty
very easy |||||
           Dm                        C               A#        A 
You get a shiver in the dark, it' s raining in the park but meantime
 Dm                         C             A#          A 
  South of the river you stop and you hold everything
 F                                  C 
  A band is blowing Dixie double four time
 A#                                             Dm     A#   C 
   You feel alright when you hear that music ring

               Dm                   C          A#         A 
Well now, you step inside but you don' t see too many faces
 Dm                       C                 A#       A 
   Coming in out of the rain to hear the jazz go down
 F                        C 
  Competition in other places
 A#                                      Dm 
   Uh, but the horns they blowin'  that sound
 A#   C 
        way on down south
 A#   C 
        way on down south
 Dm 
London Town

              Dm              C   A#         A 
You check out Guitar George,     he knows all the chords
 Dm                              C                A#           A 
  Mind he' s strictly rhythm he doesn' t want to make it cry or sing
 F                            C 
  They say an old guitar is all he can afford
 A#                                                  Dm     A#   C 
   When he gets up under the lights to play his thing

 Dm                    C     A#            A 
   And Harry doesn' t mind if he doesn' t make the scene
 Dm                    C          A#       A 
  He' s got a daytime job, he' s doin'  alright
 F                                   C 
  He can play the honky tonk like anything
 A#                                Dm     A#   C 
   Saving it up for Friday night
                   A#   C 
with the Sultans
                     Dm 
with the Sultans of Swing

        Dm                            C         A#            A 
Then a crowd of young boys, they' re foolin'  around in the corner
 Dm                                 C               A#             A 
   Drunk and dressed in their best brown baggies and their platform soles
 F                                         C 
  They don' t give a damn about about any trumpet playin'  band
 A#                                    Dm      A#   C 
   It ain' t what they call rock and roll
                 A#   C 
and the Sultans
                              Dm 
Yeah, the Sultans, they play Creole

 Dm   C   A#   C 
...             Creole

 Dm                        C          A#          A 
   And then the man he steps right up to the microphone
 Dm               C                A#         A    ( A7) 
   And says at last just as the time bell ring
 F                       C 
  Goodnight, now it' s time to go home
 A#                                        Dm      A#   C 
   Then he makes it fast with one more thing
                    A#   C 
We are the Sultans
                       Dm 
We are the Sultans of Swing

 Dm   C   A#   C 
(repeat and fade, approx x7)