*** Today in rock music history 19 May: ***
1978, 40 years ago, Dire Straits' debut single "Sultans of Swing" was officially released. However, it did not chart until its re-release in January 1979, when it then reached No. 4 on the US Billboard Chart, and No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart. The song was composed by lead singer/guitarist Mark Knopfler, and originally recorded in July 1977 by the band on a 5-song demo (also including "Water of Love", "Down to the Waterline", "Wild West End", and "Sacred Loving"). A local London radio station put the demo version in rotation, which led executives at Phonogram Records to offer the band a recording contract two months later. The song was then re-recorded in February 1978 for its official label release. Knopfler claimed the song was inspired by an actual jazz band named 'Sultans of Swing', which he once saw perform in a nearly empty pub in Deptford, South London.
