SULTANS OF SWING

by Dire Straits
Live at the BBC [LIVE]
(M. Knopfler)



[KEY OF Dm, 4/4 TIME]

Dm (V)  Dm V)
|--------|--5------|-------|---------|-----------|---------5--8-5-|------------|
|--------|--6------|-------|---------|---------6-|-------6--------|-6-5^6^5----|
|--------|--7--5-5-|-5^7...|..----7..|..---------|-7---7----------|---------7..|
|--------|--7------|-------|--5/7----|------7----|----------------|------------|
|--------|--5------|-------|---------|-----------|----------------|------------|
|--------|---------|-------|---------|-----------|----------------|------------|

            Dm (V)  C    Bb    A                                        Dm
|-------|-------|----|-----|------------------------------|-5------------------|
|-------|-------|----|-----|-2--2----2----2---------------|-6------------------|
|-------|-------|----|-----|-2--4'6--4'6--4'6....'4-------|-7------------------|
|-------|-------|----|-----|-2----------------------------|-7------------------|
|-------|-------|----|-----|-0-----------------------(2)/-|-5------------------|
|-------|-------|----|-----|------------------------------|--------------------|
  Get a shiver...                                                       South of the river..

 C    Bb     A                                      F (VIII)
|-----|-----|-----------5----5^6^5----5-----|----------------------------------|
|-----|-----|-2-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-----|-----|-2-/-/-/-6----6--------6-------|----------------------------------|
|-----|-----|-2-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-----|-----|-0------------------------(5)/ |----------------------------------|
|-----|-----|-------------------------------|----------------------------------|
                                                             A band is playin' Dixie double

 -----riff # 1-------                             ---riff #2---
 C      Dm        Bb            Dm                         Bb         C
|-3-----|------------|------|-5------------------|----------|------------------|
|-5--5^6|-6^5---3----|------|-6-------6-5--------|-3--6-3--3/5..---------------|
|-5--5^7|-7^5---3----|------|-7-----------8-7..\-|-3----3--3/5..---------5^^^--|
|-5--5^7|-7^5---3----|------|-7--5-7-------------|-3----3--3/5..-----5-7-------|
|-3-----|------------|------|-5------------------|----------|----5/7-----------|
|-------|------------|------|--------------------|----------|------------------|
 four time..    Feel alright..                                                  And you

 Dm  C   Bb     A                                           Dm  C        Bb       A
|-----|----|----|-------5----5---5/6------8-------|-10...-|------|------|------|
|-----|----|----|-2---------------|---------------|-10...-|------|------|------|
|-----|----|----|-2---6----6------|--7/9-----9----|-10...-|------|------|------|
|-----|----|----|-2---------------|-------------10/-12...-|------|------|------|
|-----|----|----|-0---------------|---------------|-------|------|------|------|
|-----|----|----|-----------------|---------------|-------|------|------|------|
 Step inside                                                    Commin' in....

 F (VIII)             C  Dm    Bb                         Dm                               C
|(1.09)--------|------|-----|-(1.16)------|-------------|----------|-----------|
|--------------|------|-----|-------------|-----10-8-10-| ---------|-----------|
|--------------|*riff # 1***|-------------|-----10-9-10-|*****riff # 2*********|
|--------------|------|-----|-------------|-------------|----------|-----------|
|--------------|------|-----|-------------|-------------|----------|-----------|
|--------------|------|-----|-------------|-------------|----------|-----------|
 Competition                    Yeah but the horns...

|(1.23)-----------|------------|----------------------------------------------
|-----------------|------------|----------------------------------------------
|-----------------|**riff #2**-|----------------------------------------------
|-----------------|------------|----------------------------------------------
|-----------------|------------|----------------------------------------------
|-----------------|------------|----------------------------------------------
 Way on down south                 Way on Down South London Town

------------riff # 3---------------------------------
   Dm   C  Bb   Dm  C     F    C      Dm
                          ________    ____________
                                  |1.         |2.             Dm                 C
||-----------------------|-----------||-------------|(1.42)------|------------|
||.-6--5--3-----6--6^5--5/10--8-----.||-------------|------------|------------|
||.-7--5--3-----7--7^5--5/10--9-----.||---------5^^^|------------|------------|
||--7--5--3-----7--7^5--5/10--10-----||-----5-7-----|------------|------------|
||-----------------------|-----------||-5/7---------|------------|------------|
||-----------------------|-----------||-------------|------------|------------|
                                                           Check Out Guitar George

 A     A7               Dm          C    Bb   A
|------9--8--9--|-10--------|----|----|-----5------8------7----------------8-------|
|------8--8--8-8/-10--------|----|----|----5--8'10---"10'8--8'10'8'10'8'10---"10'8-|
|------9--9--9--|-10--------|----|----|-5'7---------------------------------------7|
|---------------|-----------|----|----|--------------------------------------------|
|---------------|(1.50)-----|----|----|--------------------------------------------|
|---------------|-----------|----|----|-------------------------------------(1.58)-|
                                But it's strictly

 F                                C         C(VIII)    Bb(VI)
|-----------------------|-------------------|-------------(2.08)-------------------|
|-----------------------|--------------8----|-6--6--6--6---------------------------|
|-----------------------|----------8/9---9--|-7--7--7--7---------------------------|
|-----------------------|-------------------|-8--8--8--8---------------------------|
|-----------------------|-------------------|--------------------------------------|
|-----------------------|-------------------|--------------------------------------|
 Yes and an old guitar                                                  when he gets up

 Dm(v)                                    Dm
|-----------------------|-----------|---------------------(2.13)-------------------|
|--------------6---6----|-----------|----------------------|-----------------------|
|------------7---7---7\-|**riff #2**|---------5---5---5^7--|-----------------------|
|--------6/7------------|-----------|-----5-7---7---7------|-----------------------|
|-----------------------|-----------|-5/7------------------|-----------------------|
|-----------------------|-----------|----------------------|-----------------------|
                                                                                And Harry doesn't

        Bb      A     A7                         Dm                  C  Bb
|---|-----|------3----3----3-------|---------------|------|--------------------|
|---|-----|--2..-4'5--4'5--4'5-"5'4^3--------------|------|--------------------|
|---|-----|--2..-------------------|---------------|------|--------------------|
|---|-----|--2..-------------------|---------------|------|--------------------|
|---|-----|--0..-------------------|---------------|------|--------------------|
|---|-----|------------------------|---------------|------|--------------------|
                                                        He's got a daytime

 A                                  F(VIII)          C             Bb
|-10^9-------------------|-------------|----------------|--------------------------|
|------10----------------|-------------|----------------|--------------------------|
|---------9--------------|-------------|----------------|--------------------------|
|-----------12-11--------|-------------|----------------|--------------------------|
|------------------12-10-|-------------|----------------|--------------------------|
|------------------------|-------------|----------------|--------------------------|
                                    He can play the Honky Tonk.. savin it up for Friday

 Dm
|(2.37)-------------------|-------------|-------------------|----------------------|
|---------6---6'8-6'8'6---|-------------|.-----------------.|----------------------|
|-----7-----7-----------7-|**riff # 2**-|.-***riff #2***---.|--*****riff # 3******-|
|-5/7---7-----------------|-------------|--(1st time only)--|----------------------|
|-------------------------|-------------|-------------------|----------------------|
|-------------------------|-------------|-------------------|----------------------|
                                                     |:With the Sultans :|  of swing

           Dm           C        Bb       A                                     Dm(XIII)
|------|--------|------|------|------------12-------------|---13.....--------------|
|------|--------|------|------|-(12)'14...---"14'12^10----|------15......----------|
|------|--------|------|------|------------------------11/14--------14......-------|
|------|--------|------|------|---------------------------|------------------------|
|------|--------|------|------|---------------------------|------------------------|
|------|--------|------|------|---------------------------|------------------------|
 And a crowd                        corner                              drunk & dressed

 C                   Bb         A                                                 F
|------12-----|------10----|-10^9-------------------------------8..|..--8----------|
|---------13--|---------11-|------10---------------------10....----"10'8--"10'8^6--|
|-/12---------|-/10--------|---------9-----------------------------|---------------|
|-------------|------------|-----------12-11-12-11-12-11-----------|---------------|
|-------------|------------|---------------------------------------|---------------|
|-------------|------------|---------------------------------------|---------------|
                                                                                          They don't give a

 C              Bb              Dm                                 Bb
|---------|-----------|----------10-------------------|------------------------|
|---------|-----------|-------10----13'15-13^10-------|------------------------|
|---------|-----------|-12'14-------------------12-10-|-*** riff #2 ****-------|
|---------|-----------|-------------------------------|------------------------|
|---------|-----------|-------------------------------|------------------------|
|---------|-----------|-------------------------------|------------------------|
 Trumpet playin band

 Bb
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------------------|----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------------------|----------------|
|-----------------|-*** riff #2 ***-|-----------------------------|-** riff # 3 **-|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------------------|----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------------------|----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------------------|----------------|
And the Sultans                            yeah the Sultans play Creole

  Dm                                         C             Bb     A
|--------------------------------------------------------------------12'13"12------|
|-----10-------10-------10----------------------------------------10---------------|
|-12'-14---12'-14---12'-14^^^---(12')-12-10^12^10---9^10^9------9------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------11-------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------12---------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

   Dm           C                                       Bb
|-10-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----10--------15^13-----15^13------15^13------13^11------13^11------13^11---------|
|-------10----------14--------14---------14---------12---------12---------12-------|
|----------12----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

                A (highly stochato)
|---------------------------------13^10--10----------------------------------------|
|-9^10^^^--9^10-11-9-9^10--------------13-----12^10--10----------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------12----12^10--10-----------------|
|---------I'm cheatin' here-----------------------------------12----12^10----------|
|---------any suggestions?-----------------------------------------------12--------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|---------------------------------------13^12--------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------13---------13---13^^^-----------------|
|----------------------12^10--10^^^^-----------12-14-12----14----------------------|
|----------10-12-10---------12-----------------------------------------------------|
|-10^11^12----------12-------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

                                                4.11
|-----------------------------------------13^10------------------------------------|
|-(13)'15^^^-"15'13-(13)'15-(13)'15---(10)------13^10-13'15'13-10-12-10------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

  Bb
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------6--------------6-------------------------------------8-------------------|
|-------7---7---7/9----7----7/9------------------0^5-7^5^7'9...-"9'7^5--7-7--------|
|-----8---------8/10---8----8/12-------10----10------------------------------------|
|---8-----------8/10---8----8/12----10----10---------------------------------------|
|-6-------------------------------8------------------------------------------------|

        RIFF #3         4:34
|------------------------------------------------------5----8---8---8--------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------6---6/9---9---9---------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------10/12--------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
                                And the man step's right up

  Dm                      C     Bb      F       C       Dm C    Bb
|-10-------------|----|----|-----|------|-----|-----------------|------------------|
|-10-------------|----|----|-----|------|-----|-----------------|------------------|
|-10-------------|----|----|-----|------|-----|-----------------|------------------|
|----------------|----|----|-----|------|-----|-----------------|------------------|
|----------------|----|----|-----|------|-----|-----------------|------------------|
|----------------|----|----|-----|------|-----|-----------------|------------------|
   Says at last                                         And he makes it fast with one more

   Dm
|----------------10--------------------|-------------------------------|----------|
|-------------10----13'15'13^10--------|.-----------------------------.|----------|
|-------12'14-------------------12-10--|.--------------------RIFF # 2-.|----------|
|--------------------------------------|-------------(1st time only)---|----------|
|--------------------------------------|-------------------------------|----------|
|--------------------------------------|-------------------------------|----------|
  thing                                     |: We are the Sultans            :|

Solo # 2 (5:22)
|----------10--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------10----13'15'13^10-------------------------------------------------------|
|-12'14--------------------12-10-12'14'12-9^12^9-7^9^7-5^7^5---------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------3^5^3--------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------5^^^---------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

  5:29                  repeat 6X
                                C(VIII)
|-------------------|-----------------8^10^8---------|
|-10----------------|.--------/8^10^8---------------.|
|----12^10-12^10----|.---/(9)-----------9-----------.|
|----------------12-|--------------------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------------------|

|--------10----13^10---10---------------------------------------|
|------10--10--------13---13^10--10-----------------------------|
|-12'14------------------------12--12^10---10--12-10-12^^^------|
|----------------------------------------12---------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|

            5:38                                         5:42
|------------------------12-------10-|-13^10---------------------------|
|---------10-----11-11'13---"13'11---|------10-13'15-(13)'15-10-13'15--|
|-------X------X---------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----X------X-----------------------|---------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|---------------------------------|

              5:45                                                5:48
|------------13^12--12--13--13-15'17-15'17-15-13^^^^--|-----13^10--10------------|
|-(13)'15---------13--13--15--------------------------|.---------10--------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------|.-------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------|-----this riff 4X---------|
|-----------------------------------------------------|--------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------|--------------------------|
                                                                                        6:04
|--13^10---10-----------15^12--12----|--15'17--(15)'17'15-13---|-15'17-"17'15----|
|--------11------------------13-----.|----------------------15-|-----------------|
|------------------------and this---.|-------------------------|-----------------|
|--and this one 4X-------one 8X------|-------------------------|-----------------|
|------------------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------|
|------------------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------|

|--13^15^13-12^13^12--------------------------------|----------------------------|
|--------------------13^15^13-10^13^10-5^8^5--------|---RIFF # 1-----------------|
|--------------------------------------------5^^^^--|----------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|----------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------FINIS--|
|---------------------------------------------------|----------------------------|



KEY TO THE NOTATION:

        ' = Bend (up or down)
        " = Pre-bend (bend before picking)
        ^ = Percussive step (pull off or hammer on)
        ^^^^ = Tremelo
        .... =  Allow to ring (an attempt at timing)
        | = Measure mark
        |: = Repeat (used for vocals)
        5:42 = Time shown on the CD player, an event reference
        ( ) = Grace note
        / = Slide up to
        \ = Slide down to
        Dm (V) F (VIII) = Chord and Lowest fret used (position)