How to Play Sultans of Swing on Guitar?

Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing can be played in the key of Dm using the Dm, C, Bb, A, A7 chords. For Dm, To play Dm, press fret 1 on the low E string with finger 2, press fret 1 on the high E string with finger 2, let A, D ring open, mute G, B. For C, To play C, press fret 1 on the B string with finger 2, let low E, G, high E ring open, mute A, D. For Bb, To play A# | Bb, barre fret 1 from the low E string to the A string with finger 1, press fret 1 on the high E string with finger 4, let D ring open, mute G, B. For A, To play A, press fret 2 on the D string with finger 2, let low E, A, high E ring open, mute G, B. For A7, To play A7, let low E, A, G, high E ring open, mute D, B. Barre: Use your index finger to press multiple strings on the same fret, keeping your finger flat. You can play Sultans of Swing with the ↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑ strumming pattern.

Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing Chords

Chord reference Dm, C, Bb, A, A7

Rhythm tips ↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

[Dm]You get a shiver in the dark, It’s a [C]raining in the [Bb]park but mean[A]time [A7] [A] [Dm]South of the river you [C]stop and you hold every[Dm]thing [A7] [A] [F]A band is blowing Dixie, double [C]four time [Bb]You feel alright when you hear the music [Dm]ring [Bb] [C]

Well now you [Dm]step inside but you [C]don’t see [Bb]too many [A]faces [A7] [Dm]Coming in out of the [C]rain they hear the [Bb]jazz go [A]down [A7] [F]Competition in other [C]places Uh [Bb]but the horns they blowin’ that [Dm]sound [Bb] [C]Way on downsouth [Bb] [C]Way on downsouth London town

Check out [Dm]guitar george, [C]he knows [Bb]all the [Dm]chords [A7] [Dm]Mind he’s strictly rhythm He doesn’t [C]want to make them [Bb]cry or [A]sing [A7] [A] [F]They said an old guitar is [C]all he can afford [Bb]When he gets up under the lights to play his [Dm]thing [Bb] [C]

And [Dm]Harry doesn’t [C]mind, if [Bb]he doesn’t [A]make the scene [A7] [A] [Dm]He’s got a [C]daytime [Bb]job, he’s doing al[A]right [A7] [A] [F]He can play the honky tonk like any[C]thing [Bb]Savin’ it up, for Friday [Dm]night

[Bb] [C]With the Sultans [Bb] [C]We’re the Sultans of Swing

[Dm]Then a crowd a young boys they’re a [C]foolin’ a[Bb]round in the [A]corner [A7] [A] [Dm]Drunk and dressed in their best brown [C]baggies And their [Bb]platform [Dm]soles [A7] [A] [F]They don’t give a damn about any [C]trumpet playin’ band [Bb]It ain’t what they call rock and [Dm]roll

[Bb] [C]Then the Sultans, [Bb] [C]Yeah the Sultans they play creole, creole [Dm]And then the man he [C]steps right [Bb]up to the [A]microphone [Dm]And says at [C]last just as the [Bb]time bell [A]rings [A7] [A] [F]Goodnight, now it’s [C]time to go home [Bb]And he makes it fast with one [Dm]more thing

[Bb] [C]We are the Sultans [Bb] [C]We are the Sultans of [Dm]Swing

Artist Dire Straits

Album Single

Genres Rock

Year 1977

Key Dm

Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing can be played in the key of Dm using the Dm, C, Bb, A, A7 chords.

For Dm, To play Dm, press fret 1 on the low E string with finger 2, press fret 1 on the high E string with finger 2, let A, D ring open, mute G, B.
For C, To play C, press fret 1 on the B string with finger 2, let low E, G, high E ring open, mute A, D.
For Bb, To play A# | Bb, barre fret 1 from the low E string to the A string with finger 1, press fret 1 on the high E string with finger 4, let D ring open, mute G, B.
For A, To play A, press fret 2 on the D string with finger 2, let low E, A, high E ring open, mute G, B.
For A7, To play A7, let low E, A, G, high E ring open, mute D, B.

Barre: Use your index finger to press multiple strings on the same fret, keeping your finger flat.

You can play Sultans of Swing with the ↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑ strumming pattern.