Sultans of Swing — Dire Straits

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB3b1W6rEDw

It's easy to write about modern electronic music because modern music has no context. It exists as music; we listen to the chords and comment on the production. Of course, you can do that for older music too, but it's sort of missing the point. The reason we listen to old rock'n'roll is because it has context, value, history — whether that is a function of the music itself or a device of the time passed between may always be a mystery. Not to say all old music is political; Sultans of Swing, in particular, is only about the one band and their lives; it doesn't claim to be a great statement; it's technically proficient and a pleasure to listen to. But I cannot imagine modern music being written in such a tone.