Harry's Place Arts

There are millions of songs about love, there are very few about money. Yet more people have been kept awake at night by being bank-broken than heart-broken. Money dominates our thinking, our conversation, the way we live, and as I write it is dominating the news as well. So here is a collection of songs on this subject, highly topical now, and always relevant.

They are grouped according to theme.

Theme 1
Money is more important than love.  Love and lack of money have a dysfunctional relationship.  Empty wallet, callous heart.

1.       Money (That’s What I Want) (1959) (covered by The Flying Lizards) – listen here

Money (That’s What I Want) was written by Tamla founder Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford, and would become the first hit record for Gordy’s Motown label.

You’re lovin gives me a thrill
but you’re lovin don’t pay my bills
gimme money
(that’s what i want)
Lyrics here

It’s a song with a great beat, and when played live gets a lot of hand clapping and floor or table thumping.   People join in the chorus “That’s What I Want” with relish.

A hard rock song with the same kind of bounce is:-

2.    It’s Yer Money I’m After Baby (1988) (Wonder Stuff) – listen here

Well I know that it’s hard
and I know that it’s tuff
when each thing you’re giving me
is just not enough.
Forget your heart, it’s your bank
I wanna break, it’s just
yer money I’m after, baby.
Lyrics here

The next song has more detailed lyrics on how love and poverty can’t live happily ever after together:

3.     Money Money (1966) (from the musical Cabaret, by John Kander and Fred Ebb) – listen here

When you haven’t any coal in the stove and you freeze in the winter
And you curse to the wind at your fate.
When you haven’t any shoes on your feet and your coat’s thin as paper
And you look thirty pounds underweight,
When you go to get a word of advice from the fat little pastor,
he will tell you to love evermore.
But when hunger comes to rap, rat-a-tat, rat-a-tat, at the window
See how love flies out the door.
For money makes the world go around, the world go around. . .
Lyrics here

The mood of those three songs is that of cheerful matter of fact cynicism and an upbeat sourness.

Theme 2
Envy of the poor for the rich.  The proletarian bitterly resents the wealthy guy.

4.     Richard Cory (1966) (Simon and Garfunkel) – listen here

They say that Richard Cory owns one half of this whole town,
With political connections to spread his wealth around.
Born into society, a banker’s only child,
He had everything a man could want: power, grace, and style.
But I work in his factory
And I curse the life I’m living
And I curse my poverty
And I wish that I could be,
. . .
Richard Cory.
Lyrics here

5.     Money for Nothing (1984) (Dire Straits) – listen here

Now look at them yo-yo’s, that’s the way you do it
You play the guitar on that MTV
That ain’t workin’, that’s the way you do it
Money for nothin’ and your chicks for free
Lyrics here

These two songs are dramatic monologues, the singer taking on the persona of the pissed off poor guy.  The world of Richard Cory is like It’s A Wonderful Life, small town, where the rich banker is known by sight and the proletarian works in a factory.  In the world of Money for Nothing the proletarians are delivering white goods, probably manufactured in South Korea, and news of the millionaires comes from mass culture.  In both songs the poor guys are sexually envious - “orgies on his yacht” in Richard Cory and “Look at that mama, she got it stickin’ in the camera/Man we could have some ” in Money for Nothing. In Cory the poor guy hears rumours of how the rich live, in Money for Nothing it’s in his face, on a screen, and the envy is sharper because the fantasy comes with ready made pictures. 

Theme 3
Desire for money, will do anything for it, prostitution

6.    Money, Money, Money (1976) (ABBA) – listen here

I work all night, I work all day, to pay the bills I have to pay
Aint it sad
And still there never seems to be a single penny left for me
That’s too bad
In my dreams I have a plan
If I got me a wealthy man
I wouldn’t have to work at all, I’d fool around and have a ball..
Money, money, money
Must be funny
In the rich mans world
Lyrics here 

7.       Money (Dirty Cash) (1990) (Adventures of Stevie V) – listen here 

I’ve no excuse, I just want you to use me-ee
Take me and abuse me
I got no taboos, I’ll make a trade with you-ou-ou
Do anything you wa-ant me to
Lyrics here

Those women are sooooo totally disappointing. After decades of feminism, when they want wads of cash, they don’t think I’ll do a maths degree, get a job in the City, make up some derivatives scam and then stuff big bonuses into my handbag.  No, it’s the old looking for the Big Spender routine.

The ABBA woman isn’t so bad – the words sound like the kind of conversation women would have over lunch with their colleagues, sharing a silly dream and laughing, but the Dirty Cash one appears desperate and nasty, the desire for cash, cash itself, not even what you want to buy with it, naked and grubby.

One song that contains both envy for the rich man and the desire for money is:-

8.     If I were a Rich Man (1964) Jerry Bock/ Sheldon Harnick (From Fiddler on the Roof)
- listen here

Lord who made the lion and the lamb,
You decreed I should be what I am.
Would it spoil some vast eternal plan?
If I were a wealthy man.
Lyrics here 

Here the envy and desire are ruefully humorous. Tevye the Milkman is cushioned by tradition and religion and by living in a small village with people as poor as he is, and the details of his desires are homely and warm.

Theme 4
Grrrrreeeeeeeedy Graaaaaasping Bastards

9.      Money (1973) (Pink Floyd) – listen here

Money, get back.
I’m all right jack keep your hands off of my stack.
Money, its a hit.
Don’t give me that do goody good bullshit.
Lyrics here

Pink Floyd’s Money is a clever song made from greed’s catch phrases and delivered from the point of the view of the guy who has made his pile and wants to hang on to it.  It’s a song satirising the winner and the defensive tax-dodger. 

10.     Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money) (1985)(Pet Shop Boys) – listen here

I’ve got the brains, you’ve got the looks
Let’s make lots of money
You’ve got the brawn, I’ve got the brains
Let’s make lots of money
Lyrics here

A song for the loadsamoney Thatcher era.  Ambition sings – not in the ‘I’m gonna make it’ way that you get in New York New York, for instance, so you root for the contender - but with a tilted chin cockiness, a “what are you going to do about it” arrogance.   Lust can sing straight about wanting something, and it sounds fine, but avarice always sounds vicious and ignoble. 

11.     Love Your Money (1991) (Daisy Chainsaw) – listen here

We love you yeah
We love what you got and you’ve got it truly
You’re talented kid
We can see it clearly
We love your sound
The way you look so we say sincerely
You’re natural stars and we mean it really
We love your money(Love your money)
Lyrics here

This song is sung by the music business suit to the musician, and the suit in the music business is the most despised man in the musician’s world.  (Presumably someone in the music business paid for this video abusing their representatives for their hypocrisy and greed.).

These three songs are brutally rather than cheerfully cynical, and coldly angry about a society of spivs buying and selling. 

12.     It’s all about the Benjamins (1998) (Puff Daddy) - listen here

But don’t knock me for tryin to bury
seven zeros, over in Rio Dijanery
Ain’t nobody’s hero, but I wanna be heard
on your Hot 9-7 everyday, that’s my word
Swimmin in women wit they own condominiums
Five plus Fives, who drive Millineums
Lyrics here 

The guys in this song are bastards all right, and proud of it as they pursue dosh with defiance.  No ironic distancing, no creating a persona to do the singing.  Money means lots of cool possessions and good-looking women and fuck you.  Is there any British singer that does that kind of bragging with a straight face?

Theme 5
Love is more important than money for happiness.

13.     Can’t buy me love (1964 ) (The Beatles) – listen here

I’ll buy you a diamond ring my friend if it makes you feel alright
I’ll get you anything my friend if it makes you feel alright
‘Cause I don’t care too much for money, money can’t buy me love
Lyrics here

14.     Who Wants to be a Millionaire (1955) (Cole Porter for the film High Society) – listen here

Who wants to be a millionaire?
I don’t.
Have flashy flunkies everywhere?
I don’t.
Who wants the bother of a country estate?
A country estate is something I’d hate.
Lyrics here

I’m glad to end on a note of uplift.   Can’t Buy Me Love is the epitome of carefree, high-spirited early 60’s pop, with lyrics so simple they’re brainless; Cole Porter’s Millionaire is as charming and sophisticated as anything that came from The Great American Song Book; but they are both happy songs that make the listener dance to the former, smile to the latter.  They are songs that say, love is important, money is not, and you can believe it for the three minutes or so while you’re listening to them.