{"id":649,"date":"2016-03-30T09:00:52","date_gmt":"2016-03-30T08:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sergiomessina.com\/moss\/?p=649"},"modified":"2021-04-05T14:33:59","modified_gmt":"2021-04-05T13:33:59","slug":"money","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sergiomessina.com\/moss\/money\/","title":{"rendered":"Money"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here’s a very popular theme in Pop music. I knew some (and loved a few), but I had no idea on how many songs about money there are. Of course early in their career, songwriters talk about the lack of it, or what they would do if they had plenty. Later on, they get different inspirations, as in The Notorious B.I.G.’s hit Mo Money Mo Problems<\/a>\u267e. Rapper 50 Cent (who named himself after money), often posts Instagram photos of himself playing with wads of dollar bills.\u00a0 Here’s a selection of money tunes, by no means complete: for that, I’ll want some cash.<\/p>\n

\"50<\/p>\n

The Flying Lizards<\/a>: Money <\/strong>(1979)<\/p>\n

This is a much older song. Actually, Money (That’s What I Want)<\/a> is the very first Motown<\/a> hit (when it was still called Tamla<\/em>), written by Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford, and recorded by Barrett Strong<\/a>\u260a in 1959. This arrangement is the blueprint for all later versions: the Beatles<\/a>‘\u267e in 1963, The Kingsmen<\/a>‘\u260a in 1964, The Rolling Stones<\/a>‘\u267e also in ’64, Jr. Walker & the All Stars<\/a>‘\u260a in 1966, The Doors<\/a>‘\u260a in 1970, and The Flying Lizards’ in 1979.<\/p>\n

The lyrics are pretty straightforward:<\/p>\n

The best things in life are free<\/em>
\nBut you can give then to the birds and bees…<\/em>
\nYour love give me such a thrill<\/em>
\nBut your love don’t pay my bills…<\/em>
\nMoney don’t get everything, it’s true<\/em>
\nBut what it don’t get, I can’t use…<\/em>
\nI need money (that’s what I want)<\/em>
\nThat’s what I want (that’s what I want)<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So it’s all down to the interpretation: you can sing it carelessly like the Beatles*, mean it a bit more like Jr. Walker, wail it like a banshee after Jim Morrison, or even recite it deadpan. Which was the trademark delivery of The Flying Lizards, a very unusual english New Wave band (founded by sound artist and producer David Cunningham<\/a>) that included, among others, author and musician David Toop<\/a>, (whose writings on music are often illuminating), and composer Michael Nyman<\/a>. They had a very distinct musical style: recited lyrics, deconstructed synth arrangements and ostinato<\/em> drum patterns. Money<\/em> was their sole hit, which is a pity because they were smart, funny and contemporary: their version of Sex Machine<\/a>\u267e (also deadpan) is still absolutely hilarious – and musically perfect (there’s even a prepared piano<\/a>).<\/p>\n