Our mission for today’s Song Lyric Sunday, as Jim tells us in his post Filing Due Date, is to play a song about tax or money, at the suggestion of Melissa Lemay of Mom With a Blog. This relates to the US tax system, so whilst it is totally irrelevant to us it still provides an opportunity to play some good music! I’m not sure about tax – once you’ve got past The Beatles the field is pretty thin, apart from a rather good early Ry Cooder song, so I’ve decided to go with money for this one.
I had quite a few to choose from – including another Ry Cooder one from the same album – but have avoided some of the more obvious ones (ABBA, Dire Straits, anyone?) and have whittled them down to three. The lead song is one that you may well know from others – probably The Beatles – but I have always liked this splendidly quirky version:
That was The Flying Lizards, in case you were unaware, and although you probably don’t need them here are the lyrics:
The best things in life are free
But you can give them to the birds and bees
I want money
(That’s what I want)
That’s what I want
(That’s what I want)
That’s what I want
(That’s what I want)
That’s what I want
(That’s what I want)
Your love gives me such a thrill
But your love won’t pay my bills
I want money
(That’s what I want)
That’s what I want
(That’s what I want)
That’s what I want
(That’s what I want)
That’s what I want
(That’s what I want)
Money don’t get everything it’s true
But what it don’t get I can’t use
I want money
(That’s what I want)
That’s what I want
(That’s what I want)
That’s what I want
(That’s what I want)
That’s what I want
(That’s what I want)
(That’s what I want) I want money
I want lots of money
(That’s what I want) In fact I want so much money
(That’s what I want)
(That’s what I want) Give me your money
(That’s what I want) Just give me money
(That’s what I want)
Lyrics from Genius.com
Songwriters: Berry Gordy, Janie Bradford
The Flying Lizards were an experimental English new wave band, formed in 1976, who stayed around in various forms until 1984. They were a kind of collective, with a whole host of members who came and went, and this was their big hit: Money (That’s What I Want) was released as a single in July 1979 and stormed up the UK Singles chart, peaking at #5, at #7 in Canada, and it also made #50 in the US. It was also included on their eponymous debut album, released in February 1980, which reached #60 in the UK and #99 in the US. They were short-lived in chart terms – just this and a #43 with the follow up – but they were great while they lasted. The vocalist on this is Deborah Evans-Stickland, with a masterclass in deadpan style with added sneer. I loved it, and she was gorgeous. She has been asked why she spoke the lyrics, and her response is a piece of classic simplicity: “singing is more difficult.” The song was co-written by Berry Gordy, the man who formed Tamla Motown records, and was first recorded in 1959 by Barrett Strong, making #23 in the US. The Beatles recorded it for their second album, With The Beatles, which came out in November 1963, but didn’t release it as a single.
For my second song today I’m going back to my teenage years, with one which I think will probably count in the ‘obscure’ category for just about everyone. Another quirky little song, too:
Can I Have My Money Back? was the title track of Gerry Rafferty’s first – and mostly forgotten – solo album, which was released in 1971. Gerry first came to our attention as a member of the folk duo The Humblebums, alongside a certain William Connolly. They made a couple of albums before parting, largely, as Gerry has said, because their live shows were becoming more a series of Billy telling stories with the occasional song thrown in. Billy remembers those days fondly, and has recalled how Gerry often made him laugh – seeking out a Berlin phone book while they were there to see if it listed anyone by the name of ‘Mr Hitler’ was one such. Gerry then joined Stealers Wheel with another old friend, Joe Egan, and got Stuck In The Middle with them for several years, before resuming his solo career in 1978 with the hugely successful City To City album, the one that gave us Baker Street. That first album didn’t sell well, which is a real shame. I bought it, along with just a few other people, and loved it: there are some fabulous songs on it. If you don’t know it, do try to find it, and especially Mary Skeffington, a song written for his mother, which is stunningly beautiful and poignant. The lyrics of Can I Have My Money Back? still hold up well today, I think, particularly the verse about politicians. Gerry died in 2011 but has left a brilliant musical legacy for us.
I promised you a third for this week, and I don’t often pass up the chance to play this guy:
The late, great, Warren Zevon, with Lawyers, Guns and Money from his Excitable Boy album, which was released in January 1978 and gave him his breakthrough in the US, where it reached #8. It was also a hit in Australia, where it got to #9, but didn’t make the charts anywhere else. This was the album that included the wonderful Werewolves Of London, a #21 US hit single but only making #87 in the UK on a 1987 re-release, to our shame. Maybe we just weren’t yet ready for his amazing songwriting and dark sense of humour, though it has sold steadily and gone on to achieve a UK Silver Disc for 200k sales. The B-side to that single was Roland The Headless Thomson Gunner – rarely has a little bit of vinyl offered you so much for your money. As for Lawyers, Guns And Money it was a single at the time but didn’t make the charts, though I would imagine that it is very much a theme song for many in the US (and El Salvador) at present.
That’s my three for today. I hope you enjoyed them and will join me again for some more dreams in Tuesday Tunes. Until then, have fun 😊
