Money (That's What I Want)
Encyclopedia
"Money" is a 1959 hit single by Barrett Strong
for the Tamla label, distributed nationally on Anna Records. The song was written by Tamla founder Berry Gordy
and Janie Bradford
, and became the first hit record for Gordy's Motown enterprise.
had just established his Tamla label (soon Motown would follow), and licensed the song to the Anna label in 1960, which was distributed nationwide by Chicago
-based Chess Records
in order to meet demand; the Tamla record was a resounding success in the Midwest. The song features Strong curtly demanding that money is what he needs, more than anything else. The single became Motown's first hit in June 1960
, making it to #2 on the US R&B chart and #23 on the US pop chart. The song was listed as #288 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
The Flying Lizards
' version has been used in many places, including the film soundtracks for The Wedding Singer
, Empire Records
, Charlie's Angels
and Lord of War
, and it has also been used in the television shows Nip/Tuck
and Ashes To Ashes
.
The following incomplete list is a random selection:
The song was featured in the movie National Lampoon's Animal House
in which it was performed by John Belushi
. When the Blues Brothers band covered the song 18 years later on their Blues Brothers & Friends: LIVE! From Chicago's H.O.B album it was performed by John's brother James Belushi
in the role of Brother Zee Blues along with Elwood Blues and Sam Moore
.
Also, the song was used in the Beatles biopic Backbeat
performed by a band composed of alt-rock musicians (including Soul Asylum
's David Pirner, R.E.M.
's Mike Mills
, and Nirvana
's Dave Grohl
). It was mimed in the film by the actors playing the Beatles.
may have been performing live for some time previous to 1959, has lyrics that are similar to "Money (That's What I Want)". For example, even though the music is different, the first verses are:
versus:
The question of which lyrics came first never seems to have been settled in any formal way; John Lee Hooker has full composition credits for "I Need Some Money", and it has been independently covered by other artists such as James Blood Ulmer and The Doors
.
recorded "Money (That's What I Want)" in seven takes on July 18, 1963 with their usual lineup. A series of piano
overdubs was later added by producer
George Martin
. The song was released in November 1963 as the final track on their second United Kingdom album
, With The Beatles
.
According to George Harrison, the group discovered Strong's version in Brian Epstein
's NEMS record store (though not a hit in the UK, it had been issued on London Records
in 1960). They had previously performed it during their audition at Decca Records
on January 1, 1962. They also recorded it six times for BBC
radio. A live version, taped at a concert date in Stockholm
, Sweden
in October 1963, was included on Anthology 1
.
Barrett Strong
Barrett Strong is an American singer and songwriter. Strong was the first artist to record a hit for Motown, although he is best remembered for his work as a songwriter, particularly in association with producer Norman Whitfield.-His career:Strong was among the first artists signed to Berry...
for the Tamla label, distributed nationally on Anna Records. The song was written by Tamla founder Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy, Jr. is an American record producer, and the founder of the Motown record label, as well as its many subsidiaries.-Early years:...
and Janie Bradford
Janie Bradford
Janie Bradford is an American songwriter, most known for her tenure with Motown. With Berry Gordy, she co-wrote "Money ", originally recorded by Barrett Strong and used by The Beatles on their second album With The Beatles...
, and became the first hit record for Gordy's Motown enterprise.
Overview
Anna Records was operated by Gwen Gordy, Anna Gordy and Billy 'Roquel' Davis. Gwen and Anna's brother Berry GordyBerry Gordy
Berry Gordy, Jr. is an American record producer, and the founder of the Motown record label, as well as its many subsidiaries.-Early years:...
had just established his Tamla label (soon Motown would follow), and licensed the song to the Anna label in 1960, which was distributed nationwide by Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
-based Chess Records
Chess Records
Chess Records was an American record label based in Chicago, Illinois. It specialized in blues, R&B, soul, gospel music, early rock and roll, and occasional jazz releases....
in order to meet demand; the Tamla record was a resounding success in the Midwest. The song features Strong curtly demanding that money is what he needs, more than anything else. The single became Motown's first hit in June 1960
1960 in music
-Events:*January 14 – Elvis Presley is promoted to Sergeant in the U.S. Army*February 6 – Songwriter Jesse Belvin dies in an automobile accident in Los Angeles...
, making it to #2 on the US R&B chart and #23 on the US pop chart. The song was listed as #288 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Cover versions
Although the best known cover versions are probably those by The Beatles and The Flying Lizards, the song has been covered by a myriad of artists, with several of them reaching significant positions in a variety of charts - for example, The Kingsmen reached #16 on the Billboard Hot 100, and Bern Elliott and the Fenmen reached #14 on the UK singles chart.The Flying Lizards
The Flying Lizards
The Flying Lizards were an English experimental rock band, who were formed in 1976 in England. They are best remembered as New wave one-hit wonders, thanks to their deliberately eccentric cover of Barrett Strong's "Money", which became a UK and US chart success in 1979.-Career:Formed by and led by...
' version has been used in many places, including the film soundtracks for The Wedding Singer
The Wedding Singer
The Wedding Singer is a 1998 romantic comedy film written by Tim Herlihy and directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler as a wedding singer in the 1980s and Drew Barrymore as a waitress with whom he falls in love....
, Empire Records
Empire Records
Empire Records is a 1995 coming of age film that follows a group of record store employees over the course of one exceptional day. The employees of this independent music store try to fight off a large chain, all while learning about each other...
, Charlie's Angels
Charlie's Angels
Charlie's Angels is a television series about three women who work for a private investigation agency, and is one of the first shows to showcase women in roles traditionally reserved for men...
and Lord of War
Lord of War
Lord of War is a 2005 French-German-American action drama film written and directed by Andrew Niccol and starring Nicolas Cage. It was released in the United States on September 16, 2005, with the DVD following on January 17, 2006 and the Blu-ray Disc on July 27, 2006.Cage plays an illegal arms...
, and it has also been used in the television shows Nip/Tuck
Nip/Tuck
Nip/Tuck is an American drama series created by Ryan Murphy, which aired on FX in the United States. The series focuses on McNamara/Troy, a plastic surgery practice, and follows its founders, Sean McNamara and Christian Troy...
and Ashes To Ashes
Ashes to Ashes (TV series)
Ashes to Ashes is a British science fiction and police procedural drama television series, serving as the sequel to Life on Mars.The series began airing on BBC One in February 2008. A second series began broadcasting in April 2009...
.
The following incomplete list is a random selection:
| Artist |
Year |
Album |
Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Died for Your Sins Died for Your Sins Died for Your Sins is a compilation album by the Avengers. It was released on February 23, 1999 on Lookout! Records. The album is composed of four studio recordings from 1978 , three studio recordings from 1998 recorded by The Scavengers and fourteen... |
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| 1976 | Anthology Anthology (The Babys album) Anthology is a greatest hits collection of The Babys spanning the years 1976-1980. Anthology was reissued in 2000 with bonus tracks and is also remastered.- Original 1981 release :# "Head First" - 3:57... |
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| 1994 | Backbeat Backbeat (soundtrack) Backbeat is the original soundtrack of the 1994 film Backbeat starring Stephen Dorff, Sheryl Lee, Gary Bakewell and Ian Hart. The music was produced by Don Was.The album won the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music."The Backbeat Band" consists of:... |
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| 1963 | With the Beatles With the Beatles With The Beatles is the second studio album by the English rock group The Beatles. It was released on 22 November 1963 on Parlophone, and was recorded four months after the band's debut Please Please Me... |
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| Bern Elliott and the Fenmen Bern Elliott and the Fenmen Bern Elliott and the Fenmen were a British beat group, active between 1961 and 1964, and best known for their 1963 cover version of the song, "Money".-Biography:... |
1963 | Reached #14 on the UK Singles chart | |
| Bloodstone Bloodstone (band) Bloodstone is a former American R&B, soul, and funk group, most popular in the 1970s and early 1980s. The band charted thirteen songs between 1973 and 1984.-Biography:... |
1976 | Train Ride to Hollywood | |
| Bob Rivers Bob Rivers Bob Rivers is a well-known American rock and roll radio on air personality in the Pacific Northwest as well as a prolific producer of parody songs, most famous for his Christmas song parodies.... |
2000 | Chipmunks Roasting On an Open Fire Chipmunks Roasting On an Open Fire Chipmunks Roasting On an Open Fire is the fourth Christmas album by Bob Rivers. It was released in 2000, three years after More Twisted Christmas, and two years before White Trash Christmas.-Track listing:# The Twisted Chipmunk Song - 2:01... |
|
| Bobby Freeman Bobby Freeman Bobby Freeman is an African-American soul singer, songwriter, and record producer who recorded for the Autumn Records label in San Francisco, California. He is best known for his 1958 hit "Do You Want To Dance?" and his 1964 Top Ten hit "C'mon and Swim"... |
|||
| Boyz II Men Boyz II Men Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are the most successful R&B group of all time, having sold more than albums worldwide. In the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet, but original member Michael McCary... |
2007 | Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA is a Grammy nominated album by Boyz II Men that was released on November 13, 2007 by Decca Records. The album was produced by American Idols Randy Jackson and Boyz II Men. David Simone and Winston Simone were Executive Producers for the album... |
|
| Bruno Mars Bruno Mars Peter Gene Hernandez , better known by his stage name Bruno Mars, is an Filipino-American singer-songwriter and record producer. Raised in Honolulu, Hawaii by a family of musicians, Mars began making music at a young age... |
2010 | Doo-Wops & Hooligans tour | |
| Buddy Guy Buddy Guy George "Buddy" Guy is an American blues and jazz guitarist and singer. He is a critically acclaimed artist who has established himself as a pioneer of the Chicago blues sound, and has served as an influence to some of the most notable musicians of his generation... |
1968 | A Man and the Blues A Man and the Blues A Man and the Blues is a blues album by Buddy Guy that was recorded in 1968 and released on Vanguard Records.-Track listing:All tracks composed by Buddy Guy; except where indicated# "A Man and the Blues" # "I Can't Quit the Blues"... |
|
| 1965 | People Get Ready | ||
| Cheap Trick Cheap Trick Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E... |
1988 | Caddyshack 2 | |
| Danny Tenaglia Danny Tenaglia Danny Tenaglia is a New York-based DJ and Grammy nominated record producer.-Early life:At the age of ten, Tenaglia first started to collect records. In 1979 he began going to nightclub Paradise Garage, where DJ Larry Levan's genre-less blend of music appealed to him... feat Roxy |
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| Dave Davies Dave Davies David Russell Gordon "Dave" Davies is an English rock musician best known for his role as lead guitarist and vocalist for the English rock band The Kinks.... |
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| 1988 | Acoustic Music to Suit Most Occasions | ||
| Diana Ross Diana Ross Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway... |
1977 | An Evening with Diana Ross An Evening with Diana Ross An Evening with Diana Ross is a 1977 live double album released by American singer Diana Ross on the Motown label. Recorded live at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles during the international tour of Ross' celebrated one-woman show, for which she was awarded a special Tony Award after the show's... |
|
| 1967 | Live at the Matrix 1967 Live at the Matrix 1967 Live at the Matrix 1967 is a double live album by The Doors, compiled and resequenced from recordings made on March 7 and 10, 1967 at The Matrix in San Francisco by club co-owner Peter Abram... |
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| Dr. John Dr. John Malcolm John "Mac" Rebennack, Jr. , better known by the stage name Dr. John , is an American singer-songwriter, pianist and guitarist, whose music combines blues, pop, jazz as well as Zydeco, boogie woogie and rock and roll.Active as a session musician since the late 1950s, he came to wider... |
1994 | Television Television (Dr. John album) Television is a studio album by New Orleans R&B artist Dr. John.-Track listing:All tracks composed by Mac Rebennack; except where indicated# "Television" – 4:36# "Lissen" – 4:29# "Limbo" – 4:30# "Witchy Red" – 4:16... |
|
| Dwight Twilley Dwight Twilley Dwight Twilley is an American pop/rock singer and songwriter, best known for the Top 20 hit singles "I'm on Fire" and "Girls"... |
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| Etta James Etta James Etta James is an American blues, soul, rhythm and blues , rock and roll, gospel and jazz singer. In the 1950s and 1960s, she had her biggest success as a blues and R&B singer... |
1964 | Etta James Rocks the House Etta James Rocks the House Etta James Rocks The House is a 1964 live album by American R&B singer Etta James. This album was recorded live on the nights of September 27 and 28, 1963 at the New Era Club in Nashville, Tennessee.... |
|
| 1965 | Beat & Soul Beat & Soul Beat & Soul is the name of an album by The Everly Brothers, originally released in 1965. It peaked at No. 141 on the Billboard Pop Albums charts... |
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| 1979 | The Flying Lizards The Flying Lizards (album) The Flying Lizards is the 1979 self-titled debut album by The Flying Lizards and was released on the Virgin Records label.-Track listing:1979 Original record# "Der Song von Mandelay" — 2:27... |
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| Freddie and the Dreamers Freddie and the Dreamers Freddie and the Dreamers were an English band who had a number of hit records between May 1963 and November 1965. Their stage act was based around the comic antics of the 5-foot-3-inch-tall Freddie Garrity, who would bounce around the stage with arms and legs flying. The group remained active... |
1963 | Freddie and the Dreamers Freddie and the Dreamers (album) Freddie and the Dreamers is the eponymous debut album from the British Invasion band from Manchester, England. It was released in the United Kingdom in 1963, peaking at number five in the UK Albums Chart and reaching number 19 in the US albums chart on May 22, 1965... |
|
| Freddy Fender Freddy Fender Freddy Fender , born Baldemar Garza Huerta in San Benito, Texas, United States, was a Mexican-American Tejano, country and rock and roll musician, known for his work as a solo artist and in the groups Los Super Seven and the Texas Tornados... |
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| Great White Great White Great White is an American hard rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1978. The band gained popularity during the 1980s and early 1990s. The band released several albums in the late 1980s and gained airplay on MTV with music videos for songs like "Once Bitten, Twice Shy"... |
1988 | Recovery: Live! Recovery: Live! Recovery: Live! is a live album released by the American hard rock band Great White in 1988. Several versions of the album were released, with variations in both covers and track listings. The US version feature 5 cover songs recorded direct-to-2-track in 1986, as well as 5 live songs from 1983... |
|
| Hal Blaine Hal Blaine Hal Blaine is an American drummer and session musician. He is most known for his work with the Wrecking Crew in California. Blaine played on numerous hits by popular groups, including Elvis Presley, John Denver, the Ronettes, Simon & Garfunkel, the Carpenters, the Beach Boys, Nancy Sinatra, and... |
1966 | Drums! Drums! A Go Go | |
| Hanson Hanson (band) Hanson are an American pop rock band formed in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by brothers Isaac , Taylor , and Zac Hanson . They are best known for the 1997 hit song "MMMBop" from their major label debut album Middle of Nowhere, which earned three Grammy nominations... |
1998 | Live from Albertane Live from Albertane Live from Albertane is a live album by American pop rock group Hanson. As the name suggests, it is a live album, recorded during the group's Albertane Tour... |
|
| Ike & Tina Turner Ike & Tina Turner Ike & Tina Turner were an American rock & roll and soul duo, made of the husband-and-wife team of Ike Turner and Tina Turner in the 1960s and 1970s. Spanning sixteen years together as a recording group, the duo's repertoire included rock & roll, soul, blues and funk... |
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| Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis is an American rock and roll and country music singer-songwriter and pianist. An early pioneer of rock and roll music, Lewis's career faltered after he married his young cousin, and he afterwards made a career extension to country and western music. He is known by the nickname 'The... |
1961 | Jerry Lee's Greatest Jerry Lee's Greatest The second album by Jerry Lee Lewis on the Sun Records label was compiled in 1961 using a mix of songs including "Great Balls of Fire". It was the second of only two albums released during Lewis's time at Sun.-Track listing:# Money... |
|
| Jimi Hendrix Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter... |
Hendrix covered the song when a member of Curtis Knight Curtis Knight Curtis Knight was an American music artist and band leader who is known for his connection to Jimi Hendrix.... & the Squires on the album Knock Yourself Out |
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| Jimmy Barnes Jimmy Barnes James Dixon Swan , better known as Jimmy Barnes, is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer-songwriter. His father Jim Swan was a prizefighter and his older brother John Swan is also a rock singer. It was actually John who had encouraged and taught Jim how to sing as he wasn't really interested at... |
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| Joey Dee & the Starliters | |||
| John Belushi John Belushi John Adam Belushi was an American comedian, actor, and musician, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, The Star of the Films National Lampoon's Animal House and the The Blues Brothers and for fronting the American blues and soul... |
1978 | Animal House | |
| John Lee Hooker John Lee Hooker John Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark... |
1966 | It Serves You Right to Suffer It Serves You Right to Suffer It Serves You Right to Suffer is an album by blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist John Lee Hooker, released on the Impulse Records label in early 1966... |
|
| John Lennon John Lennon John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music... |
1969 | Sweet Toronto Sweet Toronto Sweet Toronto is a documentary by D.A. Pennebaker of the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival, a one day festival held September 13, 1969 at Varsity Stadium on the campus of the University of Toronto and attended by some 20,000 persons. The event was produced by John Brower and Ken Walker... |
Released as Live Peace in Toronto 1969 Live Peace in Toronto 1969 -Side two:-Personnel:* John Lennon — lead vocals, rhythm guitar* Yoko Ono — vocals* Eric Clapton — lead guitar, backing vocals* Klaus Voormann — bass* Alan White — drums* Kim Fowley — spoken introduction-External links:*... by the Plastic Ono Band during Lennon's solo career. |
| Josie and the Pussycats Josie and the Pussycats (film) Josie and the Pussycats is a 2001 comedy film released by Universal Studios and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Directed and co-written by Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan, the film is loosely based upon the Archie comic of the same name... |
2001 | Music from the film Josie and the Pussycats Music from the Motion Picture Josie and the Pussycats Music From the Motion Picture Josie And The Pussycats is the soundtrack album for the 2001 film of the same name, starring Rachael Leigh Cook, Rosario Dawson, and Tara Reid.-Production:... |
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| Jr. Walker & the All Stars Jr. Walker & the All Stars Junior Walker & the All Stars were signed to the Motown label in the 1960s, and became one of the label's signature acts.-Biography:... |
1966 | Road Runner | |
| 1997 | Squarehead Stomp! | ||
| 1963 | The Kingsmen in Person | Released as a single: 1964 #16 on Billboard Hot 100 #17 on Cashbox |
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| 1965 | Jerk & Twine Time | ||
| Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham... |
1972 | - | Encore at 19 June concert Led Zeppelin North American Tour 1972 Led Zeppelin's 1972 North American Tour was the eighth concert tour of North America by the English rock band. The tour was divided into two legs, with performances commencing on May 27 and concluding on June 28, 1972. It included two warm-up shows in Europe.... |
| Little Richard Little Richard Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and... |
1967 | The Explosive Little Richard The Explosive Little Richard The Explosive Little Richard is the first album from Little Richard under the Okeh label, produced by Little Richard's long-time friend Larry Williams and Johnny Guitar Watson and reflecting the then current sound of Soul and Motown. A mixture of cover versions and originals, it featured no tracks... |
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| Lonnie Mack Lonnie Mack Lonnie Mack is an American rock, blues and country guitarist and vocalist.... |
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| Lou Christie Lou Christie Luigi Alfredo Giovanni Sacco , known professionally as Lou Christie, is an American singer-songwriter best known for three separate strings of pop hits in the 1960s , including his 1966 smash, "Lightnin' Strikes" and his incredible 3 octave vocal range.-Biography:Sacco was born in Glenwillard,... |
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| 1961 | Hi... We're The Miracles Hi... We're the Miracles Hi... We're The Miracles is the first album by Motown's first group, The Miracles, released on Motown's Tamla subsidiary label in the summer of 1961.It also has the distinction of being the first album ever released by the Motown Record Corporation The album features several songs which played an... |
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| Paul Revere & the Raiders Paul Revere & the Raiders Paul Revere & the Raiders is an American rock band that saw considerable U.S. mainstream success in the second half of the 1960s and early 1970s with hits such as "Kicks" , "Hungry" , "Him Or Me - What's It Gonna Be?" and the 1971 No... |
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| Pearl Jam Pearl Jam Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready... |
2005 | Pearl Jam 2005 North American and Latin American Tour |
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| 1984 | Revenge of the Killer B's, Vol. 2 | ||
| RC Succession RC Succession RC Succession was an influential Japanese rock band fronted by singer-songwriter Kiyoshiro Imawano.- History :In 1966, Kiyoshiro formed a band named the Clover with Kenchi Haren. This band broke up the following year, however, the remaining members added some new members and called it the... |
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| Renée Geyer Renée Geyer Renée Rebecca Geyer is an Australian singer who has long been regarded as one of the finest exponents of jazz, soul and R&B idioms. She had commercial success as a solo artist in Australia, with "It's a Man's Man's World", "Heading in the Right Direction" and "Stares and Whispers" in the 1970s and... |
1978 | Winner | |
| Popcorn and the Mohawks Richard "Popcorn" Wylie Richard Wayne Wylie , often known as Popcorn Wylie, was an African-American pianist, bandleader, songwriter, occasional singer, and record producer who was influential in the early years of Motown Records and was later known for his work on many records in the Northern soul genre.-Life and... |
1960 | Released as a single | |
| 1964 | The Rolling Stones (EP) The Rolling Stones (EP) The Rolling Stones is the debut EP released by The Rolling Stones in January 1964. It was released both to capitalise on their first Top 20 hit "I Wanna Be Your Man" and to test the commercial appeal of the band before their UK label Decca Records would commit to letting them record an album... |
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| Ronnie Milsap Ronnie Milsap Ronnie Lee Milsap is an American country music singer and pianist. He was one of country’s most popular and influential performers of the 1970s and 1980s... |
1985 | Lost in the Fifties Tonight Lost in the Fifties Tonight "Lost in The Fifties Tonight ", also known simply as "Lost in The Fiftes Tonight", is a song made famous by country music singer Ronnie Milsap.-Success and Reception:... |
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| Roy Orbison Roy Orbison Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis... |
1970 | The Big O The Big O (album) 'The Big O' is a music album recorded by Roy Orbison for London Records in the United Kingdom, with the music and backing vocals provided by English group, the Art Movement on all tracks except for "Penny Arcade", which was a studio recording and released as a single in the UK in 1969, where it... |
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| Sandrine Sandrine Sandrine is a popular French female name. It is a diminutive form of Sandra, a shortened form of Alexandra, the female version of Alexander, which means Protector of Men. There are variants such as Sandrilene... |
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| Scissor Sisters Scissor Sisters Scissor Sisters are an American band "spawned by the scuzzy, gay nightlife scene of New York" who took their name from a sexual position between two women also known as tribadism... |
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| 1963 | Meet The Searchers Meet The Searchers Meet the Searchers is a 1963 album by English rock band, The Searchers. The album featured their first single released in June 1963, a version of The Drifters' "Sweets for My Sweet", as well as their version of The Clovers "Love Potion No. 9", released as a single the following year... |
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| Secret Machines | 2005 | The Road Leads Where It's Led The Road Leads Where It's Led The Road Leads Where It's Led is The Secret Machines' second EP, released in 2005. In addition to the title-track, a single from their debut album Now Here Is Nowhere, the EP features several covers and a new song called "Better Bring Your Friends."-Track listing:#"The Road Leads Where... |
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| 1963 | Let's Do the Slop, Twist, Madison, Hully Gully... | ||
| Shonen Knife Shonen Knife Shonen Knife, written in Japanese characters as 少年ナイフ, which transliterates as Shōnen Naifu, literally "Boy Knife," is an all-female Japanese pop-punk band formed in Osaka, Japan, in 1981... |
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| 2000 | The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music is a compilation album by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It is a collection of previously unreleased demos and two live tracks which was originally created as a mix tape by Billy Corgan and passed to a fan with instructions to distribute... |
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| 1965 | Here Are The Sonics Here Are The Sonics Here Are The Sonics is the debut album of American garage rock band The Sonics. It was released in 1965 on Etiquette Records. It was re-released in 1999 by Norton Records... |
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| 1973 | Heavy Liquid Heavy Liquid Heavy Liquid is a six-CD limited edition boxed set that chronicles the rehearsals and sessions for Raw Power, the third album by rock band The Stooges... |
Although Heavy Liquid was released in 2005, the recordings are dated 1973. |
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| 2008 | The Bank Job | ||
| 1966 | The Supremes A' Go-Go | ||
| Thee Midniters Thee Midniters Thee Midniters were an American group, amongst the first Chicano rock bands to have a major hit in the United States. Also they were and one of the best known acts to come out of East Los Angeles in the 1960s, with a cover of "Land of a Thousand Dances", and the instrumental track, "Whittier... |
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| Todd Rundgren Todd Rundgren Todd Harry Rundgren is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer. Hailed in the early stage of his career as a new pop-wunderkind, supported by the certified gold solo double LP Something/Anything? in 1972, Todd Rundgren's career has produced a diverse range of recordings... |
1972 | Something/Anything? Something/Anything? Something/Anything?, released in 1972, is Todd Rundgren's third solo album. It peaked at #29 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold three years after its release, and remains the singer-songwriter's best-selling album... |
The recording is part of a medley entitled "Overture--My Roots". |
| 1964 | Surfin' Bird | ||
| 1963 | (Released as a single) | ||
| Waylon Jennings Waylon Jennings Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL... |
1964 | Waylon at JD's | |
The song was featured in the movie National Lampoon's Animal House
National Lampoon's Animal House
National Lampoon's Animal House is a 1978 American comedy film directed by John Landis. The film was a direct spin-off of National Lampoon magazine...
in which it was performed by John Belushi
John Belushi
John Adam Belushi was an American comedian, actor, and musician, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, The Star of the Films National Lampoon's Animal House and the The Blues Brothers and for fronting the American blues and soul...
. When the Blues Brothers band covered the song 18 years later on their Blues Brothers & Friends: LIVE! From Chicago's H.O.B album it was performed by John's brother James Belushi
James Belushi
James Adam "Jim" Belushi is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is the younger brother of comic actor John Belushi.-Early life:Belushi was born in Chicago...
in the role of Brother Zee Blues along with Elwood Blues and Sam Moore
Sam Moore
Samuel David Moore is an American Southern Soul and Rhythm & Blues singer who was the tenor vocalist for the soul vocal duo Sam & Dave from 1961 through 1981...
.
Also, the song was used in the Beatles biopic Backbeat
Backbeat (film)
Backbeat is a 1994 British-German drama film directed by Iain Softley. It chronicles the early days of The Beatles in Hamburg, Germany. The film focuses primarily on the relationship between Stuart Sutcliffe and John Lennon , and also with Sutcliffe's German girlfriend Astrid Kirchherr...
performed by a band composed of alt-rock musicians (including Soul Asylum
Soul Asylum
Soul Asylum is an American alternative rock band that formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1983.The band originally formed in 1981 under the name Loud Fast Rules, with the original line-up consisting of Dan Murphy, Dave Pirner, Karl Mueller and Pat Morley. The latter was replaced by Grant Young in...
's David Pirner, R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
's Mike Mills
Mike Mills
Michael Edward "Mike" Mills is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer who was a founding member of the alternative rock group R.E.M.. Though known primarily as a bass guitarist, backing vocalist, and pianist, his musical repertoire includes also keyboards, guitar, and percussion instruments...
, and Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
's Dave Grohl
Dave Grohl
David Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for Foo Fighters; the former drummer for Nirvana and Scream; and the current drummer for Them Crooked Vultures...
). It was mimed in the film by the actors playing the Beatles.
"I Need Some Money"
"I Need Some Money," a song John Lee HookerJohn Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark...
may have been performing live for some time previous to 1959, has lyrics that are similar to "Money (That's What I Want)". For example, even though the music is different, the first verses are:
"The best thing in life is free
But you can give it to the birds an' bees
I need some money, Need some money. Oh yeah, what I want"
versus:
"The best things in life are free
But you can keep 'em for the birds and bees
Now give me money, (that's what I want) that's what I want."
The question of which lyrics came first never seems to have been settled in any formal way; John Lee Hooker has full composition credits for "I Need Some Money", and it has been independently covered by other artists such as James Blood Ulmer and The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
.
The Beatles' version
The BeatlesThe Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
recorded "Money (That's What I Want)" in seven takes on July 18, 1963 with their usual lineup. A series of piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
overdubs was later added by producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
George Martin
George Martin
Sir George Henry Martin CBE is an English record producer, arranger, composer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"— a title that he often describes as "nonsense," but the fact remains that he served as producer on all but one of The Beatles' original albums...
. The song was released in November 1963 as the final track on their second United Kingdom album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, With The Beatles
With the Beatles
With The Beatles is the second studio album by the English rock group The Beatles. It was released on 22 November 1963 on Parlophone, and was recorded four months after the band's debut Please Please Me...
.
According to George Harrison, the group discovered Strong's version in Brian Epstein
Brian Epstein
Brian Samuel Epstein , was an English music entrepreneur, and is best known for being the manager of The Beatles up until his death. He also managed several other musical artists such as Gerry & the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Cilla Black, The Remo Four & The Cyrkle...
's NEMS record store (though not a hit in the UK, it had been issued on London Records
London Records
London Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label....
in 1960). They had previously performed it during their audition at Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
on January 1, 1962. They also recorded it six times for BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
radio. A live version, taped at a concert date in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in October 1963, was included on Anthology 1
Anthology 1
Anthology 1 is a compilation album by The Beatles, released by Apple Records in November 1995. It was released as the first part of the Anthology trilogy of albums with Anthology 2 and Anthology 3, all of which tie-in with the televised special The Beatles Anthology. It contains "Free as a Bird",...
.
Cultural references
- ChumbawambaChumbawambaChumbawamba is a British musical group who have, over a career spanning nearly three decades, played punk rock, pop-influenced music, world music, and folk music...
borrowed the chorus of this song for their song "Snip Snip Snip". However, for legal reasons, this portion of their song had to be removed from the version released on the album ShhhShhhShhh is a 1992 album by anarchist punk band Chumbawamba. It was originally recorded and written as "Jesus H. Christ," an album that relied heavily on samples. A number of the musicians whose material had been sampled objected, and the album was largely re-worked to defend artistic intent and...
. (The original version, which also samples a number of other money-related songs, can be found on their unreleased album Jesus H. Christ.) - In the film This Is Spinal TapThis Is Spinal TapThis Is Spinal Tap is an American 1984 rock musical mockumentary directed by Rob Reiner about the fictional heavy metal band Spinal Tap...
, the band plays a parody song "Gimme Some Money" in a flashback to their skiffleSkiffleSkiffle is a type of popular music with jazz, blues, folk, roots and country influences, usually using homemade or improvised instruments. Originating as a term in the United States in the first half of the twentieth century, it became popular again in the UK in the 1950s, where it was mainly...
days. - The theme song for movie Rogue TraderRogue Trader (film)Rogue Trader is a 1999 drama film directed by James Dearden about former derivatives broker Nick Leeson and the 1995 collapse of Barings Bank...
. - On DisneyThe Walt Disney CompanyThe Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
's D-TVD-TVD-TV was a series of music videos created by Walt Disney Productions in 1984 using popular music and video footage from Disney videos, mostly cartoons, created out of the trend of music videos on cable channel MTV, which inspired the name of this series...
, there was a music video playing the song along with money-related scenes from six short films: "The Klondike Kid" (1932), "Scrooge McDuck and MoneyScrooge McDuck and MoneyScrooge McDuck and Money is a short animated cartoon made by Walt Disney Studios in 1967.-Synopsis:In this cartoon, Scrooge McDuck tries to teach his grandnephews Huey, Dewey and Louie how to save money...
" (1967), "The Delivery Boy" (1931), "Mickey's Nightmare" (1932), "Get Rich Quick" (1951) and "Plane CrazyPlane CrazyPlane Crazy is an American animated short film directed by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. The cartoon, produced in 1928 by The Walt Disney Studio, was the first to feature the character Mickey Mouse. It was made as a silent film and given a test screening to a theater audience on May 15, 1928, but...
" (1928). - The 1990s cartoon, Tiny Toon AdventuresTiny Toon AdventuresSteven Spielberg Presents Tiny Toon Adventures, usually referred to as Tiny Toon Adventures or simply Tiny Toons, is an American animated television series created by Tom Ruegger and produced by Amblin Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation. It began production as a result of Warner Bros....
, featured an episode where Montana MaxMontana MaxMontana "Monty" Master Max is a cartoon character from the Warner Bros. animated television series Tiny Toon Adventures. He is one of the main characters on the show. and also one of the main antagonists of the show. Monty is voiced by Danny Cooksey. Montana Max is a young, brown haired, male...
, kid billionaire & antagonist on the show, sang the song & even had his own video to go along with it; the audio used, however, was the Barrett Strong version of the song. - In the 1985 Miami ViceMiami ViceMiami Vice is an American television series produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series starred Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as two Metro-Dade Police Department detectives working undercover in Miami. It ran for five seasons on NBC from 1984–1989...
episode, "Made for Each Other", the original Barrett Strong version is played in the opening scene as the vice squad raid a warehouse where counterfeit money is printed. - Used frequently in the 1994 Ted DansonTed DansonEdward Bridge “Ted” Danson III is an American actor best known for his role as central character Sam Malone in the sitcom Cheers, and his role as Dr. John Becker on the series Becker. He also plays a recurring role on Larry David's HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm and starred alongside Glenn Close...
film Getting Even with DadGetting Even with DadGetting Even With Dad is a 1994 American comedy film starring Macaulay Culkin and Ted Danson.- Plot :The movie is about a dysfunctional father-son relationship. Timmy Gleason is Ray Gleason's estranged son, who tries to blackmail his ex-con father into spending time with him...
. - A portion of the Barrett Strong version is also used in the background of the 1987 civil-rights documentary Eyes on the PrizeEyes on the PrizeEyes on the Prize is a 14-hour documentary series about the African-American Civil Rights Movement. The series was produced in two-stages: Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Years 1954–1964 consists of the first six episodes covering the time period between the Brown v. Board decision and...
, in episode three, "Ain't Scared of Your Jails" (which deals with the 1960 lunch-counter sit-ins in Nashville, TennesseeNashville sit-insThe Nashville sit-ins, which lasted from February 13 to May 10, 1960, were part of a nonviolent direct action campaign to end racial segregation at lunch counters in downtown Nashville, Tennessee...
, and the Freedom Riders). - The song is used in the opening credits of the 2009 Mark BurnettMark BurnettMark Burnett is a British television producer and executive producer, based in the United States. He currently is the executive producer of five network television series with seven hours of network programming. Works with which Burnett is associated have won multiple awards and recognition...
television show Shark TankShark Tank (TV series)Shark Tank is a reality television series based on the Sony TV/BBC TV Dragons' Den. It premiered on ABC television in August 2009 and features a panel of five wealthy entrepreneurs who are called "sharks"...
. - The song passes on the Empire Central Radio on the game Mafia IIMafia IIMafia II is a third-person action-adventure video game, the sequel to Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven. It is developed by 2K Czech, previously known as Illusion Softworks, and is published by 2K Games...
. - The Flying Lizards' version appears in a 2011 TV commercial for Taco BellTaco BellTaco Bell is an American chain of fast-food restaurants based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which serves American-adapted Mexican food. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items, and a variety of "Value Menu" items...
.