Money (That's What I Want)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
The best things in life are free --"Money (That's What I Want)" (1959) by Barrett Strong |
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"Money (That's What I Want)" (1959) is a musical composition written by Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford and first recorded by Barrett Strong . It was the first hit record for Gordy's Motown enterprise.
It was famously covered by the Flying Lizards in 1979.
The song was listed as #288 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
"I Need Some Money"
"I Need Some Money," a song John Lee Hooker may have been performing live for some time previous to 1959, has lyrics that are more than coincidentally 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 this song, and it has been independently covered by other artists such as James Blood Ulmer and The Doors.