Barrett Strong – "Money (That's What I Want)" (1960)

Your lovin' give me such a thrill

But your lovin' don't pay my bills

May I speak frankly?  

After all, beating around the bush doesn't do anyone any good, does it?  Isn't it much better to tell it like it is?

I know you love 2 or 3 lines.  (Who doesn't?)  And your love gives me such a thrill.

But your love DON'T PAY MY BILLS, does it?  

I'm being honest with you, so I want you to be honest with me: when's the last time you've clicked on one of the ads on 2 or 3 lines, or ordered something from Amazon by using the link that's at the bottom of every 2 or 3 lines post?

Just as I suspected.

Before you say you're sorry, let me point something out to you: being sorry DON'T PAY MY BILLS EITHER!

All of you need an attitude adjustment.  Fortunately, it's New Year's Day, which is the day when people ponder the mistakes they made in the old year and resolve to do things differently in the new year.

Some of you may remember when the United Nations declared that 1975 was to be "International Women's Year."  The UN followed that up with the "International Year of the Child" (1979), the "International Year for Disabled Persons" (1981), and the "International Year of Older Persons" (1999).

(The UN hasn't gotten around to an "International Year of Males" yet, but I understand that oversight will be corrected very soon.  The UN has announced that the "International Year of Males" will be celebrated . . . never.)

More recently, we've had the "International Year of Rice" (2004), the "International Year of Natural Fibres" (2009), and the "International Year of Small Island Developing States" (2014).

(Really?)

The UN says that 2015 will be the "International Year of Soils" and the "International Year of Light and Light-Based Technologies."  

But I say 2015 will be the "International Year of 2 or 3 lines."  Instead of worrying about your own petty needs and wants, you should be worrying about the petty needs and wants of 2 or 3 lines!

Come on, people now!  Ask not what 2 or 3 lines can do for you, ask what you can  do for 2 or 3 lines!  And don't just ask that question today – ask it tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day . . . world without end, amen.

But while you asking yourself that question gives me such a thrill, it still DON'T PAY MY BILLS!

And I have more bills than you can shake a stick at.  For one thing, I had two daughters get married last year.  (It costs a lot of money to marry off not one, but two homely daughters.)

Plus I'm kind of old, and I'm very tired of working.  

Not to mention the hot (age-adjusted) French girlfriend, the other girlfriend, and the other other girlfriend.

So let's get going.  Chop, chop!  Click on the damn ads.  

One final note: it looks like 2016 will be the "International Year of Camelids" – i.e., camels, llamas, alpacas, and vicuñas.  (What the hell is the UN thinking?)

Barrett Strong

Here's Barrett Strong's original version of the oft-covered "Money (That's What I Want)," which was co-written by Motown founder Berry Gordy.  It became Motown's first hit single in the summer of 1960.

Click below (HINT, HINT!) to buy the song from Amazon: