Barrett Strong – "Money (That's What I Want)" (1959)

Money don’t get everything, it’s true

But what it don’t get, I can’t use

In the previous three 2 or 3 lines posts, I gave you a detailed itinerary for a perfect three-day trip to New York City.  (That itinerary is highly recommended for you rubes who have never been to the Big Apple.) 

I know exactly what you’re thinking right now.  “That does sound like the perfect three-day trip to New York City,” you’re saying to yourself.  “But am I going to have to take out a second mortgage to pay for everything?”   

Here’s a detailed breakdown of how much everything on the trip will cost you and a companion (rounded to the nearest dollar) if you follow my suggested itinerary exactly.  (You do have a companion to travel with you, don’t you?  Surely you’re not some loser who goes to New York City all by yourself?)     

Day One:

  $14    Breakfast en route to BWI   

$135    Amtrak from BWI to NYP 

    $6    Subway to hotel      

  $87    Lunch at P. J. Clarke’s                  

    $6     Subway to 230 Fifth Ave              

  $28    Drinks at 230 Fifth Ave          

     $6    Subway to theatre                  

$208    Tickets to Chicago      

   $19    Post-Chicago slices           

     $6    Subway to hotel                    

$206    Blue Angel Hotel                                                                     

Day Two:

  $26     Breakfast at Modern Bread & Bagel

    $6    Subway to Circle Line pier   

  $78    Circle Line cruise tickets 

   $41    Lunch at Pret A Manger  

   $15    Beer and iced tea at pier 55  

   $25   Drinks at Corner Bistro  

     $6    Subway to hotel       

   $49   Dinner at Kung Fu Little Steamed Buns 

$206    Blue Angel Hotel 

Day Three:

   $26    Breakfast at Avo 

     $6    Subway to Metropolitan Museum of Art

   $44    Tickets for the Met

   $10     Snack at the Met

     $6     Subway to hotel$6  

     $6     Subway to Penn Station  

   $40    Food and drink at Penn Station

 $135     Amtrak from NYP to BWI

   $36     Parking at BWI  

That adds up to $1482 – or just under $500 per day.

* * * * *               

The 96-year-old Berry Gordy is best known as the founder of Motown Records, but he was a pretty good songwriter back in the day. 

Among the songs that Gordy wrote or co-wrote are “Lonely Teardrops” (Jackie Wilson), “Shop Around” (the Miracles), “Do You Love Me?” (the Contours), and today’s featured song, which was originally recorded by Barrett Strong in 1959 and later covered by the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Supremes, and many others.

Strong claimed that he co-wrote “Money (That’s What I Want)” but his name is absent from the song’s official copyright registration – no soup for you, Barrett!

Strong later co-wrote several Motown classics, including “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” (Marvin Gaye), “Just My Imagination’ (the Temptations), and “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” (which was originally recorded by the Undisputed Truth, but was a much bigger hit for the Temptations).

Click here to listen to “Money (That’s What I Want).”

Click here to buy “Money (That’s What I Want)” from Amazon.