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.   

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: