Music Lyrics Money Quotes
- The page contains money quotes from musicians about money and the music industry
- Quotes discuss themes like the root of all evil, taxes, spending money, materialism, and getting paid for artistic work
- Comments from musicians like Linda Ronstadt, Rihanna, Duke Ellington, Paul McCartney, and Mick Jagger about money and their motivations
- A spoof quote is mentioned from “Last Week Tonight” about the IRS
- Sections include love/money quotes, industry comments, and a Jimmy Buffett poem about spending money
- Many music legends are quoted like The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye, Dire Straits, and more
“Hey now, you’re an all-star, get your game on, go play Hey now, you’re a rock star, get the show on, get paid” — Steve Harwell
“I makes money, money don’t make me, that’s the way I am and it’s plain to see, Get right for yourself, they can’t put you on a shelf, Live and let live, you know its plain enough, There ain’t a dollar in the world can make me change my stuff” — Jerry Jeff Walker
“Inflation, no chance, To increase finance. Bills pile up sky high. Send that boy off to die” — Marvin Gaye
“Natural fact is. I can’t pay my taxes. Oh, make me wanna holler. And throw up both my hands” — Marvin Gaye
“You never count your money when you’re sittin at the table, there’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealin’s done” — Kenny Rogers
“You can’t take it with you and you know that it’s too worthless to be sold They tell you, “Time is money,” as if your life was worth its weight in gold” — Bob Dylan
“Let me ask you one question, Is your money that good? Will it buy you forgiveness? Do you think that it could? I think you will find When your death takes its toll; All the money you made Will never buy back your soul” — Bob Dylan
“How many times have you heard someone say If I had his money I’d do things my way, but little they know, it’s so hard to find One rich man in ten with a satisfied mind” — Bob Dylan
“But ain’t got a friend that’s not on the payroll” — Alicia Keys
“They got money for wars, but can’t feed the poor” — Tupac Shakur
“That ain’t workin thats the way you do it
Money for nothin’ and chicks for free” — Dire Straights in ‘Money for Nothing’
-– Dire Straights in Money for Nothing
Brothers in Arms
“Life was a game, & work was a shame, & pain was prevented by pleasure. The world cold & grey was so far away, in distance only money could measure” — Phil Ochs
“Oh there ain’t no rest for the wicked
Money don’t grow on trees
We got bills to pay, we got mouths to feed
There ain’t nothing in this world for free
Oh no we can’t slow down, we can’t hold back
Though you know we wish we could
Oh no there ain’t no rest for the wicked
Until we close our eyes for good”
— Lyrics by Caged Elephant
I use to love you honey, ’til you spent all my money
—
“Guess you lose some & win some, long as the outcome is income” — Drake
“A lot of fellows nowadays have a B.A., M.D., or Ph.D. Unfortunately, they don’t have a J.O.B.” — Fats Domino
“If I woke up tomorrow and didn’t have a dolla … As long as I have my heart, I can get it all over” — Wale
“Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a color TV Dialing For Dollars is trying to find me” — Janis Joplin
“It’s just like a magic penny, Hold it tight and you won’t have any. Lend it, spend it, and you’ll have so many They’ll roll all over the floor” — Malvina Reynolds
‘Cause love is more precious than gold
It can’t be bought, no, never could be sold
I got love enough to share
That makes me a millionaire
“Money and Corruption Are ruining the land Crooked politicians Betray the working man Pocketing the profits And treating us like sheep And we’re tired of hearing promises That we know they’ll never keep” — The Kinks
“I’ll give you candy, give you diamonds, give you pills, Give you anything you want, hundred dollar bills”
-– Anything, Anything – by Dramarama Cinema Verite
“Got no checkbooks, got no banks, Still I’d like to express my thanks; I’ve got the sun in the morning and the moon at night” — Irving Berlin
Broadway Greatest Hits
“Money makes the world go around
…the world go around
…the world go around.
Money makes the world go around
Of that we both are sure” – Liza Minelli in Cabaret (1968)
–- Liza Minelli in Cabaret (1968)
Cabaret: Original Soundtrack Recording (1972 Film)
“Money don’t matter 2 night It sure didn’t matter yesterday Just when you think you’ve got more than enough That’s when it all up and flies away” — Prince
“Fat cats on Wall Street, They got a bailout, While somebody else got 2 wait, 700 billion but my old neighborhood, Ain’t nothing changed but the date” — Prince
“I don’t care too much for money, money can’t buy me love” — Beatles
“The best things in life are free But you can give them to the birds and bees I want money Your love gives me such a thrill But your love won’t pay my bills I want money (That’s What I Want)” — Beatles
— Beatles
With The Beatles (Remastered CD)
“Money, money, money Must be funny In the rich man’s world Money, money, money Always sunny In the rich man’s world” — Abba
ABBA
ABBA – Gold: Greatest Hits
“Only boys who save their pennies Make my rainy day You know that we are living in a material world And I am a material girl” — Madonna
–Madonna
Like a Virgin CD
“I dreamed I had a good job and I got well paid. I blew it all at the penny arcade” — Eric Clapton
“I’ve got the brains, you’ve got the looks Let’s make lots of money You’ve got the brawn, I’ve got the brains Let’s make lots of money” — Pet Shop Boys
— Pet Shop Boys
Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots Of Money)
She works hard for the money
so hard for it honey
she works hard for the money
so you better treat her right
— Donna Summer
She Works Hard For The Money
“I’ve seen the future, I can’t afford it Tell me the truth sir, someone just bought it” — ABC
How To Be A Millionaire
“Billy Joe shot a man while robbing his castle Bobbie Sue took the money and run Go on take the money and run” — Steve Miller Band
Greatest Hits: 1974-1978
“If you got the money honey I got the time and when you run out of money honey I run out of time” — Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson’s Greatest Hits (& Some That Will Be)
“Money, so they say Is the root of all evil today. But if you ask for a raise it’s no surprise that they’re giving none away” — Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Dark Side of the Moon
(if you drive a car, car;) I’ll tax the street;
(if you try to sit, sit;) – I’ll tax your seat;
(if you get too cold, cold;) – I’ll tax the heat;
(if you take a walk, walk;) – I’ll tax your feet.
Don’t ask me what I want it for
If you don’t want to pay some more
Cause I’m the taxman,
Yeah, I’m the taxman.
— The Beatles (1966)
Revolver [UK]
“But outside of that, I’ve no use for dough. It’s the root of all evil, Of strife and upheaval. But I’m certain, honey, that life would be sunny With plenty of money and you” — Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett
Three Of A Kind – Ray & Tony Sing And Basie Swings
“I’m going to be a happy idiot And struggle for the legal tender Where the ads take aim and lay their claim To the heart and the soul of the spender” — Jackson Browne
Jackson Browne
The Pretender
“And if your train’s on time You can get to work by nine And start your slaving job to get your pay” — Bachman Turner Overdrive
Spending Money – Jimmy Buffett
Now I’m not talking ’bout excessive greed.
The kind that puzzled the scribes and Pharisees.
I don’t worship it like a golden calf,
But change in my pocket is always good for a laugh.
I’ve seen it brighten up the eyes of a child
It even makes the Dali Lama smile.
It’s no relation tot he meaning of life,
It’s a dang fool husband doesn’t spring for his wife.
A little spending money.
Money to burn.
Money that you did not necessarily earn.
Rainy days seem to wind up sunny,
Long as you got a little spending money.
I got no financial conscience.
Can’t worry where it went.
A lasting treasure or a moment of pleasure
Worth it every cent.
Coin or paper baby,
Silver or gold.
All denominations, nouveau or old.
Can’t have a turkey without oyster dressing,
It’s the root of all evil, the sum of your blessings.
Don’t need no armored car or time locked vault,
Don’t need no shaker full, just a few grains of salt.
You may get by lookin’ good and being funny,
But life’s a little less restrained.
With a little spending money.
Money to burn.
Money that you did not necessarily earn.
Rainy days seem to wind up sunny,
Long as you got a little spendin’ money…
Long as you got a little spendin’ money…
Greenbacks – by Ray Charles
As I was walking down the street last night
A pretty little girl came into sight
I bowed and smiled and asked her name
She said, “Hold it bud, I don’t play that game”
I reached in my pocket, and to her big surprise
There was Lincoln staring her dead in the eyes
On a greenback, greenback dollar bill
Just a little piece of paper, coated with chlorophyll
She looked at me with that familiar desire
Her eyes lit up like they were on fire
She said, “My name’s Flo, and you’re on the right track
But look here, daddy, I wear furs on my back
So if you want to have fun in this man’s land
Let Lincoln and Jackson start shaking hands”
On a greenback, greenback dollar bill
Just a little piece of paper, coated with chlorophyll
I didn’t know what I was getting into
But I popped Lincoln and Jackson, too
I didn’t mind seeing them fade out of sight
I just knew I’d have some fun last night
Whenever you in town and looking for a thrill
If Lincoln can’t get it, Jackson sure will
On a greenback, greenback dollar bill
Just a little piece of paper, coated with chlorophyll
We went to a nightspot where the lights were low
Dined and danced, and I was ready to go
I got out of my seat, and when Flo arose
She said, “Hold on daddy, while I powder my nose”
I sat back down with a smiling face
While she went down to the powder place
With my greenback, greenback dollar bill
Just a little piece of paper, coated with chlorophyll
The music stopped and the lights came on
I looked around and saw I was all alone
I didn’t know how long Flo had been gone
But a nose powder sure didn’t take that long
I left the place with tears in my eyes
As I waved Lincoln and Jackson a last goodbye
On a greenback, greenback dollar bill
Just a little piece of paper, coated with chlorophyll
Comments about money from musicians about the music industry:
“In the United States, we spend millions of dollars on sports because it promotes teamwork, discipline, and the experience of learning to make great progress in small increments. Learning to play music does all this and more” — Linda Ronstadt
“You feel like at the end of the day, you might as well get paid for this shit” — Rihanna
“There is hardly any money interest in art, and music will be there when money is gone” — Duke Ellington
“Somebody said to me, ‘But the Beatles were anti-materialistic.’ That’s a huge myth. John and I literally used to sit down and say, ‘Now, let’s write a swimming pool.'” — Paul McCartney
“I came into music just because I wanted the bread. It’s true. I looked around and this seemed like the only way I was going to get the kind of bread I wanted” — Mick Jagger
“Life for rent means that my life isn’t really my own, I only rented it for a while, but if I don’t manage to buy it, to own it, then nothing of what I think is mine is really mine” — Dido Armstrong
“Music is art, and art is important and rare. Important, rare things are valuable. Valuable things should be paid for” — Taylor Swift
“Money had never been the main thing for me. It’s the legacy that was important” — Berry Gordy
Here’s a great spoof from “Last Week Tonight” and Michael Bolton on the IRS
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[…] That collection now runs to around 1500 money quotes on dozens of topics as diverse as love, art, music, politics, poverty and even a group of quotations from Warren […]