11:54 a.m. - January 17, 2007
Money Mix!
My music mixes are good for something! Heh.
I am the leader of the team that is putting together the session track for the user group meeting of the software we use to run the office here at the college. This software company offers products that can run your entire college from payroll to admissions to fundraising to grades. So there are a lot of people who use it, and the user group meeting attracts about 2,000 people.
Yes, all of them are bit-nerds like me.
Anyway, our software is being converted so it will integrate seamlessly (hah!) with the software product the rest of the college uses. Yes, our little fundraising package is on an island here, but no more!
For a presentation, the company�s liaison of the track team asked me to put together a little soundtrack, as it were. Since we�re in the fundraising business, she wanted songs about money, caysh, dollar bills, and well, I�m here to supply them.
I got some songs together, put a mix together, and gave it a spin. I found that three songs, �Funky Dollar Bill� by Funkadelic, �If Money Talks� by Jason and the Scorchers and �The Money Will Roll Right In� by Mudhoney, while they are all songs of quality and distinction, didn�t really flow with the program, were too obscure, and maybe too scary on occasion. So I had to seek out and find some replacements, and I found three last night. I slotted them in and here you go.
Oh, and you may be wondering, but yes, I went safe and tried and true�THIS TIME!
I present to you the Money Mix 2007. Watch out DC, this mix is coming to YOU!
1. Money Song � Monty Python. A brilliant piece of inanity sung by Eric Idle, this is a bit data since there�s no such thing as French Francs and Deutsche Marks anymore, but still it�s brilliant. �You can keep your Marxist ways �cause it�s only just a phase.�
2. Cash On The Barrelhead � The Louvin Brothers. This almost got the ziggy as well, but I couldn�t kick out the Louvin Brothers. A tale of a sad sack that got into money problems, and in the days before easy credit, you needed cash money. And well, this is what happens you don�t got it.
3. Money (That�s What I Want) � The Beatles. John Lennon sings like he needs every last nickel and dime that you can scrape up. They were more sophisticated later in their career, of course, but the energy and talent is apparent for sure on the early tracks.
4. Gimme Some Money � Spinal Tap. They didn�t just parody metal - they parodied music of all kinds. This is a perfect zing toward British Invasion pop songs complete with the �Go Nigel! Go!� line right before the guitar break. It�s a crying shame their drummers kept choking on vomit or having bizarre gardening accidents.
5. You Never Give Me Your Money � The Beatles. And now for the sophistication. When I first heard Abbey Road as a kid (my sister left her copy for me when she went into the Navy) I was immediately drawn to this song. Even at that tender age I was drawn to the complexity, the changing structures, the mood and the feel. This has some of the best work by everyone � Harrison�s chiming guitar, McCartney�s stellar bass, Ringo�s excellent drum work, and great singing by everyone.
6. For The Love Of Money � The O�Jays. Now known as the theme to The Apprentice, this is a classic Philly soul cut that has an incredible bass line, great production (loved the phase shifter that�s used on the cymbals and the opening vocals), and a great vibe.
7. Mo Money Mo Problems � Notorious BIG. This is one of those I just bought to take the place of one of the other songs. In the setting, this will seem more like �I�m Coming Out� than anything else. Definitely from the �I�ll just rap over a classic song from the past and rake in the dough� school.
8. Money Won�t Change You � James Brown. Ok, I think I really want the people to get up and dance during the presentation. Ah, that�s OK. Good God, and RIP, James.
9. Money, Money, Money � ABBA. You know, when you listen to a lot of their stuff, it�s no WONDER that the dudes started to write musicals. This is a perfect song for a musical.
10. Money Honey � The Bay City Rollers. Oh, how cheesy, but fun. I especially love the little siren thingy underneath the main riff. Anyone have any tartan?
11. It�s All About The Benjamins � The Notorious BIG. Well, it IS all about the Benjamins, ain�t it? In two clicks of the mouse, I increased my BIG content from zero to two.
12. Take The Money And Run � Steve Miller Band. Some of the lamest rhymes on record, really. Please, Steve �Texas� does not rhyme with �Facts is�. But that�s OK, I still love the song, and every time I hear it I have to sing it as loud as I can, and yes, Katie will say, �Daddy, you�re hurting my ears!�
13. The Big Money � Rush. Not one of my all-time favorite Rush songs, and I think this is about the time that I stopped really liking them a lot. The later stuff, which is more keyboard heavy, doesn�t really do it for me. But this is an OK song and it fits the theme, so it�s here.
14. Money For Nothing � Dire Straits. Yeah, you kind of expected this one, didn�t you? It got overplayed during the day, but I listened to it recently and I really do think it�s pretty clever. I always liked the little synth flourishes in the verses.
15. Money � Pink Floyd. Well, duh, this HAS to be in there, ya know.
16. Pretty Green � The Jam. One of my favorite cuts from one of my favorite bands. Everyone needs to check out the Sound Affects album. It�s stunning. Yes, it�s verrry British, but that�s good for you. Bruce Foxton�s stellar bass work holds this one together.
17. Lawyers, Guns, And Money � Warren Zevon. Nothing like international intrigue, espionage, and stuff hitting the fan. Zevon was always a master of a twisted story like this one. And you know this really needs to be on my MySpace page right now, based on what I�ve been going through. Heh. Though I don�t like guns, at all, and thanks to Wabash I know more lawyers than I know what to do with. So just send money. Thanks. You know the address, and I can send you my Paypal info, too.
18. If I Had $1000000 � Barenaked Ladies. I wouldn�t buy Dijon ketchups, nor a nice Reliant automobile, but I would definitely get the mortgage paid off, get a minivan, get Kristin�s 529 plan funded and help some of my relatives. Oh, and invent pre-wrapped bacon.
19. Money (That�s What I Want) � The Flying Lizards. You gotta hear this to believe it. People thought the Waitresses� vocalist was reciting the phone book. This chick sounds lobotomized. Somehow this hit #50 on the singles chart.
Well, there you go. Now, I need to grab some cash before lunch and my appointment. Anyone need anything while I�m out?
