5090 by FAWM: "The Money"

The Money

8 weeks ago by @davidtaro

Liner Notes

Track 5. Or notes on my approach to parenting 😂

Actually, as with most of my stuff, this started with a melody and some hummed nonsense, until it coalesced around the phrase 'it's all about the money in the end', and the rest of the words tumbled out from there.

I've been battling a sore throat all week, so had to re-record the lead vocal (the previous one, done on Friday, is still in there as a double - nothing wasted!).

Kind of proud of the solo. Not from a technical point of view, it's just some descending notes, but there's a vibe about it which I really like.

#indierock #parentingadvice

Lyrics

Child be ruthless
Child be bold
Child be clever
And cynical and cold

‘Cause it’s all about the money in the end
It’s all about the money you can spend, spend, spend
It’s all about the money
Always seems so funny
How it’s all about the money in the end

Take your chances
Don’t play fair
Don’t ever worry
Who you crush in getting there

[Chorus]

Keep livin’ the dream
It’s what they’d want you to do
Be a good little capitalist for me
That’s when your dreams will all come true

Don’t read Engels
Don’t read Marx
Don’t read the Bible
Keep but one thing in your heart

[Chorus]

It's all about the money
It's all about the money
It's all about the money

Comments

@paul_pedersen 2w

I just started watching a British reality series called Double the Money. Man, this would be the ideal theme song for the show. Too bad you wrote this after the show's done. Great song!

@ductapeguyMod 7w

Wowza. The wall rewritten for the 21st century. And I love that wall of chirpy guitars.

@gwynjones 7w

Yep, you don't want no damn Communist kids in your house!
My kids are all a lot richer than me now because I taught 'em well along these lines...the selflessness and the sacrifice...oh my!

Seriously-ish, you've gorn an' dunnit again...an amazingly good production that has a wry, witty lyric and phenomenal vox plus a sizzling quick flick pick solo (à la mandolin stylee)...I'm not sure about all the 70s/80s/90s vibes...it sounds bang up to date to me!

P.S. Can you do iPhones next? The bane of any parent of kids over 10 or even younger...😉

@brisk 7w

Great lyric on this. It is important to make sure that privileged children are up to speed as soon as possible, and this song may be an ideal vehicle for that message.

That up and down, up and down trick, doubled on bass and guitar is really nice. To focus on one very little thing a moment - I absolutely love that tinny snare sound. Dunno where it comes from but I hope I can reproduce it using my bag of tricks.

I missed the solo though, will give it another listen... yes, that's nice!

I think after three listens the bit I like the best is actually the big celebratory "spend, spend, spend!", that's great.

@jibbidy34 7w

Yeah!!! This is a winner DT :) I hear what you’re saying re the vibe. It’s my jam too! This would fit The Black Keys so well or Alabama Shakes. I wish you could write for them! Everything about this is so pro! LOVE it

@sheslin 7w

I LOVE the sense of rocking back and forth in your song David - with that walk up and down theme throughout - makes me think of a parent rocking a child -perfect for the perspective of these lyrics. Great melody and that chorus is a wow. Excellent guitaring and vocals as always. I like how you kind of took us to church in the bridge - nice! I appreciate the irony in your lyrics also. Cool song!

@mtmelodie 7w

Great songwriting and smashing production, very 70's rock vibe, I like the raw quality of your voice here but hope you've given it some rest in the last few days.

@freshspotlessyouth 8w

This had me smiling and bouncing all the way through. The straight-faced irony (too borrow Bill's phrase) is delicious. But you could have been singing anything at all and this crunchy bit of power pop would still be a joyous romp

@marilisa 8w

Aw man, you’ve smashed it right out of the park again. This has all the makings of a classic. Brilliantly sarcastic lyrics (the “Keep livin’ the dream bit is extra brilliant) and such a catchy tune. Amazing stuff. (But as others said, rest up that voice! ♥️)

@nahlej381 8w

I’m glad you’re teaching them right. Better to learn early than late. This is a wonderful piece of reductio ad absurdum. YOU, my friend, are a genius! The music is so good but I love how shocking the lyrical content comes across…like saying this to a kid really makes it click…it’s just really not about money….LIES….give me my money.

@andrea 8w

Love the sarcastic clever lyrics. Made me chuckle. I really love the music and that chorus is super catchy. This is probably going to be stuck in my head. Awesome song!

@wobbiewobbit 8w

comes smashing in on the first hit. wow what a great sounding production. Rather epic! getting Bowie vibes, esp the livin the dream section. Really strong song. nice one David!

@jerrypettit 8w

Yeah, I was thinking about how much this was a "70s" kind of a rocker (and message!), too! Really a great, great job on this one! Keep 'em coming!! ❤️

@gm7 8w

Rest those vocal chords, mate! Follow the money honey! Love the heavy down beat on the '1" with the rhythm guitar and those climbs. That delay and reverb saturated solo cool...but those little flicks and riffs shouldn't be over looked...winner!!!

@coolparadisoMod 8w

you need to be careful with that voice. sounds like you are pushing it, it sounds great but dont do longer term damage
so often its yup you got it , all about the money. the mainline is hell catchy.

@tjeff 8w

Killer production as usual. Love how you bring the music down a bit as the first verse hits. As someone who unnecessarily frets over money a lot I can relate so much to your lyric! Awesome hooky chorus too. I sure can't hear the sore throat!

@odilongreen 8w

There is a glorious 70s feel to this, and while it doesn't sound like him at all, I think this would work spectacularly as a quieter Alice Cooper song on the Billion Dollar Babies album. That chorus is so catchy, so sing-alongable, and the track as a whole has a wonderfully snide feel that insinuates itself into my brain. Excellent!

@catmisgivings 8w

from under the heaping of irony, your choice about where the melody/chords go on that first "it's all about the money in the end" absolutely tugs at my heart. that poor kid! (lol)

@billwhite51 8w

How do you get such a big sound? This is thundering right out of the gate. Your straight-faced irony slams the point home that money be damned,,,It is not about the money at all. I love the way you finesed this...what sounds like a pro-capitalist power ballad is actually a warning against the love of money. I was getting the shivers each time your vocal rose in intensity with each repeat of the word "spend"

@musicsongwriter 8w

Very cool song which could work in a musical. Very catchy and instantly likable. So sorry for your sore throat. Please pity it, don't repeat my mistakes - even though I don't sing well, but when I try to record a demo for my collaborator to sing, and my throat is not at it's best, and I can't resist recording, I always regret this. Please give it plenty of rest and warm drinks. Not that it shows in your song, but I know the effect of doing something against the situation. Your voice is too precious! I love your song, David, it's a rocker in a great way.

@squirrelhavenstudios 8w

I'm off to a slow start this 50/90 and this is, I'm ashamed to say, the first song I've commented on this time around. But, as luck would have it, I picked a good one! This song is great. The track rocks, the lyrics are properly acerbic, and the solo, as advertised, is very cool. There are many great lyrical moments, but my favorite is probably your rhyming Marx with heart. I always think it's better to make your point than to worry about exact rhymes and you make a great (cynical) one when you advise to "Keep but one thing in your heart". "Imperfect" rhymes are way more fun anyway, as you have so expertly proved. Nice work as usual, @davidtaro!

@sbs 8w

First off, the echo-y thing at the very beginning in my headphones was awesome, setting me up for something spectacular. And the John Lennon vibe touches "Jealous Guy" and "Mother." And that boom-boom-boom-boom sequence thingy blew me away. Must listen again to take it all in.

@djtjb 8w

This has a super cool 90s alternative vibe to me for some reason. The lyrics are rad. Yeah don't know what effects you used on that solo but that is a very pleasing esthetic.

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The Money

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