Some songs have an interesting back end story. Here's one. The title of this song was taken from a verse in the Bible--"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." 1 Timothy 6:10 KJV. Co-composer, lyricist, Anthony Jackson and bassman, played bass on the song. The other co-composers are Leon Huff and Kenneth Gamble. Sound engineer, Joe Tarsia noticed that Jackson had a wah-wah foot pedal attached to his Fender Precision Bass. Tarsia decided to run Jackson's bass through a phaser giving it a swishing sound and later mixed in echo. Gamble impulsively reach over to the echo button and added echo to Jackson's opening riff. And the rest is magic. Listen and you'll be amazed. Released in 1973 and peaking at number 3 on the R&B charts and number 9 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in 1974 Here are the lyrics of "For The Love Of Money"
Intro
Money, money, money, money, money
Money, money, money, money,money
Money, money, money, money, money
Money, money, money, money, money
Money, money, money, money, money
Money, money, money, money, money
1. Some people got to have it, yeah
Some people really need, huh listen to me y'all
Do things , do things, do things bad things with it
Well
You wanna do things, do things, do things,good things with it
Yeah, uh-huh, talk about
Cash money, money
Talk about cash money, dollar bills. y'all come on now
Yeah, yeah, girl, yeah
Chorus
For the love of money (People will steal from their mother)
For the love of money( People will rob their own brother)
For the love of money(People can't even walk the street)
Because they never know who in the world they're gonna meet
For that mean, oh mean
Mean green, almighty dollar, cash money
For the love of money(People will lie, rob, they will cheat)
For the love of money(People don't care who they hurt or beat)
For the love of money(A woman will sell her precious body)
For a small piece of paper, it carries a lot of weight
For that mean, mean, mean, mean
Mean green, almighty dollar, talkin' 'bout talkin' 'bout
2. Money is the root of all evil
Do funny things to some people
Give me a nickel, brother, can you spare me a dime?
Money can drive some people out of their minds
Chorus
For the love of money(Got to have it , I really need it)
For the love of money( Give it up, give it up , give it up, yeah)
For the love of money(Got to have it, some people really need it)
For the love of money(Give me, give, give me, cash money)
For the love of money( I need it, I need it)
For the love of money( Give me , give me, give me)
For the love of money(A little bit)
For the love of money(How many times have I heard you say?)
For the love of money(Don't let, don't let,don't let money rule you)
For the love of money(How many times have I heard you say?)
For the love of money( Don't let it, don't let it, don't let it rule you)
For the love of money(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
For the love of money(Got to have it, I really need it)
Don't do it
Save your soul, save your soul, don't sell it
For that mean, mean, mean, mean green
People don't let money
Don't let money change you, almighty dollar....
Writers/composers
Leon Huff/ Kenneth Gamble/ Anthony Jackson
Intro
Money, money, money, money, money
Money, money, money, money,money
Money, money, money, money, money
Money, money, money, money, money
Money, money, money, money, money
Money, money, money, money, money
1. Some people got to have it, yeah
Some people really need, huh listen to me y'all
Do things , do things, do things bad things with it
Well
You wanna do things, do things, do things,good things with it
Yeah, uh-huh, talk about
Cash money, money
Talk about cash money, dollar bills. y'all come on now
Yeah, yeah, girl, yeah
Chorus
For the love of money (People will steal from their mother)
For the love of money( People will rob their own brother)
For the love of money(People can't even walk the street)
Because they never know who in the world they're gonna meet
For that mean, oh mean
Mean green, almighty dollar, cash money
For the love of money(People will lie, rob, they will cheat)
For the love of money(People don't care who they hurt or beat)
For the love of money(A woman will sell her precious body)
For a small piece of paper, it carries a lot of weight
For that mean, mean, mean, mean
Mean green, almighty dollar, talkin' 'bout talkin' 'bout
2. Money is the root of all evil
Do funny things to some people
Give me a nickel, brother, can you spare me a dime?
Money can drive some people out of their minds
Chorus
For the love of money(Got to have it , I really need it)
For the love of money( Give it up, give it up , give it up, yeah)
For the love of money(Got to have it, some people really need it)
For the love of money(Give me, give, give me, cash money)
For the love of money( I need it, I need it)
For the love of money( Give me , give me, give me)
For the love of money(A little bit)
For the love of money(How many times have I heard you say?)
For the love of money(Don't let, don't let,don't let money rule you)
For the love of money(How many times have I heard you say?)
For the love of money( Don't let it, don't let it, don't let it rule you)
For the love of money(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
For the love of money(Got to have it, I really need it)
Don't do it
Save your soul, save your soul, don't sell it
For that mean, mean, mean, mean green
People don't let money
Don't let money change you, almighty dollar....
Writers/composers
Leon Huff/ Kenneth Gamble/ Anthony Jackson