For the Love of Money
Encyclopedia
"For the Love of Money" is a soul
/funk
song written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and Anthony Jackson; and recorded by Philadelphia soul
group The O'Jays
for the album Ship Ahoy
. Produced by Gamble and Huff for Philadelphia International Records
, "For the Love of Money" was issued as a single in late 1973 (see 1973 in music
), with "People Keep Tellin' Me" as its b-side. The single peaked at number three on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart
, and at #9 on Billboard's Pop Singles chart
in spring 1974. Though the album version of the song was over seven minutes long, it received substantial radio airplay. The song's title comes from a well-known Bible
verse, 1 Timothy 6:10: "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" (King James Version).
on the song. One day during fall 1973, producer/keyboardist Leon Huff was leading the members of the MFSB rhythm section and Jackson through a rehearsal. Sigma Sound Studios
owner/engineer Joe Tarsia noticed that Jackson had a wah-wah pedal
attached to his Fender Precision bass. Tarsia decided to run Jackson's bassline
through a phaser
, giving it a swishing sound and later mixed in echo. During the final mixing of the track, Kenny Gamble impulsively reached over to the echo button and added echo to Jackson's opening riff
s.
for Best R&B Vocal Performance - Duo, Group or Chorus
, losing to "Tell Me Something Good" by Rufus
.
's 1985 single "Step Off (Part 1)". It has also been sampled by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
's single "I Need Money" and Charli Baltimore
's single "Money". The Happy Mondays' "Rave On" (1989) intro was also based on the opening riff to "For The Love of Money". British R&B
singer/rapper Jentina
sampled the money line for the chorus of her debut single "Bad Ass Strippa
" in 2004.
with Donald Trump
, and later as the theme to The Celebrity Apprentice, and also some international versions of the show, such as the Brazilian version of The Apprentice, called O Aprendiz, hosted by Roberto Justus
.
The song was also briefly used during Trump's stint with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as his entrance theme (before he changed to a different song), and it was subsequently incorporated into a series of sketches on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
in which O'Brien would perform an impression of Trump.
Brian Griffin
sings the chorus of the song whilst drunk in the episode of Family Guy
- "Peter, Peter, Caviar Eater
". The song was also featured on an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
and Martin
.
A small extract was also used when Monica, Chandler
and Phoebe
enter the casino in the finale of season 5 of the popular TV show Friends
.
The song was parodied as "Cash Cash Cashety Cash" in the Drawn Together
episode "The One Wherein There Is a Big Twist".
A medley of "For the Love of Money" and Stevie Wonder
's "Living for the City
" was recorded by Troop
, LeVert
, and Queen Latifah
. The medley is featured prominently in Mario Van Peebles
' 1991 film New Jack City
, and appears on the film's soundtrack
.
Bone Thugs N' Harmony used the first line as their chorus to the song "Foe Tha Love Of Money", released in 1993.
The song was also played at Camp Randall Stadium
in Madison, Wisconsin
when Wisconsin Badgers football
kicker Taylor Mehlhaff
converted field goal attempts.
On May 1, 2010, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. came out to this song before beating "Sugar" Shane Mosley
in their 12-round bout.
Chad Mendes
also uses this song as his entrance music in the UFC.
The Rare Blend cover of "For the Love of Money" was used during a driving sequence in the 2001 movie Driven
.
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
/funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
song written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and Anthony Jackson; and recorded by Philadelphia soul
Philadelphia soul
Philadelphia soul, sometimes called the Philadelphia Sound or Sweet Philly, is a style of soul music characterized by funk influences and lush instrumental arrangements, often featuring sweeping strings and piercing horns. The subtle sound of a glockenspiel can often be heard in the background of...
group The O'Jays
The O'Jays
The O'Jays are an American R&B group from Canton, Ohio, formed in 1963 and originally consisting of Eddie Levert , Walter Williams , William Powell , Bobby Massey and Bill Isles. The O'Jays were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004, and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005...
for the album Ship Ahoy
Ship Ahoy (album)
Ship Ahoy is a rhythm and blues album by Philadelphia soul group The O'Jays, released on November 10, 1973 on Philadelphia International Records...
. Produced by Gamble and Huff for Philadelphia International Records
Philadelphia International Records
Philadelphia International Records is a record label founded by writer-producers, Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff in 1971. It was famous for showcasing the sub-genre of Philadelphia soul music and released a string of worldwide hits during the decade.-History:...
, "For the Love of Money" was issued as a single in late 1973 (see 1973 in music
1973 in music
-January–April:*January 9 – Mick Jagger's request for a Japanese visa is rejected on account of a 1969 drug conviction, putting an abrupt end to The Rolling Stones' plans to perform in Japan during their forthcoming tour.*January 14...
), with "People Keep Tellin' Me" as its b-side. The single peaked at number three on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
, and at #9 on Billboard's Pop Singles chart
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in spring 1974. Though the album version of the song was over seven minutes long, it received substantial radio airplay. The song's title comes from a well-known Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
verse, 1 Timothy 6:10: "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" (King James Version).
Production
Anthony Jackson played bass guitarBass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
on the song. One day during fall 1973, producer/keyboardist Leon Huff was leading the members of the MFSB rhythm section and Jackson through a rehearsal. Sigma Sound Studios
Sigma Sound Studios
Sigma Sound Studios is an American music recording studio in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania founded by recording engineer Joseph Tarsia in 1968.Located at 212 N. 12th Street in Philadelphia, it was the second studio in the country to offer 24-track recording and the first in the country to use console...
owner/engineer Joe Tarsia noticed that Jackson had a wah-wah pedal
Wah-wah pedal
A wah-wah pedal is a type of guitar effects pedal that alters the tone of the signal to create a distinctive effect, mimicking the human voice...
attached to his Fender Precision bass. Tarsia decided to run Jackson's bassline
Bassline
A bassline is the term used in many styles of popular music, such as jazz, blues, funk, dub and electronic music for the low-pitched instrumental part or line played by a rhythm section instrument such as the electric bass, double bass, tuba or keyboard...
through a phaser
Phaser (effect)
A phaser is an audio signal processing technique used to filter a signal by creating a series of peaks and troughs in the frequency spectrum. The position of the peaks and troughs is typically modulated so that they vary over time, creating a sweeping effect...
, giving it a swishing sound and later mixed in echo. During the final mixing of the track, Kenny Gamble impulsively reached over to the echo button and added echo to Jackson's opening riff
RIFF
The Resource Interchange File Format is a generic file container format for storing data in tagged chunks. It is primarily used to store multimedia such as sound and video, though it may also be used to store any arbitrary data....
s.
Awards and accolades
"For the Love of Money" was nominated for the 1975 Grammy AwardGrammy Awards of 1975
The 17th Grammy Awards were presented March 1, 1975, and were broadcast live on American television. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1974.- Award winners :*Record of the Year...
for Best R&B Vocal Performance - Duo, Group or Chorus
Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
The Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded between 1970 and 2011. From 1967 to 1969 and in 1971 the award included instrumental performances...
, losing to "Tell Me Something Good" by Rufus
Rufus (band)
Rufus was an American funk band from Chicago, Illinois best known for launching the career of lead singer Chaka Khan. They had several hits throughout their career, including "Tell Me Something Good," "Sweet Thing," and "Ain't Nobody."-Origins:...
.
Covers
- The song was covered by Todd Rundgren's band Utopia on their 1982 album Swing to the RightSwing To The RightSwing to the Right is a Utopia album from 1982. It followed the well-intentioned Beatles parody/homage Deface the Music. Swing to the Right swings into hard-edged commentary on corporate raiders, warmongers, political villains, and despicable music industry moguls...
. - The song was covered by the funk-punk outfit Defunkt on their 1982 album Thermonuclear Sweat.
- A cover version recorded by Erroll Starr was nominated for the 1987 Juno AwardJuno AwardThe Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
for "Best R&B/Soul Recording" (see Juno Awards of 1987Juno Awards of 1987The Juno Awards of 1987, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 2 November 1987 in Toronto at a ceremony in the O'Keefe Centre. Howie Mandel was the host for the ceremonies, which were broadcast on CBC Television....
). - It was covered by BulletBoysBulletBoysBulletBoys is an American hard rock group formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1987. The group's original lineup was composed of former Ratt guitarist/King Kobra lead vocalist Marq Torien , former King Kobra guitarist Mick Sweda, Lonnie Vencent and Jimmy D'Anda...
on their eponymous 1988 album, and a video was made for the song. - A medley of "For the Love of Money" and Stevie WonderStevie WonderStevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
's "Living for the CityLiving for the City"Living for the City" is a 1973 hit single by Stevie Wonder for the Tamla label, from his Innervisions album. Reaching #8 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and #1 on the R&B chart, the record is driven by a slow bass synth groove that manages to exude a certain amount of tension, an appropriate...
" was recorded by TroopTroop (band)----Troop is an R&B group from Pasadena, California. TROOP has had three number one singles and ten top ten singles on the Billboard R&B Charts. They have also completed five albums, which include three certified gold and one certified platinum album...
, LeVertLeVertLeVert is a R&B/pop music singing group, formed in Ohio in 1984, comprising Sean and Gerald Levert, the sons of O'Jays founder Eddie Levert, as well as Marc Gordon.-Biography:The group released their first single, "I'm Still", for Harry Coombes' Tempre label...
, and Queen LatifahQueen LatifahDana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
. The medley is featured prominently in Mario Van PeeblesMario Van PeeblesMario "Chip" Cain Van Peebles is an American director and actor who has appeared in numerous Hollywood films. He is son of filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles.-Life and career:...
' 1991 film New Jack CityNew Jack CityNew Jack City is a 1991 crime film starring Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, Mario Van Peebles, Judd Nelson, and Chris Rock. Snipes stars as Nino Brown, a rising drug dealer and crime lord in New York City during the crack epidemic...
, and appears on the film's soundtrackNew Jack City (soundtrack)New Jack City is the original soundtrack to the 1991 film New Jack City released by Giant Records through Reprise Records and distributed by Warner Bros. Records. The soundtrack consists of eleven original songs, most of which were performed by chart-topping R&B and hip-hop artists of the time....
. - The Backstreet Boys recorded a version of this song for their Never GoneNever GoneNever Gone was the eagerly awaited comeback album by US vocal group Backstreet Boys. Originally to be released in 2004, the release date was pushed back to June 14, 2005 for unknown reasons. The album varies musically from their previous albums, with a rock sound to the album...
album, but it was not released. - The song was covered by QueensrÿcheQueensrÿchethumb|250px|right|Queensrÿche's classic line-up performing at the [[Sauna Open Air Metal Festival]] 2011 in [[Tampere]], [[Finland]]. Left to right: bass Eddie Jackson, lead vocals Geoff Tate, drums Scott Rockenfield and guitars Michael Wilton....
on their 2009 album Take CoverTake Cover (album)Take Cover is a cover album by Seattle-based progressive metal band Queensrÿche, released on November 13, 2007. Its release was announced by the band on August 28, 2007. After its first week of release the album entered the Billboard Top 200 chart at No. 173, with sales of 5,500 copies...
.
Samples
The song is sampled in Grandmaster FlashGrandmaster Flash
Joseph Saddler better known as King Grandmaster Flash, is an American hip hop musician and DJ; one of the pioneers of hip-hop DJing, cutting, and mixing....
's 1985 single "Step Off (Part 1)". It has also been sampled by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch was a hip-hop group led by Mark Wahlberg. The Funky Bunch consisted of Wahlberg , Scott Ross , Hector Barros , Terry Yancey and Anthony Thomas...
's single "I Need Money" and Charli Baltimore
Charli Baltimore
Tiffany "Charli Baltimore" Lane is an American Grammy Award nominated female rapper. Her stage name is taken from Geena Davis's character in the film The Long Kiss Goodnight.-Musical career:...
's single "Money". The Happy Mondays' "Rave On" (1989) intro was also based on the opening riff to "For The Love of Money". British R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
singer/rapper Jentina
Jentina
Jentina Rose Chapman professionally known as Jentina, is a British Hip hop/R&B singer, rapper, songwriter and model of Gypsy descent.-Biography:...
sampled the money line for the chorus of her debut single "Bad Ass Strippa
Bad Ass Strippa
"Bad Ass Strippa" is Jentina's debut single released in Italy, the UK and the Republic of Ireland. It received an average success in Italy but not a good one in the UK, despite a heavy advertising campaign including adverts on prime time television...
" in 2004.
In popular culture
Beginning in 2004, the song was used as the theme to the reality television show The ApprenticeThe Apprentice (U.S. TV series)
The Apprentice is an American reality television show hosted by real estate magnate, businessman and television personality Donald Trump, created by Mark Burnett and broadcast on NBC...
with Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
, and later as the theme to The Celebrity Apprentice, and also some international versions of the show, such as the Brazilian version of The Apprentice, called O Aprendiz, hosted by Roberto Justus
Roberto Justus
Roberto Luiz Justus is a Brazilian television personality.Justus was born in São Paulo, Brazil. Son of Hungarian immigrants, Justus has hosted the popular program O Aprendiz, the Brazilian version of The Apprentice. He is married to Ticiane Pinheiro, who is the daughter of the Garota de Ipanema ...
.
The song was also briefly used during Trump's stint with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as his entrance theme (before he changed to a different song), and it was subsequently incorporated into a series of sketches on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
in which O'Brien would perform an impression of Trump.
Brian Griffin
Brian Griffin
Brian Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. He is voiced by Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family, in a 15-minute short on December 20, 1998. Brian was created and designed by MacFarlane himself...
sings the chorus of the song whilst drunk in the episode of Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
- "Peter, Peter, Caviar Eater
Peter, Peter, Caviar Eater
"Peter, Peter, Caviar Eater" is the first episode of season two of Family Guy, originally aired on Fox on September 23, 1999. It guest-stars Robin Leach as himself, and Fairuza Balk as Connie D'Amico...
". The song was also featured on an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from September 10, 1990 to May 20, 1996. The show stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who is sent to move in with his aunt and uncle in their...
and Martin
Martin (TV series)
Martin is an American sitcom produced by HBO Independent Productions that aired for five seasons, from August 27, 1992 to May 1, 1997 on Fox...
.
A small extract was also used when Monica, Chandler
Chandler Bing
Chandler Muriel Bing is a fictional character on the popular U.S. television sitcom Friends, portrayed by Matthew Perry.-Background:Chandler Muriel Bing was born on April 8, 1968, the son of an erotic novelist mother and a cross-dressing Las Vegas star and is of Scottish ancestry. Chandler was Ross...
and Phoebe
Phoebe Buffay
Phoebe Buffay-Hannigan is a fictional character on the U.S. television sitcom Friends , portrayed by Lisa Kudrow...
enter the casino in the finale of season 5 of the popular TV show Friends
Friends
Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
.
The song was parodied as "Cash Cash Cashety Cash" in the Drawn Together
Drawn Together
Drawn Together is an American animated television series, which ran on Comedy Central from October 27, 2004 to November 14, 2007. The series was created by Dave Jeser and Matt Silverstein, and uses a sitcom format with a TV reality show setting...
episode "The One Wherein There Is a Big Twist".
A medley of "For the Love of Money" and Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
's "Living for the City
Living for the City
"Living for the City" is a 1973 hit single by Stevie Wonder for the Tamla label, from his Innervisions album. Reaching #8 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and #1 on the R&B chart, the record is driven by a slow bass synth groove that manages to exude a certain amount of tension, an appropriate...
" was recorded by Troop
Troop (band)
----Troop is an R&B group from Pasadena, California. TROOP has had three number one singles and ten top ten singles on the Billboard R&B Charts. They have also completed five albums, which include three certified gold and one certified platinum album...
, LeVert
LeVert
LeVert is a R&B/pop music singing group, formed in Ohio in 1984, comprising Sean and Gerald Levert, the sons of O'Jays founder Eddie Levert, as well as Marc Gordon.-Biography:The group released their first single, "I'm Still", for Harry Coombes' Tempre label...
, and Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
. The medley is featured prominently in Mario Van Peebles
Mario Van Peebles
Mario "Chip" Cain Van Peebles is an American director and actor who has appeared in numerous Hollywood films. He is son of filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles.-Life and career:...
' 1991 film New Jack City
New Jack City
New Jack City is a 1991 crime film starring Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, Mario Van Peebles, Judd Nelson, and Chris Rock. Snipes stars as Nino Brown, a rising drug dealer and crime lord in New York City during the crack epidemic...
, and appears on the film's soundtrack
New Jack City (soundtrack)
New Jack City is the original soundtrack to the 1991 film New Jack City released by Giant Records through Reprise Records and distributed by Warner Bros. Records. The soundtrack consists of eleven original songs, most of which were performed by chart-topping R&B and hip-hop artists of the time....
.
Bone Thugs N' Harmony used the first line as their chorus to the song "Foe Tha Love Of Money", released in 1993.
The song was also played at Camp Randall Stadium
Camp Randall Stadium
Camp Randall Stadium is an outdoor stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. It has been the home of the Wisconsin Badgers football team in rudimentary form since 1895, and as a complete stadium since 1917. It is located on the center-southern region of the University of Wisconsin campus. The stadium seats...
in Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
when Wisconsin Badgers football
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
kicker Taylor Mehlhaff
Taylor Mehlhaff
Taylor Mehlhaff is an American football placekicker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wisconsin....
converted field goal attempts.
On May 1, 2010, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. came out to this song before beating "Sugar" Shane Mosley
Shane Mosley
“Sugar” Shane Mosley is an American professional boxer from Pomona, California who has held world titles in three weight divisions.-Amateur career:Mosley was an amateur standout, capturing various amateur titles, including:...
in their 12-round bout.
Chad Mendes
Chad Mendes
Chad Edward Mendes is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.-High school:Mendes finished 8th in the state of California , wrestling for Hanford High School. In 2002, he finished 5th at 114 lbs. and in 2003, he finished third at 121 lbs...
also uses this song as his entrance music in the UFC.
The Rare Blend cover of "For the Love of Money" was used during a driving sequence in the 2001 movie Driven
Driven
Driven is a 2001 film directed by Renny Harlin and starring Sylvester Stallone, who also wrote and produced. It centers on a young racing driver's effort to win the ChampCar World Series...
.