Top Track Music

“Money(Thats What I Want)” by Barret Strong is a song that everyone can relate to. We can all use a little money now and again.

“Money (That’s What I Want)” is a 1959 hit single by Barrett Strong for the Tamla label, distributed nationally on Anna Records. The song was written by Tamla founder Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford, and would become the first hit record for Gordy’s Motown enterprise.

Anna Records was operated by Gwen Gordy, Anna Gordy and Billy ‘Roquel’ Davis. Gwen and Anna’s brother Berry Gordy had just established his Tamla label (soon Motown would follow), and licensed the song to the Anna label in 1960 distribute this single nationally in order to meet demand; the Tamla record was a resounding success in the Midwest. The song features Strong curtly demanding that money is what he needs, more than anything else. The single became Motown’s first hit in June, 1960, making it to #2 on the US R&B charts and #23 on the US pop charts. The song was listed as #288 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.