Money, Money, Money

"Money, Money, Money"
Song

"Money, Money, Money" is a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA in 1976, and is included on the group's album Arrival, as well as the ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits compilation. The song also features in the Mamma Mia! musical.

History

"Money, Money, Money" was written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. The dramatic structure of the verses suited Anni-Frid Lyngstad's mellow lead vocal. It was released in November 1976, following the worldwide success of "Dancing Queen".

The song begins with the sound of a vintage piano. When the song was first performed for television, audiences saw the group dressed in clothes reminiscent of the 1972 film Cabaret, (girls clad in 'Cabaret' style tassled dresses and feathered head bands while the the boys dressed as oldtime barmen).

"Money, Money, Money" is an early indication of Bjorn & Benny's abilities to write dramatic music suitable for a musical. Like most ABBA songs, a video for the song was later made. The video's director, Lasse Hallström, later acknowledged "Money, Money, Money" as the best ABBA video he ever directed.

Reception

"Money, Money, Money" was the second worldwide hit from the Arrival album. It continued the mass hysteria in Australia, staying at No.1 for six weeks (ABBA's sixth and final chart-topper in that country). The track also topped the charts in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, West Germany, Mexico and New Zealand, and reached the Top 3 in Norway, Ireland, Switzerland, Austria and the UK.

Together with Pink Floyd's track "Money_(Pink_Floyd_song)", ABBA's "Money, Money, Money" is often used as background music on TV news programmes discussing financial issues.

Chart positions

Chart	Position (Weeks on top)
Australian ARIA Singles Chart	1 (6)
Belgian Singles Chart	1 (5)
Dutch Singles Chart	1 (2)
French Singles Chart	1 (3)
West German Singles Chart	1 (5)
Mexican Singles Chart	1 (3)
New Zealand Singles Chart	1 (1)
Irish Singles Chart	2
Norwegian Singles Chart	2
Swiss Singles Chart	2
Austrian Singles Chart	3
UK Singles Chart	3
Finnish Singles Chart	7
Zimbabwean Singles Chart	16
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	56

Cover versions, appearances in other media etc.

• The 1999 British tribute album Abbamania featured a cover by the group Madness, who also performed the song in the TV special.

• The song was featured in a German tribute album similarly entitled ABBA Mania which also was released in conjunction with a TV special. This time the song was performed by German model Mariella Ahrens.

• A dance version was recorded by Angeleyes for their tribute album ABBAdance in 1999.

• Dance versions have also been recorded by Abbacadabra (released through British label Almighty Records), Tiny T on the Lay All Your Love On ABBA compilation, and German Eurodance group E-Rotic from their album Thank You For The Music.

• The song is covered by Connie Cat on Abbalicious, a tribute album of ABBA songs performed by U.S. drag queens.

• An electronica version by Transient can be found on The Electronic Tribute To ABBA.

• Heavy metal band Mental Crypt did a cover for the album A Black Mark Tribute Vol. 2.

• The tribute album ABBAMetal featured a version by German power metal band At Vance.

• Swedish studio rock musicans The Black Sweden included a version on their ABBA tribute album Gold. This cover features an intro with a riff taken from the Van Halen song, Ain't Talking About Love.

• The Funky ABBA tribute album by Swedish musician Nils Landgren includes a version of the song.

• On the New Zealand tribute album ABBAsalutely, the song is covered by the group Chug.

• Swedish opera singer Anne Sofie Von Otter covered the song on her ABBA tribute album I Let The Music Speak.

• A cover of the song by I.K. Sound can be found on the 2006 electronic music compilation ABBA Chill Out.

• ABBA tribute act Swede Dreams recorded a cover of the song.

• The song is performed in the Mamma Mia! musical by the character of Donna.