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Money, Money, Money

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This article is about the ABBA song. For the O'Jays song, see For the Love of Money. For the Kevin Ayers song, see Money Money Money (Kevin Ayers song). For the tricolon, see isocolon.
Not to be confused with Money Money, More Money or Money, Money.

"Money, Money, Money"
Single by ABBA
from the album Arrival
B-side"Crazy World"
Released1 November 1976
Recorded17 May 1976
StudioMetronome, Stockholm, Sweden
Genre
Length3:05
LabelPolar (Sweden)
Epic (UK)
Atlantic (US)
Songwriter(s)Benny Andersson
Björn Ulvaeus
Producer(s)Benny Andersson
Björn Ulvaeus
ABBA singles chronology
"Dancing Queen"
(1976) 		"Money, Money, Money"
(1976) 		"Knowing Me, Knowing You"
(1977)
Music video
"Money, Money, Money" on YouTube

"Money, Money, Money" is a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA, written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus with Anni-Frid Lyngstad singing lead vocals. It was released on 1 November 1976, as the second single from the group's fourth studio album, Arrival (1976). The B-side, "Crazy World", was recorded in 1976 during the sessions for the ABBA album. The song (originally titled "Gypsy Girl")[4][5] is sung from the viewpoint of a woman who, despite hard work, can barely keep her finances in surplus, and therefore desires a well-off man.

ABBA perform parts of "Money, Money, Money" live in the 1977 film ABBA: The Movie. In the popular musical, Mamma Mia!, the song is sung by the character of Donna as she explains how hard she has to work to keep the taverna in order and her dreams of a better life.

Reception

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Billboard reviewed the single release and described it as a "fast paced" song with "lots of good-natured gimmicks" that is highlighted by its production.[6] Cash Box said that it "is [ABBA's] cleverest [single] to date, adding humorous lyrics to the distilled pop hooks."[1] Record World said that it "combines Brecht-Weill overtones with a typically sound ABBA pop structure" and that "the ironic lyric goes well with a haunting, music-hall-style tune."[2]

"Money, Money, Money" was the second worldwide hit from Arrival. The song became a number-one chart hit in Australia (ABBA's sixth consecutive chart-topper there), Belgium, France, West Germany, The Netherlands, Mexico and New Zealand, while reaching the top three in Austria, Ireland, Norway, Switzerland and the UK.

By peaking at No. 3 in the UK, "Money, Money, Money" was the only ABBA single between "Mamma Mia" in January 1976 and "Take a Chance on Me" in February 1978 not to top the UK chart.[7] A British poll of "The Nation's Favourite ABBA song" in December 2010 saw "Money, Money, Money" placed at #22 (out of 25). As of September 2021, it is ABBA's 16th-biggest song in the UK, including both pure sales and digital streams.[8]

As of September 1979 in Germany "Money, Money, Money" had sold over 300,000 units.[9] French sales as of April 1977 stand at 500,000.[10]

Music video

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The music video for "Money, Money, Money" was inspired by the film Cabaret, showing Frida wearing a hat typical of the 1920s. The video varies from her determined presence in reality during the verses, to the dream sequences about money and "the good life" in the chorus. The video's director, Lasse Hallström, later acknowledged "Money, Money, Money" as the best ABBA video he ever directed.[11]

An alternate music video was filmed for the TV special ABBA-DABBA-DOOO!! featuring Agnetha and Frida in 1920s style flapper dresses, with feathers in their hair.[12]

Personnel

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Charts

[edit]

Certifications and sales

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia — 244,000[43]
France (SNEP)[44] Gold 500,000*
Kenya — 10,000[45]
Portugal — 20,000[46]
West Germany — 300,000[9]
United Kingdom (BPI)[47] Gold 500,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[48]
Mamma Mia! version 		Silver 200,000‡
Yugoslavia[49] Silver 60,000[49]
Summaries
Worldwide — 3,000,000[50]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions

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  • Part of the song's chorus can be heard in the Soviet cartoon "Onсe Cowboy, Two Cowboy" (Russian: "Раз ковбой, два ковбой") (1981), voiced by Russian theater and film actor Andrei Mironov.
  • The song was covered by The Nolans[51]
  • Madness covered the song for the 1999 tribute album/TV programme ABBAmania.[52]
  • In 2008, the song is performed by Meryl Streep in the film adaptation of Mamma Mia!, and is included on the soundtrack album.
  • In Sámi – "Ruhta, Ruhta, Ruhta" by Ellen Vuolab.
  • In 2010, the YouTube "historyteachers" released a song about King Henry VIII's six wives in the style of the song. [53]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 8 October 1977. p. 24. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 8 October 1977. p. 1. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  3. ^ Sheffield, Rob (2 September 2021). "The 25 Best ABBA Songs, Ranked". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 8 December 2024. In "Money, Money, Money," you can really hear that central European schlager sing-along sound that made ABBA so alien and exotic to American ears. But even when they're cheesing it up schlager-style, they're characteristically cold-eyed...
  4. ^ Peter Paphides. "Supertroupers | Music". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  5. ^ Palm, Carl Magnus, Abba: Bright Lights, Dark Shadows, p. 357
  6. ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. 8 October 1977. p. 100. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  7. ^ Oldham, A, Calder, T & Irvin, C: "ABBA: The Name of the Game", page 122. Sidgwick & Jackson, 1995
  8. ^ UK Official Charts ABBA's Official Top 20 biggest songs
  9. ^ a b Spahr, Wolfgang (8 September 1979). "Abba The World". Billboard. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  10. ^ "Rich Diversity of Marketing - French Companies - From Paris With Hits". Billboard. 9 April 1977. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
  11. ^ "In Focus | ABBA". Abbasite.com. Archived from the original on 23 February 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  12. ^ Oldham, A, Calder, T & Irvin, C: "ABBA: The Name of the Game", page 85. Sidgwick & Jackson, 1995
  13. ^ David Kent (2006). Australian Charts Book 1993—2005. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-646-45889-2.
  14. ^ "ABBA – Money, Money, Money" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  15. ^ "ABBA – Money, Money, Money" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  16. ^ "ABBA – Money, Money, Money" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  17. ^ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  18. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "ABBA". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 8. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  19. ^ "Charts singles Top 50 en France: 2 Janv 1977". 2017.
  20. ^ "The Irish Charts > ABBA". IrishCharts.ie. Retrieved 19 July 2021. Note: User must define search parameter as "Abba".
  21. ^ Scott, Robert (2002) 'ABBA: Thank You for the Music – The Stories Behind Every Song', Carlton Books Limited: Great Britain, p.80
  22. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 48, 1976" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  23. ^ "ABBA – Money, Money, Money" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  24. ^ "ABBA – Money, Money, Money". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  25. ^ "ABBA – Money, Money, Money". VG-lista. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  26. ^ "ABBA – Money, Money, Money". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  27. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  28. ^ "ABBA Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  29. ^ "ABBA Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  30. ^ Downey, Pat; Albert, George; Hoffmann, Frank W (1994). Cash Box pop singles charts, 1950–1993. Libraries Unlimited. p. 1. ISBN 978-1-56308-316-7.
  31. ^ "International - Russians Have Charts" (PDF). Billboard. 29 October 1977. p. 77. Retrieved 19 July 2021 – via World Radio History.
  32. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – ABBA – Money, Money, Money" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  33. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  34. ^ "Official Vinyl Singles Chart (14 October 2016 - 20 October 2016)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  35. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1976". Ultratop. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  36. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1976". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  37. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1976". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  38. ^ Steffen Hung. "Forum - 1970 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  39. ^ "National Top 100 Singles for 1976". Kent Music Report. 27 December 1976. Retrieved 15 January 2022 – via Imgur.
  40. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1977". Ultratop. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  41. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 380. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.
  42. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  43. ^ "ABBA – Success Story – RCA Australia 1976". Billboard. 22 January 1977. p. 40.
  44. ^ "French single certifications – ABBA – Money Money Money" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 18 November 2021. Select ABBA and click OK. 
  45. ^ "ABBA the World - Kenya". Billboard. 8 November 1979. p. ABBA-18. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  46. ^ "ABBA the World - Portugal". Billboard. 8 November 1979. p. ABBA-18. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  47. ^ "British single certifications – ABBA – Money Money Money". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  48. ^ "British single certifications – Original Soundtrack – Money Money Money". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  49. ^ a b "ABBA fenomen ili fenomenalna ABBA". Džuboks. No. 33. April 1977. p. 5. Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via Popboks.
  50. ^ Murrells, Joseph (1985). Million selling records from the 1900s to the 1980s : an illustrated directory. Arco Pub. p. 410. ISBN 0668064595. The disc was high in the bestselling charts of most countries, and sold 3 million globally before release in the U.S.A.
  51. ^ Oldham, A, Calder, T & Irvin, C: "ABBA: The Name of the Game", page 209. Sidgwick & Jackson, 1995
  52. ^ https://www.allmusic.com/album/r447847
  53. ^ "Henry VIII ("Money, Money, Money" by ABBA)". YouTube. 12 January 2010.
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