CashMoney in physical form such as banknotes and coins. More is embedded in our cultures and everyday lives. From Nelson Mandela in South Africa to the Mahatma Gandhi in India, banknotes often feature national heroes and transmit the values of a country. Artists have worked with cash all over the globe. Andy Warhol famously signed $2 bills which today regularly sell for hundreds of times their face valueThe figure or amount written on the banknote or coin which indicates the amount of its economic value. It is usually written in letters and numbers. More. Contemporary artist Stacey Lee Webber is famous for her sculptures of everyday objects, made out of coins and banknotes. Banknote Art Concept founded by banknoteA banknote (or ‘bill’ as it is often referred to in the US) is a type of negotiable promissory note, issued by a bank or other licensed authority, payable to the bearer on demand. More designer Carlos Almenar showcases the MoneyFrom the Latin word moneta, nickname that was given by Romans to the goddess Juno because there was a minting workshop next to her temple. Money is any item that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular region, country or socio-economic context. Its onset dates back to the origins of humanity and its physical representation has taken on very varied forms until the appearance of metal coins. The banknote, a typical representati... More Art of 16 different contemporary artists.
Cash is also a source of inspiration for musicians all over the world. Those who have been in the industry for long enough, have all heard during a powerpoint presentation or as background music at a conference break, the rhythmic ringing or cash registers in Pink Floyd’s Money or the chorus of ABBA’s 1976 hit Money, Money, Money :
Money, money, money
Must be funny
In the rich man’s world
But there are many more. Here is my playlist.
The song became popular during the Great Depression. Written by lyricist Yip Harburg and composer Jay Gorney, it was part of the 1932 musical revue Americana. The song tells the story of a labourer, whose honest work towards achieving the American dream has been foiled by the economic collapse.
C.R.E.A.M. stands for Cash Rules Everything Around Me and since this 1993 track, cream has become a common slang world for cash.
This 1999 song is about a man who gradually becomes more dependent on his girlfriend for money; he runs up bills and then asks his girl to pay them. This was the first single released from Destiny’s Child’s second album The Writing’s On The Wall, and it became their first #1 hit. Beyoncé was just 17 when they recorded it, and was still using her last name.
This song was released in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic and is a collaboration between Mr. Polska (Mr. Poland) and Dutch artist Bizzey. While many in the cash community were concerned about the impact of the pandemic on cash usage, Mr. Polska felt the same about club closures. In an interview he said: “I regret and feel very sorry that currently the clubs are closed, because it’s a very good hit for the clubs. However, I hope that once this is all gone, ‘Banknotes’ will become a club hit.”
Townes Van Zandt was an iconic Texan songwriter, singer and guitarist. His songs would become hits for other artists, but substance abuse issues, problems with record labels, and general hard luck saw him spending the majority of his life as a cult figure at best, drifting across the world playing tiny rooms up until his early death at 52 in 1997.
Pennies fir SaleIn this track, also stylized as “BBHMM”, Rihanna turns the tables, going into girl boss mode and demanding she get paid what she’s owed, and quickly. The effect is both a send-up of macho rap culture and a message that the ladies are ready to take control and cash in.
PLK is a French rapper of Polish origin (PLK stands for POLAK). The lyrics are a play on words; to talk cash (parler cash) in French means to tell the truth, to be outspoken.
Most songs talk about banknotes and coins. In this track J Cole uses the sound of banknotes being dispensed by an ATM to drive the monetary theme.
This playlist is naturally subjective, biased and limited by my language skills and poor musical culture. Please feel free to suggest other cash songs in the comments.