Since I fancy myself poetry curious, I’m ashamed that the lyrics of most rock songs constitute for me so little of the listening experience. I rarely register more than the odd phrase that penetrates the instrumental layer. The frontpersons (I first wrote “singers,” but that didn’t compute) don’t seem particularly vexed to “sell” their words the way a standards or country-western vocalist does. Think, say, Tony Bennett and “San Francisco” or Patsy Cline and “Crazy.” You can’t not understand them.
I like Pink Floyd’s song “Money.” (And Dire Straits’s “Money for Nothing,” as well! Am I hung up on the root of all evil?) When the spirit moves me I look at genius.com just to see what a song actually “says.” Also, to see if the words hold any interest as artistic speech outside their embodiment in the song. Roger Waters’s lyrics to “Money” sort of do.
The song has 3 verses, each with its “refrain.” Have you ever cracked a bullwhip? I did so obssesively as a kid. Each verse of “Money” is the part where you swing the whip around your head in a crescendo-ing arc.
Money, get away… Money, well, get back… Money, it’s a crime…
Jerk the whip just right and you get a righteous crack. That’s the refrain — the money shot: filthy specific: shows more than tells.
A new car, caviar, four-star daydream Think I’ll buy me a football team
I’m in the hi-fidelity first class travelling set And I think I need a Learjet
But if you ask for a rise It’s no surprise that they’re giving none away
The third refrain is bland but interesting for use of the British “rise” instead of “raise.” “Surprise” mates with it; this sort of rhyming salts the song smartly throughout.
Cherry on the sundae: “Money” has a mischievous “spoken outro.” Its last line is:
It came to a heavy blow which sorted the matter out.
It also repeats the egregiously excellent question:
Why does anyone do anything?
Then there’s this:
Hahaha, I was in the right Yes, absolutely in the right I certainly was in the right Yes, I was definitely in the right,…
Heavy blows to sort matters. Futility. Manic repetition. Absolute rightness. Ecce modern times foreshadowed!
I live in Texas and devote much of my time to easel painting on an amateur basis. I stream a lot of music, mostly jazz, throughout the day. I like to read and memorize poetry.
EthicalDative 
The Guitars and Drums Do Most of the Talking
“Bullseye” detail, mixed media (JMN 2026).
Since I fancy myself poetry curious, I’m ashamed that the lyrics of most rock songs constitute for me so little of the listening experience. I rarely register more than the odd phrase that penetrates the instrumental layer. The frontpersons (I first wrote “singers,” but that didn’t compute) don’t seem particularly vexed to “sell” their words the way a standards or country-western vocalist does. Think, say, Tony Bennett and “San Francisco” or Patsy Cline and “Crazy.” You can’t not understand them.
I like Pink Floyd’s song “Money.” (And Dire Straits’s “Money for Nothing,” as well! Am I hung up on the root of all evil?) When the spirit moves me I look at genius.com just to see what a song actually “says.” Also, to see if the words hold any interest as artistic speech outside their embodiment in the song. Roger Waters’s lyrics to “Money” sort of do.
The song has 3 verses, each with its “refrain.” Have you ever cracked a bullwhip? I did so obssesively as a kid. Each verse of “Money” is the part where you swing the whip around your head in a crescendo-ing arc.
Money, get away…
Money, well, get back…
Money, it’s a crime…
Jerk the whip just right and you get a righteous crack. That’s the refrain — the money shot: filthy specific: shows more than tells.
A new car, caviar, four-star daydream
Think I’ll buy me a football team
I’m in the hi-fidelity first class travelling set
And I think I need a Learjet
But if you ask for a rise
It’s no surprise that they’re giving none away
The third refrain is bland but interesting for use of the British “rise” instead of “raise.” “Surprise” mates with it; this sort of rhyming salts the song smartly throughout.
Cherry on the sundae: “Money” has a mischievous “spoken outro.” Its last line is:
It came to a heavy blow which sorted the matter out.
It also repeats the egregiously excellent question:
Why does anyone do anything?
Then there’s this:
Hahaha, I was in the right
Yes, absolutely in the right
I certainly was in the right
Yes, I was definitely in the right,…
Heavy blows to sort matters. Futility. Manic repetition. Absolute rightness. Ecce modern times foreshadowed!
(c) 2026 JMN — EthicalDative. All rights reserved
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About JMN
I live in Texas and devote much of my time to easel painting on an amateur basis. I stream a lot of music, mostly jazz, throughout the day. I like to read and memorize poetry.