Money Talks (The Kinks song)

Last updated

"Money Talks"
Money Talks Kinks.jpg
Single by The Kinks
from the album Preservation Act 2
B-side "Here Comes Flash"
ReleasedApril 1974
RecordedJanuary - March 1974 at Konk Studios, London
Genre Rock [1]
Length3:44
Label RCA
Songwriter(s) Ray Davies
Producer(s) Ray Davies
The Kinks singles chronology
"Sitting in the Midday Sun"
(1973)
"Money Talks"
(1974)
"Mirror of Love"
(1974)

"Money Talks" is a song by the British rock band The Kinks. Written by Ray Davies, the song appeared on the band's critically panned album, Preservation Act 2 .

Contents

Lyrics

The lyrics of "Money Talks" are part of the story-line of Preservation Act 2 . As described by author Andrew Hickey, the track is "just a description of Flash's 'philosophy' - that no one is incorruptible and that anyone will do anything for enough money." [2]

Release

"Money Talks" was released on the album Preservation Act 2 , where it was the fourth track on the first side. That same month, the song saw single release in America (as well as Japan and Germany), backed with "Here Comes Flash" (which had appeared on the previous album, Preservation Act 1 .) The single was not met with much success, like many Kinks singles of the period, as it did not chart in any country. [3]

Reception

Cash Box said that the Kinks "come dynamically across with a strong rocker, capturing a strong T. Rex-Rolling Stones feel throughout" also saying that "infectious as a disk can be, this one is really saying something.." [1]

"Money Talks" has generally received positive reviews from critics. Jason Josephes of Pitchfork Media called the song "one of the many standout cuts on [Preservation Act 2]" and said that "Money Talks" is an example of "[Ray Davies's] stickiness serating <sic> Preservation with a witty edge, with can't- wait- to- quote lyrics popping up all over the place." [4] Andrew Hickey called the track "one of the catchiest things on Preservation Act 2." [2]

Related Research Articles

<i>Something Else by the Kinks</i> 1967 studio album by the Kinks

Something Else by the Kinks, often referred to simply as Something Else, is the fifth UK studio album by the Kinks, released in September 1967. The album continued the Kinks' trend toward an eccentric baroque pop and music hall-influenced style defined by Ray Davies' observational and introspective lyrics. It also marks the final involvement of American producer Shel Talmy in the Kinks' 1960s studio recordings; henceforth Ray Davies would produce the group's recordings. Many of the songs feature the keyboard work of Nicky Hopkins and the backing vocals of Davies's wife, Rasa. The album was preceded by the singles "Waterloo Sunset", one of the group's most acclaimed songs, and the Dave Davies solo record "Death of a Clown", both of which charted in the UK top 3.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Village Green Preservation Society</span> 1968 song by The Kinks

"The Village Green Preservation Society" is a song by the English rock band the Kinks from their 1968 album The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society. Written and sung by the band's principal songwriter Ray Davies, the song is a nostalgic reflection where the band state their intention to "preserve" British things for posterity. As the opening track, the song introduces many of the LP's themes, and Ray subsequently described it as the album's "national anthem".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lola (song)</span> 1970 song by The Kinks

"Lola" is a song written by Ray Davies and performed by English rock band the Kinks on their 1970 album Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One. The song details a romantic encounter between a young man and a possible trans woman or cross-dresser, whom he meets in a club in Soho, London. In the song, the narrator describes his confusion towards Lola, who "walked like a woman but talked like a man".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apeman (song)</span> 1970 single by the Kinks

"Apeman" is a 1970 song by the English rock band the Kinks. It was written by Ray Davies and appears on the album Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One.

<i>Preservation Act 1</i> 1973 studio album by the Kinks

Preservation Act 1 is a concept album and the 12th studio album by the English rock group the Kinks, released 16 November 1973 by RCA Records.

<i>Low Budget</i> (album) 1979 studio album by the Kinks

Low Budget is the eighteenth studio album by English rock group the Kinks, released in 1979. Following the minor success of their 1978 album Misfits, the band recorded the majority of the album in New York rather than London. Unlike the more nostalgic themes of many Kinks albums prior to Low Budget, many of the album's songs allude to contemporaneous events. Musically, the album is a continuation of the band's "arena rock" phase, resulting in a more rock-based sound and more modern production techniques.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr. Churchill Says</span> 1969 single by the Kinks

"Mr. Churchill Says" is a song written by Ray Davies and released by the Kinks. It appears on the 1969 album Arthur .

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunny Afternoon</span> 1966 single by the Kinks

"Sunny Afternoon" is a song by the Kinks, written by chief songwriter Ray Davies. The track later featured on the Face to Face album as well as being the title track for their 1967 compilation album. Like its contemporary "Taxman" by the Beatles, the song references the high levels of progressive tax taken by the British Labour government of Harold Wilson. Its strong music hall flavour and lyrical focus was part of a stylistic departure for the band, which had risen to fame in 1964–65 with a series of hard-driving, power-chord rock hits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tired of Waiting for You</span> 1965 single by the Kinks

"Tired of Waiting for You" is a song by the English rock band the Kinks. It was released as a single on 15 January 1965 in the UK and on 17 February 1965 in the USA. The single reached number one in the UK and number six in the US. It then appeared on their second studio album, Kinda Kinks. It was the group's highest-charting single in the US - tied with "Come Dancing", which achieved the same chart position eighteen years later in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Come Dancing (song)</span> 1982 single by The Kinks

"Come Dancing" is a 1982 song written by Ray Davies and performed by British rock group the Kinks on their 1983 album State of Confusion. The song was inspired by Davies' memories of his older sister, Rene, who died of a heart attack while dancing at a dance hall. The lyrics, sung from the perspective of an "East End barrow boy," are about the boy's sister going on dates at a local Palais dance hall.

<i>Preservation Act 2</i> 1974 studio album by the Kinks

Preservation Act 2 is a 1974 concept album by the English rock band the Kinks, and their thirteenth studio album. It sold poorly, and received a mixed response among critics. Ken Emerson, in Rolling Stone, held out the album as an "underrated" one in the Kinks' repertoire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm in Disgrace</span> 1976 single by The Kinks

"I'm in Disgrace" is the opening track on the second side of The Kinks' 1975 concept album, Schoolboys in Disgrace. It was written by Ray Davies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman</span> 1978 single by The Kinks

"(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman" is a song written by Ray Davies that was first released on the Kinks' 1979 album, Low Budget. The song, inspired by Superman: The Movie, employs a disco beat and lyrics that describe the singer's wish to be like the fictional character Superman. The song's disco style was created as a response to Arista Records founder Clive Davis's request for "a club-friendly record," despite Ray Davies' hatred of disco.

"Sweet Lady Genevieve" is the third track from The Kinks' 1973 rock opera Preservation Act 1. It was written by Ray Davies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mirror of Love</span>

"Mirror of Love" is a track from The Kinks' theatrical album, Preservation Act 2. It was written by Ray Davies. It was released as the debut single from Preservation Act 2 in the U.K. only, but a version that was rerecorded for the American release was released as a single in both America and Britain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No More Looking Back</span> 1976 single by The Kinks

"No More Looking Back" is the penultimate track on The Kinks' 1975 concept album, Schoolboys in Disgrace. Like all of the other tracks on the album, it was written by Ray Davies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Preservation (song)</span> 1974 single by The Kinks

"Preservation" is a non-album single written by Ray Davies and performed by The Kinks in 1974. Although it was related to the two Preservation albums lyrically, it did not appear on either album until it was added to the CD reissue of Preservation Act 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Party Line (The Kinks song)</span> 1966 song by the Kinks

"Party Line" is the opening track from the Kinks' 1966 album, Face to Face. The songwriting is credited to Ray Davies. On one of the earliest covers of the album, the song is credited R.Davies - D.Davies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">She's Got Everything (song)</span> 1968 single by the Kinks

"She's Got Everything" is a song written by Ray Davies and released by English rock band the Kinks. It first appeared as the B-side of the Kinks' 1968 single, "Days".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One of the Survivors</span> 1973 single by The Kinks

"One of the Survivors" is a song by the British rock band The Kinks. Appearing on their 1973 concept album Preservation Act 1, the song was written by the band's main songwriter, Ray Davies.

References

  1. 1 2 "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 4 May 1974. p. 14. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  2. 1 2 Hickey, Andrew. Preservation: The Kinks Music 1964-1974. pp. 194–195.
  3. Emlen, Dave. "Kinks Chart History".
  4. Josephes, Jason. "Pitchfork Media". Archived from the original on 12 December 2001. Retrieved 12 May 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)