How to Make a Billion $: Money in Urban vs. Indie Rock Lyrics

In Pitbull's song Back in Time, there's this lyric: "Trying to make a billion out of 15 cents". It's a similar attitude to 50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Tryin' album title. There's struggle in those words. It's a bit of machismo in there, but it speaks to reality rather than idealism. At least urban musicians know the odds they're up against.

Let's compare that to a random selection of indie rock/alternative rock/folk lyrics. These lyrics also use the word "money": 
"Our love is all we have...Our love is all of God's money" - Wilco
"Mobiles chirping...Take the money and run" - Radiohead 
"Youth is beauty, money is beauty, hell, beauty is beauty sometimes." - Ani DiFranco

When searching for indie-rock or alternative lyrics that use the word "money", we are hard pressed to find an indie rock song about making money. Instead, money is a philosophical concept to play with, or a part of a story in third person. The lyricist in the non-urban realm (folk, alternative, indie) is often talking about money as if it's just another character in a play.

The exception is blues-based music. There is I Need a Dollar by Aloe Blacc. Any coincidence that the artist is African American, and more connected to the urban world of rap? Not only is this a tip that America still has work to do before everyone is equal economic footing, it shows that every artist and genre speaks about money differently; some excessively and some not at all. It's referred to in a variety of ways.

This brings up the questions:

When and how do artists/lyricists talk about money in their songs? - Look at the lyrics of bands you like. How do they discuss money. Look at your own lyrics (if you write lyrics) do you ever write about money? If so, how?

When and how do artists/lyricists talk about money with their band, manager, engineer, producer, etc. - How do you discuss payment with your band, subcontractors, clients, etc.?

As an artist, are you looking at money as a need, or as a philosophical concept? - If it's a need, make a plan. If it's a philosophical concept, bring it down to earth.




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