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Who Needs Money

Rating:
2.4 / 5

Words & Music:

I'm on the right track for lots of kissin'
So that old greenback, I won't be missin'
All the greatest things in life are free
Who needs money, not me

Cash or credit, it doesn't matter
Long as my bank books keep growin' fatter
Easy street is my favorite avenue
Who needs money, I do

Just pity all those millionaires they never can relax
Because they're always worryin' about their income tax
Why waste time on high financin', I'd rather spend it on good romancin'
What if my pockets are empty as can be
Who needs money, not me
Tell me about it

Some folks save it, some folks lend it
But as for me I want to spend it
Give me some green and my skies will be blue
Who needs money, I do

Stocks and bonds, they only bore me
Interest holds no interest for me
Who wants to sit in the lap of luxury
Who needs money, not me

When I go to bed at night instead of counting sheep
I start counting dollar bills and then I fall asleep

Making money never thrills me
It's making love that really kills me
What can I lose with my philosophy
Who needs money, not me

What do you want

I want a big yacht, I can cruise in
The kind that girls just can't refuse in
All it takes is a million or two
Who needs money, I do

Any time some gal starts flirtin'
Now that I'm broke I know for certain
She really digs my personality
Tell me, who needs money not me

Poverty's the only thing that money cannot buy
So rich or poor it pays to have M-O-N-E-Y

A gal who's tender, that's what I love

It's legal tender, I want a pile of
Just let my liquid assets overflow

You can't take it with you when you go
So, who needs money

That lovely, lovely money

Who needs money, not me

Recordingdate: 1967/02/22, first released on: Clambake (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Who Needs Money:

(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(steel guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(drums)
(piano)
(piano)
(harmonica)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(sax)

Availability

Find available albums with Who Needs Money.

old shep wrote on May 15, 2008
Randy Starr had the dubious credit of composing this garbage together with being guilty of writing perhaps Elvis' worst ever recording, Old Macdonald.These were just two of the songs he wrote for Elvis. I don't blame him at all, I blame Elvis for recording them.
sitdown68 wrote on February 14, 2009
I'm glad that I even forgot the melody to this song...don't have the Clambake soundtrack anymore.
Steve Morse wrote on February 14, 2009
"It's always darkest before the dawn" - and somebody saw the light ! This song was from the dire movie "Clambake", but the opening song on the album was Guitar Man, not from the movie -and the rest is history ! The other bonus songs on the album were good, too. The lyrics on Who Needs Money? are quite inventive but, in every other respect it's garbage. Hey, Hey, Hey also from Clambake is even worse - probably the worst song ever recorded by Elvis.
dgirl wrote on February 14, 2009
In the bottom 10 songs recorded by Elvis. In fact, 3 come from this film with Hey Hey Hey, Clambake and this one. What an awful soundtrack. Guitar Man was so out of place it should have been left off this LP. Talk about an uneven album, it should have stayed out of print forever and when FTD put it in its classis series, then I stopped thinking FTD was the best thing since sliced bread.
Natha wrote on February 14, 2009
It fits in the context of the movie, but oh boy. At that time the cow was milked dry and there should have been better writers. One of those few songs that I hear by accident and don't feel the urge to stop my work and listen.
bajo wrote on February 14, 2009
Along with Easy Come, Easy Go this soundtrack is by far the worst ever. The Girl I Never Loved and A House That Has Everything may be a little above the rest imo, but..... They should have used all the bonus tracks on side 1. At least it would have been a half decent LP album which you didn't have to flip to play. Well, it's all in the history now, still nice shelf fillers!
Ruthie wrote on February 14, 2009
Not any worse than super stars of the past singing some of their junk; i.e., Sinatra singing "doobie, doobie, doo" or the usually great Ella Fitzgerald singing "A tisket, a tasket, a green & yellow basket". It has happened to all of them. Who do we blame?
JerryNodak wrote on February 14, 2009
Back in the day I'd seen the movie. I knew what I was buying when I bought the album. I had no problem with the album. I enjoyed it then. I enjoy it now. The FTD version is even more enjoyable. "Who Needs Money?" I do! Oh, the song? Fits the scene well. Situational fluff. No, I wasn't embarrassed watching the film or for Elvis. He was making money hand over fist. Which he needed to do at the rate he spent it on women and new, shiney toys.
derekd wrote on February 14, 2009
Sorry, not even worth an opinion, or even one star.
Steve V wrote on February 14, 2009
How can you compare one line in a #1 Sinatra hit song (the ending line of the song no less) to a whole Elvis song or Ella Fitzgerald singing a novelty song from 1942 to Elvis crooning this in 1967, a pivotal pop music year where everyone around him was releasing groundbreaking music. This is pure garbage and an album I haven't played since 1967. If this album and movie had come out one year later I think Elvis' career would have been in cardiac arrest.
SNAgy wrote on February 14, 2009
Twelve hour ago this song had only one star now it has a bit more than two. Seems like some people like it. So this is not a real good song indeed but maybe not the worst from Elvis.
theoldscudder wrote on February 15, 2009
No stars for this piece of junk! Tisket a tasket is pure gold compared to this dribble.
jeremytcb wrote on February 15, 2009
You can't look at these movie songs the same way as a traditional release...that makes the reviewer even sillier than the song. Like Disney films, the Elvis movies has tunes that fit the scenes. Other times, there was a current legitimate song (Love Me Tender, Return to Sender) that could be used in a film. I wish more solid "stand on their own merit songs" like these had been used. Regardless, once the decision was made to have a bunch of situational tunes used in the films, they have to only be looked at through that lens. Many of these lighthearted tunes are fun to listen to anyway...I listened to Hey, Hey, Hey several times while cleaning out the garage the other day...just simple dumb fun. By the way, anyone who has not listened to the Clamback album since 1967 has gone over 40 years without hearing the beautiful "The Girl I Never Loved"
NONE000000 wrote on February 15, 2009
Oh, it's fine for what it is. It was a song on the soundtrack of a musical, and a song that perfectly fit the scene and both characters singing. It is what it is; it is not Hound Dog or Jailhouse Rock, or Baby Let's Play House. Nor is it fair to compare it to what else was going on musically at the time. I love a few tracks on the soundtrack--You Don't Know Me and Girl I Never Loved.
Ruthie wrote on February 15, 2009
Being the big Sinatra fan that I am, I can tell you that even his contemporaries in music at that time made fun of him. But he endured the ridicule & laughed all the way to the bank. That's the bottom line here. I may not like it & it's obvious from the comments that most fans don't like it, but "it is what it is". ( I am not allowed to quote.) Many artists in the past performed music they didn't especially like, were in plays & movies that they didn't particularly like, but at the time the method worked & paid off. This song, as bad as it is, is no different. And putting out crappy music & crappy movies ( depending on one's taste) will continue as long as we value (in dollars) entertainment the way we do.
Monster wrote on October 21, 2009
Terrible song and Elvis sounds every bit as bored as we know he was at this time. It does fit the film's situation well that's not a good enough reason to have Elvis record it. Disney's songs also fit their movies but because they didn't bang out three a year the quality of their songs is vastly superior. So Disney ends up with Oscar winning tunes and classics like Bare Necessities, When you wish Upon a star, etc in their movies and Elvis ends up with Who Needs Money and Old McDonald. Ok, the Disney songs are a different style of music to Elvis but the point remains the same. Less movies equals better music. By the way, does anyone else think the worst thing about this song is Ray Walker's vocal. He's a great bass singer but on this record - EEK!
OtisBlue22 wrote on October 21, 2009
"All the greatest things in life are free. Who needs money, not me". Hey Berry, it's your cousin Marvin...Marvin Gordy. Y'know that song you wrote eight years ago? Well, listen to this...
Rob Wanders wrote on October 21, 2009
horrible song
Jim Hoff wrote on October 22, 2009
Who needs money? The Colonel and Elvis, obviously :-(
Swen wrote on October 26, 2009
Enough said about this "gem"(?) Next, please!
Musicwizard wrote on October 26, 2009
This song is a classic, in a sense of anything that was thrown at him, he did, and he did it well. No one would have the guts to do this type of stuff and personally I am glad that he did, it shows me the type of person that he was, he always wanted to make everyone happy and if this is what it took, then he did it without complaining, which is morw then I can say for the rest of you. For Elvis being who he was and this song, I give 10 stars.
GEORGE (GK) wrote on October 26, 2009
Who Needs money, I do. Opps, that was just a personal comment on my finances. (LOL) Seriously, the song, "Who needs Money" outside of the movie, "Clambake" is not one, I would play too often, and even though, I am very fond of Ray Walker, and his work, with Elvis, I just don't, like this particular duet. If I were to play a good Elvis & Ray Walker, duet, I would play the song,"A fool such as I". (even though its not a full duet) Of note, another shining Ray Walker moment, among many, is his backup vocals, on the song, "A big Hunk of Love". And who could forget that Ray introduced Elvis, to the song "How Great Thou Art", one of the best Elvis recordings of all time.
Deano1 wrote on February 22, 2010
Oh my goodness what an unbelieveable amount of venom pointed at a situational tune from the movie and soundtrack "Clambake". This song was fine for the movie and it isn't terrible on record, although it doesn't make my play list often. The revisionist history concerning Elvis' soundtracks is quite remarkable. Through the end of 1966, everyone of Elvis' soundtracks had reached the top 20 and the latest, "Spinout" has spent an impressive 32 weeks on the chart. Whether Elvis liked the soundtracks or didn't wasn't the point, they were still very successful and he was giving the fans what they seemed to want. In June of 1967, the soundtrack "Double Trouble" struggled and only hit #47 (27 places below his previous low) and decisions were made right then and there to change. The problem is Elvis had already recorded the "Clambake" and "Speedway" soundtracks when the "Double Trouble" LP peaked in the Summer of '67. When the "Clambake" LP was released it found a bonus song leading off the album and version of "You Don't Know Me" especially recorded for record. For the first time, the soundtrack material was taking a back seat to the studio material. After "Clambake" hit #40, but only spent 14 weeks on the album chart, the decision was made to steer Elvis completelty away from musicals and soundtracks. Still one more album was in the vaults and RCA released the "Speedway" soundtrack in the Summer of '68. One could argue that RCA should have used the fine material recorded in September of '67 for an album instead of "Clambake", but they tried something a little different and it didn't work. The point is, as soon as the number of people buying the soundtracks dwindled significantly ("Double Trouble"), Elvis never made another musical comedy.
Polk Salad Robert wrote on February 26, 2011
I lile all Elvis Songs ...even this one ...maybe just because its diffrent. But I am still looking for alternative takes...
Rob Wanders wrote on December 27, 2011
absolutely in the top 10 of worst songs our man has sung.
TCB1974 wrote on December 27, 2011
This is situational entertainment for musical comedy and should be regarded as such. Nothing special and not doing justice to Elvis his potential, though I would like to recommend everyone to watch Elvis movies once in a while again and not get prejudiced against them. I started this December month with my project to watch all his movies in chronological order. I have seen the first 12 movies now (from Love Me Tender to It happened at the world's fair) and I'm surprised myself how entertaining it is to watch them. His voice was also stunningly beautiful in movies like Blue Hawaii and Girls! Girls! Girls! and definitely includes some top material. I know the quality will deteriorate as I progress deeper in the movies, but just to share how much better those first 12 movies are from how I remembered them. Some I had not watch in ten years or so. Enjoy the legacy!
Lou A wrote on December 27, 2011
These movies are entertaining , and songs like this one, and He's Your Uncle Not Your Dad were meant to advance the plot and to bring some variety to the music in the films . It's a shame Elvis didn't have a lot more studio sessions during this period to offset the movie songs. My wife is in her early 50's and wasn't around for most of the Elvis hysteria, but loves his movies having seen them as a child on the local 4: 30 movie. We all would have like to have seen Elvis get a really good role in a status movie, but he's dead 35 years and we can't change history. We have the movies he did make, and you can chose to enjoy them or ignore them.
theoldscudder wrote on December 27, 2011
This song sucks!
Steve V wrote on December 27, 2011
People. Really c'mon. To find any light in this darkness, you have to be deaf. Its a horrible song & piece of music. To say its fits the film is fine (a very bad film too) but lest we forget this was on an album. You had to play the record and be subjected to this trash. For the poor soul who is going to watch every Elvis movie from #1 on up, I have a doctor I can recommend to you.
Great Dane wrote on December 27, 2011
Altough this song is not great,the album in fact was a turning point,except a few songs i like this album. I'll choose "You don't know me" over "Love me tender" any time- period. 2 stars for the song and 3 1/2 for the album.
sugartummy wrote on June 11, 2013
To say something good about the song:the piano playing is outstanding (by either Floyd Cramer or Hoyt Hawkins). And the last note of Elvis is great too. Next song please.
Gorse wrote on January 13, 2014
Currently I have 3 albums of 30 songs in my film play list for the 1960's and will probably extend it to a 100. (4x25) Despite this sing never ever making the list I find a guilty enjoyment when I listen to it. Personally I put songs into compartments and this is in the fun film throwaway group, and treating songs like that ensures maximum enjoyment realism, and lack of false expectation.
ElvisSacramento wrote on January 14, 2014
I've always enjoyed this Elvis Presley and Ray Walker duet immensely and have never skipped it. In my opinion, it's a unique, underrated, good, catchy and fun song.
Cruiser621 wrote on March 04, 2020
I think "HEY! HEY! HEY!" is worse. Talk about a dog of an album. This is it and this song is part of the problem. The movie was actually better than the "garbage" soundtrack RCA put out. Next to "Harum Scarum" (another mistake), this "puppy" is the ultimate "dog".
marty wrote on December 18, 2020
By the time "Who Needs Money" was recorded it seems that everyone, including Elvis, had lost interest in the Soundtrack recordings. RCA and the Elvis camp took notice when the sales dropped and thankfully things started to improve. This song is a weak composition, poorly recorded by the musicians and vocalists. 1 1/2 stars
EJF wrote on July 30, 2021
A masterpiece . . . of mediocrity!
GBK42 wrote on September 23, 2022
Didn't really appreciate this tune for a long time until finding out that's bass singer Ray Walker of the Jordanaires duetting with the King here. Now I like it. 3.5/5 stars at best.
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