Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Five "Best" Songs About Business (Law Edition)
It has been a crazy busy couple of weeks, and one thing I rely on the keep sane (or sane-ish) is music. This morning I was listening to the most recent Public Enemy album, Man Plans God Laughs, which includes a song called "Corplantationopoly." (The album is solid, and while it will never top Nation of Millions or Fear of a Black Planet, Chuck D is still powerful to hear.) This got me to thinking about songs that reference business as part of their lyrics and/or theme.
With the availability of the internet, of course several such lists have already been compiled. Here is a sampling:
It's like the more money we come across
The more problems we see
My car is parked outside, I'm afraid it doesn't work
I'm looking for a partner, someone who gets things fixed
Ask yourself this question, do you want to be rich?
We don't pull the strings
It's all in the past now
Money changes everything
It was only everything
Before money became king.
https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/business_law/2016/03/five-best-songs-about-business-law-edition.html
Comments
Warren Zevon
"Lawyers, Guns & Money"
I'm hiding in Honduras - I'm a desperate man
Send lawyers, guns, and money
The sh!t has hit the fan
Posted by: DJM | Mar 9, 2016 3:34:08 PM
If I had thought of Zevon, that would have made the list for sure. Monty Python is always a good call, too. I know Life of Brian and The Holy Grail a lot better than Meaning of Life and Flying Circus episodes.
Posted by: Joshua Fershee | Mar 10, 2016 3:39:36 AM
Is Pink Floyd's "Money" too obvious? If so, I'd nominate Floyd's "Have a Cigar" as a great song about the music business.
Posted by: Eric Gouvin | Mar 10, 2016 5:45:13 AM
I love all these--those in the post and in the comments. Although it may be more about overall progress and the environment than business, I always liked Yellow Taxi (Joni Mitchell or Counting Crows version):
Hey farmer farmer
Put away the DDT
I don't care about spots on my apples
Leave me the birds and the bees
Please!
And how about Neil Young's "Big Box"? Not a classic yet, but I think I should've played it for my BA students . . . . It even mentions "too big to fail" and Citizen's United! Lyrics are available at http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/neilyoung/bigbox.html.
Posted by: joanheminway | Mar 10, 2016 9:16:25 PM
I've always been fond of this little YouTube song, Mama Economy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37eqoYbj1QM
Posted by: Ann Lipton | Mar 11, 2016 8:13:20 AM

I’m from a different generation, but I would add a couple of my favorites by Monty Python:
The Money Song
“There is nothing quite as wonderful as money.
There is nothing quite as beautiful as cash.
Some people say it’s folly, but I’d rather have the lolly.
With money you can make a splash.”
The Accountancy Shanty
It’s fun to charter an accountant
And sail the wide accountancy,
To find, explore the funds offshore
And skirt the shoals of bankruptcy.
Posted by: Steve Bradford | Mar 9, 2016 12:45:27 PM