Musical commemoratives
By George Boyland
The Ejected - Have You Got 10p?
Even before this band got pelted with ten pence pieces at the Marquee there were serial cadgers. When I was a teenager it was sixpence for a cup of tea. One older guy made a living out of it. Still, if you don't ask you don't get.
The Smashing Pumpkins - Pennies For Sale
How do you sell a penny? What'll you get, a halfpenny? Less than it's worth, for sure. Unless you pointlessly swap like for like, as this song suggests. Billy Corgan seems to hold the franchise on heart-breakingly poignant.
XTC - Paper And Iron (Notes And Coins)
Controlled by institutions such as the church and his employers, Andy Partridge knows that the bottom line involves taking home his money to feed his kids - and to maintain what's left of his pride.
Billie Holiday - Pennies From Heaven
Who hasn't covered this song? Even Led Zeppelin gave it a polish. Originally by Bing Crosby, but Billie's the one for me.
Iron And Wine - Boy With A Coin
A boy walks in the weeds, and amongst the usual common detritus, he finds a coin. That was someone very like me.
The Pogues - Waxie's Dargle
Every kind of coin of coin is searched for here, but to no avail. These old girls aren't going to make the cobblers' ladies day for lack of funds, though not for lack of trying. For those who enjoy a backstory, a waxie is a cobbler, after the waterproofing, and The Dargle is a river on the banks of which an annual festival was held; one day for the men, the next for the women.
Estrella Morente - Los Tangos Del Chavico
The one and only Estrella singing about an ancient coin. There's not much value there, unless you were skint in the first place. Look, I don't know much Spanish, but I was always going to pick this, OK?
Big Mama Thornton - Gimme A Penny
Ah, there's a sting in this tale. Mama is a penny short of a phone call that she desperately needs to make in order to reach her man. She begs and pleads but finds herself rejected and alone (apart from Muddy Waters' Blues Band). Eventually a blind man gives her the necessary penny, but . . . oh but you're going to have to listen to the last line.
Colin Lucas - Dollar Wine
Whoah, this is naughty. Like a Carry On film set to music. You want metaphors, subtle suggestivity? We'll don't go to Colin, he's too busy getting in your face, so to speak.
Sir Vincent Lone - Florin/Tweed
A florin stolen from a tweed coat shines with intimate details. There's gloating and there's guilt.
Esperanza Spalding - Heaven In Pennies
You wish to restore a church? Then search the ground for pennies and put them in the collection plate. Right on! There was guy who used to do that, search the ground. School kids would consider small coins beneath them. Some, with disdainful glances, would refuse their change from a shopkeeper with a what-do-you-think-I-am look, whilst others would sling the coins in the street. I used to tell them to put them in the charity box if they didn't want them. Anyway, this fella would collect his ciggy money after the kids had left the bus stops.
Misty In Roots - Judas Iscariote
There had to be one song about Judas. Probably all of us know the story. Not being religious I tend to view those events from a philosophical point of view. Certainly it tells us that cash is bigger than morals, family and friends, but then some can't live with the consequences, though some can.
Ernest Ranglin - Gimme Back My Shilling
Just because it's Ernest.
The A-List Playlist:
The B-List Playlist:
Georgia Satellites - Keep Your Hands To Yourself
Ray Charles - Let The Good Times Roll
Gaunt - Jim Motherfucker
Prince Buster - 30 Pieces Of Silver
Pink Floyd - Money
The Rotations - (Put A Nickel On) D-9
Joe Walsh - Wolf
Albert Hammond - Dime Queen Of Nevada
The Grateful Dead - Row Jimmy
Hüsker Dü - Newest Industry
Chumbawamba - Snip Snip Snip
Steve Earle - Mercenary Song
Buffy Sainte-Marie - The Priests Of The Golden Bull
Guru’s Wildcard Pick:
I prefer the brother's punk version, but this'll do.
Boogertown Gap - Christmas Is Coming, The Goose Is Getting Fat
These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations from last week's topic: Time for change: songs about coins. The next topic will launch on Thursday at 1pm UK time.
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