Money Changes Everything


"Money Changes Everything" is a song written by Tom Gray, frontman of the Brains, and was the band's only underground hit. It was recorded by Cyndi Lauper for her debut album, She's So Unusual and was released as a single in 1984, peaking at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song is about how money interferes with personal relationships.

The Brains recordings

The original single was released in 1978 by the Brains as a 45 rpm single on Gray Matter Records. The B side of the single was a song called "Quick with Your Lip". The initial underground success of the song led to the Brains being signed by Mercury Records. They rerecorded the song under the guidance of producer Steve Lillywhite for their 1980 debut album, The Brains. Critic Greil Marcus, listing it at number 10 of his Real-Life Rock Top Ten 1979, said, "Singer Tom Gray told his story in a strangled voice, as if he were trying to explain, but instead he laid a curse. This damned single ranks higher than I've placed it, but if it were anywhere else I couldn't end with it, and there's no other way the decade could end." Marcus would later write of the song, "It was hard, it hurt, and Cyndi Lauper's version makes the original sound compromised. She makes you wonder if Brains composer and singer Tom Gray even knew what he was talking about."
Gray, with his band Delta Moon, also recorded a version of the song for their 2007 album Clear Blue Flame.

Cyndi Lauper version

's recording of "Money Changes Everything" was released as the fifth single from her album She's So Unusual. It has been released in over 27 variations across the world, the most common being a two track 7" vinyl single. There was also a less common 12" vinyl single version. Lauper's cover features an appearance by Rob Hyman of the band the Hooters, playing his "hooter" on the song's solo.
Lauper recorded an acoustic version, with guest artist Adam Lazzara, for her 2005 album The Body Acoustic. "Money Changes Everything" became She's So Unusuals first release to fail to achieve top 10 status on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 27.

Live Video

A live video was directed by Phil Tuckett and produced by Alan Saperstein of NFL Films Entertainment at the Houston Arena.

Chart performance

Lauper's version charted in the Top 100 in seven countries, including:
Chart Peak
position
Australia 19
Canada - RPM Magazine30
Chilean Singles Chart10
Colombian Singles Chart3
German Singles Chart54
New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart14
U.S. Billboard Hot 10027
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks37
U.S. Cash Box Top 100 Singles31

Track listing

US 7" Single
  1. "Money Changes Everything" - 4:13
  2. "Money Changes Everything" - 3:59
UK 7" Single
  1. "Money Changes Everything" - 3:58
  2. "He's So Unusual" - 0:45
  3. "Yeah Yeah" - 3:17
UK 7" Single
  1. "Money Changes Everything" - 3:58
  2. "Money Changes Everything" - 4:13
European 12" Single
  1. "Money Changes Everything" - 6:04
  2. "Money Changes Everything" - 5:29
Japanese 12" Single
  1. "Money Changes Everything" - 6:26
  2. "Money Changes Everything" - 5:51
UK 12" Single
  1. "Money Changes Everything" – 5:02
  2. "He's So Unusual" – 0:45
  3. "Yeah Yeah" – 3:17
  4. "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" – 5:05
UK 12" Single
  1. "Money Changes Everything" - 5:02
  2. "Money Changes Everything" - 6:23
  3. "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" - 5:05

    Official versions

  4. Edit version – 3:59
  5. Live version – 4:35
  6. Short live version – 4:13
  7. That Live Version – 6:04
  8. This Live Version – 5:48