Money, Money, Money

This article is about the ABBA song. For the O'Jays song, see For the Love of Money. For the Kevin Ayers song, see Money Money Money (Kevin Ayers song). For the tricolon, see isocolon.

Not to be confused with Money Money, More Money or Money, Money.

"Money, Money, Money" is a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA, written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus with Anni-Frid Lyngstad singing lead vocals. It was released on 1 November 1976, as the second single from the group's fourth studio album, Arrival (1976). The B-side, "Crazy World", was recorded in 1976 during the sessions for the ABBA album. The song (originally titled "Gypsy Girl")^[5][6] is sung from the viewpoint of a woman who, despite hard work, can barely keep her finances in surplus, and therefore desires a well-off man.

"Money, Money, Money"
Single by ABBA
from the album Arrival
B-side	"Crazy World"
Released	30 October 1976
Recorded	15 May 1976
Studio	Metronome, Stockholm, Sweden
Genre	Pop[1][2] schlager[3] disco[4]
Length	3:05
Label	Polar (Sweden) Epic (UK) Atlantic (US)
Songwriter(s)	Benny Andersson Björn Ulvaeus
Producer(s)	Benny Andersson Björn Ulvaeus
ABBA singles chronology
"Dancing Queen" (1976) "Money, Money, Money" (1976) "Knowing Me, Knowing You" (1977)
Music video
"Money, Money, Money" on YouTube

ABBA perform parts of "Money, Money, Money" live in the 1977 film ABBA: The Movie. In the popular musical, Mamma Mia!, the song is sung by the character of Donna as she explains how hard she has to work to keep the taverna in order and her dreams of a better life.

Reception

Billboard reviewed the single release and described it as a "fast paced" song with "lots of good-natured gimmicks" that is highlighted by its production.^[7] Cash Box said that it "is [ABBA's] cleverest [single] to date, adding humorous lyrics to the distilled pop hooks."^[1] Record World said that it "combines Brecht-Weill overtones with a typically sound ABBA pop structure" and that "the ironic lyric goes well with a haunting, music-hall-style tune."^[2]

"Money, Money, Money" was the second worldwide hit from Arrival. The song became a number-one chart hit in Australia (ABBA's sixth consecutive chart-topper there), Belgium, France, West Germany, The Netherlands, Mexico and New Zealand, while reaching the top three in Austria, Ireland, Norway, Switzerland and the UK.

By peaking at No. 3 in the UK, "Money, Money, Money" was the only ABBA single between "Mamma Mia" in January 1976 and "Take a Chance on Me" in February 1978 not to top the UK chart.^[8] A British poll of "The Nation's Favourite ABBA song" in December 2010 saw "Money, Money, Money" placed at #22 (out of 25). As of September 2021, it is ABBA's 16th-biggest song in the UK, including both pure sales and digital streams.^[9]

As of September 1979 in Germany "Money, Money, Money" had sold over 300,000 units.^[10] French sales as of April 1977 stand at 500,000.^[11]

Music video

The music video for "Money, Money, Money" was inspired by the film Cabaret, showing Frida wearing a hat typical of the 1920s. The video varies from her determined presence in reality during the verses, to the dream sequences about money and "the good life" in the chorus. The video's director, Lasse Hallström, later acknowledged "Money, Money, Money" as the best ABBA video he ever directed.^[12]

An alternate music video was filmed for the TV special ABBA-DABBA-DOOO!! featuring Agnetha and Frida in 1920s style flapper dresses, with feathers in their hair.^[13]

Personnel

• Anni-Frid Lyngstad – lead vocals
• Agnetha Fältskog – backing vocals
• Anders Glenmark – guitar
• Björn Ulvaeus – backing vocals
• Benny Andersson – keyboards, synthesizer
• Rutger Gunnarsson – bass guitar

Charts

Weekly charts Initial weekly chart performance for "Money, Money, Money" Chart (1976–77) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[14] 1 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[15] 3 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[16] 1 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[17] 1 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[18] 47 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[19] 7 France (SNEP)[20] 1 Ireland (IRMA)[21] 2 Mexico (Mexican Singles Chart)[22] 1 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[23] 1 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[24] 1 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[25] 1 Norway (VG-lista)[26] 2 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[27] 2 UK Singles (OCC)[28] 3 US Billboard Hot 100[29] 56 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[30] 38 US Cash Box Top 100 Singles[31] 63 USSR (Moskovskij Komsomolets)[32] 3 West Germany (GfK)[33] 1 2016 weekly chart performance for "Money, Money, Money" Chart (2016) Peak position UK Singles (OCC)[34] 5 UK Vinyl Singles (OCC)[35] 4

Year-end charts 1976 year-end chart performance for "Money, Money, Money" Chart (1976) Peak position Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[36] 61 Germany (Official German Charts)[37] 21 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[38] 36 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[39] 22 1977 year-end chart performance for "Money, Money, Money" Chart (1977) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[40][41] 7 Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[42] 52 US (Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual)[43] 281

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia	—	244,000[44]
France (SNEP)[45]	Gold	500,000*
Germany	—	300,000[10]
Kenya	—	10,000[46]
Portugal	—	20,000[47]
United Kingdom (BPI)[48]	Gold	500,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[49] Mamma Mia! version	Silver	200,000‡
Yugoslavia[50]	Silver	60,000[50]
Summaries
Worldwide	—	3,000,000[51]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

• List of number-one singles in Australia during the 1970s
• List of Dutch Top 40 number-one singles of 1976
• List of European number-one hits of 1976
• List of number-one hits of 1976 (France)
• List of number-one hits of 1976 (Germany)
• List of number-one singles in 1976 (New Zealand)