The Big Money
by Rush

Album: Power Windows (1985)
Charted: 46 45
Play Video
  • Big money goes around the world
    Big money underground
    Big money got a mighty voice
    Big money make no sound
    Big money pull a million strings
    Big money hold the prize
    Big money weave a mighty web
    Big money draw the flies

    Sometimes pushing people around
    Sometimes pulling out the rug
    Sometimes pushing all the buttons
    Sometimes pulling out the plug
    It's the power and the glory
    It's a war in paradise
    A Cinderella story
    On a tumble of the dice

    Big money goes around the world
    Big money take a cruise
    Big money leave a mighty wake
    Big money leave a bruise
    Big money make a million dreams
    Big money spin big deals
    Big money make a mighty head
    Big money spin big wheels

    Sometimes building ivory towers
    Sometimes knocking castles down
    Sometimes building you a stairway
    Lock you underground
    It's that old-time religion
    It's the kingdom they would rule
    It's the fool on television
    Getting paid to play the fool

    It's the power and the glory
    It's a war in paradise
    A Cinderella story
    On a tumble of the dice

    Big money goes around the world
    Big money give and take
    Big money done a power of good
    Big money make mistakes
    Big money got a heavy hand
    Big money take control
    Big money got a mean streak
    Big money got no soul Writer/s: Alex Zivojinovich, Gary Lee Weinrib, Neil Elwood Peart
    Publisher: Anthem Entertainment
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 11

  • George Pope from Vancouver - CanadaEric from Beaverton, OR Maybe he meant sandwich as in a guy wearing a sandwich board advertising thing? As in the guy wearing one attacked him -- he probably told it as he did because it sounded more zany. . . :) but was still a true story.
  • Alex Lifeson from TorontoWhat key is this in - B major? It says A major everywhere but that is wrong because of the tuning up
  • Nickster from Minneapolis, MnOne of the first music videos on MTV to make significant use of computer animation.
  • Drake from Huntington Beach, CaBig Money as an overall song tells about money's opportunities to people and when it doesn't. The Power Windows album is really about power hungry ideas people push out like the atom bomb in Manhattan Project. In my view and few others its perhaps the final great RUSH album of their old music. To me I understand the lyrics but I don't follow them all the time though, sorry. Having a lot of dough sounds good, but it just seems like trouble to others including to me, it can lead to devastating devices and ideas that are dangerous. Money does have a good side though, it help others who don't have any.
  • Connor from Dallas , TxPower Windows is a favorite Rush album. The theme of power hungry people is shown in The Big Money and Manhattan Project.
  • Eric from Beaverton, OrDavid from Mesa: Rush can be a bit wacky at times. A long time ago, I heard a rumor about Alex Lifeson's stage antics, acting like he's drunk sometimes. I went to my first Rush concert in 2002, and there was a part where they were jamming along, and then Alex starts going into a silly story about him being attacked by a sandwich while walking along a sidewalk. I saw Rush during their 2007 Snakes & Arrows tour, and although it was a good concert, they didn't do anything wacky like that.
  • Chuck from Houston, TxOne connection I can make for you David, is that when Neil Peart first met his newest band mates, Alex and Geddy back in 1974 prehaps, right after John Rutsey left... one of the things they talked about, to get to know each other, was there faviort Monty Python videos. I'm guessing they used it in there tours not to connect to the song, but as a tribute there comical influnce growing up in there younger years.
  • David from Mesa, AzThere have been a few occasions where the song has ended with a riff from Cheech and Chong's hard rock parody "Earache My Eye".
  • David from Mesa, AzRecent live versions of this song have been interesting for the soundbite which appears near the end (as documented in the above RUSH IN RIO songfact). To date, Rush has used the Simspons "D'oh! A deer! A female deer!" as well as Monty Python's "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!" and "Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time!" I don't see much connection with the song itself. I suppose Rush has to let out some steam while doing Peart's heady lyrics. They certainly seem a bit wackier in their later years.
  • Greg from Oakville, CanadaBeing a huge rush fan and a bass player for 7 years, I love this song because of Geddy Lee's bass playing and solo. Even though Hemispheres is by far his best bass song hands down, he gives the bass in this song a distinctive sound by playing a Stienberger bass guitar which is the only bass he used for the whole Power Windows album!
  • Dee from Indianapolis, In"Power Windows" was the 1st cassette I ever bought. I got my 1st job at McDonalds and was hooked on Rush by listening to "Exit Stage Left" till I wore out the copy I had. To me, this is the last "GREAT" all around Rush album. Not that I don't like some of their newer stuff, but it was the end of an era in my book. "Big Money" ranks as one of my all time favorite Rush tunes, but it's hard to choose a best when there are way to many great ones throughout the ages.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"

Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"They're Playing My Song

When Dave recorded the first version of the song with his group the Blasters, producer Nick Lowe gave him some life-changing advice.

Phone Booth Songs

Phone Booth SongsSong Writing

Phone booths are nearly extinct, but they provided storylines for some of the most profound songs of the pre-cell phone era.

Amy Grant

Amy GrantSongwriter Interviews

The top Contemporary Christian artist of all time on song inspirations and what she learned from Johnny Carson.

Waiting For The Break of Day: Three Classic Songs About All-Nighters

Waiting For The Break of Day: Three Classic Songs About All-NightersSong Writing

These Three famous songs actually describe how they were written - late into the evening.

Desmond Child

Desmond ChildSongwriter Interviews

One of the most successful songwriters in the business, Desmond co-wrote "Livin' La Vida Loca," "Dude (Looks Like A Lady)" and "Livin' On A Prayer."

Harold Brown of War

Harold Brown of WarSongwriter Interviews

A founding member of the band War, Harold gives a first-person account of one of the most important periods in music history.