Money's Too Tight (To Mention)

"Money's Too Tight (To Mention)" is a song written and first recorded by The Valentine Brothers, John Valentine and Billy Valentine, and released as a single in 1982. It was covered by the British pop/soul group Simply Red in 1985. The Valentine Brothers' version peaked at #41 on the Billboard R&B charts, while the Simply Red single went to #13 on the UK charts in 1985 and #28 on the Billboard U.S. pop chart in 1986. It was Simply Red's first UK single.

The song relates to the economic problems of the 1970s and 1980s, and specifically mentions Reaganomics, a set of economic policies implemented by U.S. president Ronald Reagan in order to encourage the growth of the American economy. It also refers to Reagan himself indirectly as "the old man that's over the hill", and at the end makes sexual references to his wife, saying, "did the earth move for you, Nancy?"

A pastiche of the song was recorded and used as the theme song for the Australian investment TV series Money (1993–2002).

Track listings

7" single

1. Money's Too Tight (To Mention) 3:38
2. Open Up The Red Box 3:55

Charts

Simply Red version