of all of the people that i used to know most never adjusted to the great big world i see em lurking in bookstores workin for the public radio carryin their babies around in sacks on their backs movin careful and slow it s money that matters hear what i say it s money that matters in the u s a all of these people are much brighter than i in any fair system they would flourish and thrive but they barely survive they eke out a living they barely survive when i was a young boy maybe thirteen i took a hard look around me asked what does it mean so i talked to my father he didn t know i talked to my friend he didn t know i talked to my brother he didn t know i talked to everybody that i knew it s money that matters now you know that it s true it s money that matters whatever you do i talked to a man lived up on the county line i was washin his car with a friend of mine he was a little fat guy in a red jumpsuit i said that looks kinda funny he said i know it does too but i got a great big house on the hill here great big blonde wife inside it great big pool in my back yard another great big pool beside it sonny it s money that matters hear what i say it s money that matters in the u s a it s money that matters now you know that it s true it s money that matters whatever you do 