Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Saga
Label: SPV Records
Released: 2001
Length: 8:43
Rating: 4/5
“Money Talks” is a single that was put out at the time to promote the excellent album “House Of Cards” (2001). It features a shortened version of the song “Money Talks”, which appeared in its longer form on the album too. Keeping it company is “Don’t Give Up”, a cover of the beloved hit by Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush.
Saga were never a band that put much stock in singles, so “Money Talks” was only their second single since 1987 (after “Home”, which promoted the album “The Full Circle”, 1999). The move had a lot to do with the sudden, totally unexpected surge in their popularity after returning to their sonic roots and their old quality form. Of course, the band members themselves didn’t expect any big commercial success from this release either. It was put out mainly to promote the new album and for their own amusement, but today it’s a very popular and sought-after piece of their discography among fans.
“Money Talks” (here in the shortened version) is a witty pop rocker that shows Saga at their most commercially appealing. The song didn’t make any noteworthy splash in Europe or the US, but in their native Canada it was a minor hit. Its video was even picked as the best music video of that year. No surprise there, since it’s one of their best pop rock creations ever, with a great melody and a witty multi-voiced chorus that just won’t leave your head and is tailor-made for radio. The award-winning video deserves all the praise too. It’s without a doubt their best video up to that point. In it we watch singer Michael Sadler as a big-shot hotshot making fun of corrupt bankers, lecherous secretaries and naive customers, while a guy with a grasshopper head, their mascot, strolls around in the background. So it’s subject matter that’s especially relevant in today’s age of recession.
The single is worth having for the excellent cover of Gabriel’s “Don’t Give Up” alone. It’s a duet between Sadler and the popular Canadian pop rock singer Alannah Myles. The two of them manage to recreate quite a bit of the magic of the original Gabriel/Bush duet, as both are excellent singers with loads of charisma. Their voices, Sadler’s especially, create a less melancholic, more optimistic mood than you get on the original. The booklet does say this cover would appear on Sadler’s upcoming solo album, but when that came out in 2004, there was no trace of it. That means it’s only found on this release, which gives it even more collector’s value. On top of that, it marks a unique moment in the band’s story, as Saga had never recorded a single cover up to then, only original material (and they stick to that principle to this day).
“Money Talks” is a must-have in the collection of any fan of these Canadian art rock legends. It wasn’t hard to track down when it came out, but today it’s getting harder and harder to find. That’s another reason it’s worth even more to their fans. The shortened “Money Talks”, which isn’t even among the best tracks on “House Of Cards”, and the otherwise good Gabriel cover are of course nowhere near an artistic high point for Saga. The second song is the excellent video, which fans of the band simply have to have. All three goodies on this single are like three cherries on top of the sundae that is the unforgettable album “House Of Cards.” For a band that often stays in the shadow of its more famous art rock countrymen Rush, the success of this release, which came through great response from listeners back home, was, after a really long time, a nice bit of recognition again.
Lineup
Michael Sadler – vocals, keyboards
Ian Crichton – guitar
Jim Crichton – bass guitar, keyboards
Jim Gilmour – keyboards, backing vocals
Steve Negus – drums
Production
Jim Crichton
Track list
1. Money Talks (Edit Version) (3:27)
2. Don’t Give Up (with Alannah Myles) (5:14)
3. CD-Extra-Track “Money Talks” Video Clip
