“Money to Burn” was a year-end recording project by audio engineer Vince Newly, just before leaving college to head to Toronto and the legendary recording studio Nimbus 9. I wrote the song the morning before the recording session. The first two verses are a simple portrait of poverty versus wealth. The last verse was written as a letter to my mother.
She’d had her leg crushed between two cars. She’d just left the bank when some guy barrelled his car in reverse without looking. Attempting to dodge impact with what few seconds she had, one of her legs was crushed between the bumper of the barrelling car and the bumper of another that was parked. After hitting her, the guy tried to flee the scene but, in his panic, struck yet another car and remained there until the police arrived. In one brief moment, the guy had completely destroyed and altered the course of my mother’s life, and afterward, the guy promised to do everything to compensate her for the total physical and mental anguish he’d caused, as well as the staggering financial challenges he’d presented her with by making it impossible for her to work in the face of monumental medical bills. Yet he’d quickly changed position, trying to prove why the accident hadn’t been his fault while his insurance company refused to pay anything.
The case dragged along like so much misery (and would for years) and I’d become a bit messed up with anger and sadness, and while my mother tried to be hopeful while wearing a brave face, I could tell she was also angry, sad and feeling a bit desperate. So I penned the last verse of “Money to Burn” as what words of direct consolation I could come up for her, then went back to fleck the lyrics with anger toward the insurance company and the guy who’d so hurt her but refused to take responsibility or turn over so much as s nickel. The final image of sliding away across the open snow was my effort to paint an image of a place unencumbered by worldly things, clean and borderless, where movement was easy.
lyrics
Money to Burn (Lyrics)
Now there was a man down from the steel city
who had enough money to buy bread
When Christmas comes, you know he gets so lonely
He's going to die soon, they all said
but he'll take your money
if you write the cheque
Yah he'll take your money
and buy away a lover's broken dream
Now there was a man down from New Orleans
who had lots of money to burn
and when you hear him calling
you'll know that it is your turn
but he'll take your money
if you write the cheque
Yah he'll take your money
and buy away a lover's broken dream
But he'll take your money
if you write the cheque
Yah he'll take your money
and buy away a lover's broken dream
I want you to be happy
not swamped by the new strange changes
'cause what you want, you've got a right to
and I love you, I love you
Now many things are controlled now
and many things are just fine
'cause what you want, you make it seem okay
in the right time, the right time
but he'll take your money
if you write the cheque
Yah he'll take your money
and buy away a lover's broken dream
Slide away across the open snow
You know that's where I really want to go
credits
from Kat Trax,
released November 23, 2012
Xristopher Bland: drums, vocals
Lance Bland: guitar
Rick Wood: guitar
Gord Bell: bass
Words and Music: Xristopher Bland
In Adrian Snood’s songs, soulful vocals and slow-moving alt-pop swirl together to create something distinctly moving. Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 1, 2023
