Songs for a Dollar or Five or a Million or Even a Billion

I recently received a coupon awarding me five dollars in Borders Bucks, since I am a faithful patron of the books and music store. I immediately began to browse through the CD selection, hoping to make good use of the coupon.

Once I got to the end of the alphabet, I came across an album I had nearly forgotten. It was ZZ Top's Tejas, which I once owned on vinyl. I was filled with nostalgia as I read the song titles, debating whether the album was worth using my five dollar coupon. Then, ironically, I noticed the track called Ten Dollar Man. The title would have been more appropriate had it contained the word five instead of ten, but I appreciated the situation enough to go ahead and purchase the CD.

As the disc played through I was recalling other song titles that contained the word dollar. Here is the list of my favorite ten.

10.I've Got Five Dollars and It's Saturday Night by Faron Young: It's a simple classic country tune with simple lyrics, but Young sings it with such enthusiasm that one forgets that five bucks can barley get you a gallon of gas these days.

9.Million Dollars Bail by Peter Case: The folk singer weaves a good tale here, backed by excellent acoustic guitar work, on his 2007 album Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John.

8.I Found a Million Dollar Baby (in a Five and Ten Cents Store) by Bobby Darin: Artists such as Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole and the Staple Singers have recorded this swirling classic, but Bobby Darin does it with the same intensity that immortalized Mack the Knife.

7. Queen of the Silver Dollar by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show: "Her sceptre is a wine glass and a bar stool is her throne" is the metaphor-filled line that immediately suggests the Silver Dollar is not actually a real kingdom with real kings and queens. Dr. Hook delivers the shameless tale with the same quiver so effective on Sylvia's Mother.

6. If I Had a Million Dollars by Barenaked Ladies: Singers Steven Page and Ed Robertson expound upon this introductory clause with over a dozen answers, usually alluding to items in pop culture. With that sum they "could buy a work of art, Picasso or Garfunkel" or buy an exotic pet or even a monkey.
5.A Dollar Down and a Dollar a Week by Woody Guthrie: The folk legend wrote this ironic little tale about a luckless guy who was cheated by a cop and a girl, and ends up with appropriate justice.

4.Million Dollar Bash by Bob Dylan and the Band: One of the many gems from the highly- acclaimed Basement Tapes sessions, when Bob and the boys just kicked back and had a fun time playing songs.

3.Greenback Dollar by the Kingston Trio: The chorus of this folk classic from the popular band s very catchy, as Dave Guard sings "I don't give a damn about a greenback dollar, I spend it fast as I can." It might not be the best advice, though, especially in today's economic climate.

2.Silver Jenny Dollar by The New Pornographers: This fourth track is the highlight of the band's most recent album, Together. Dan Bejar does the vocals and proves himself as impressive a songwriter as band leader A.C. Newman.

1. Billion Dollar Babies by Alice Cooper: The title track of Cooper's best album has a gritty bass, precise drumming, necrophiliac lyrics, and creepy effects, tall of the elements that make the band's music still relevant after after three decades.