Legal Tender (song)

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Legal Tender (song) - Wikipedia

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"Legal Tender"

Single by the B-52s

from the album Whammy!

B-side

"Moon 83"

Released

1983

Recorded

1982

Studio

Compass Point (Nassau)

Genre

New wave^[1]^[2]
synth-pop^[3]

Length

3:40

Robert Waldrop

The B-52s singles chronology

"Give Me Back My Man"
(1980)

"Legal Tender"
(1983)

"Whammy Kiss"
(1983)

Music video

"Legal Tender" on YouTube

"Legal Tender" is the first single released by American new wave band the B-52s from their third studio album Whammy! (1983).

Description

The lyrics of "Legal Tender" tell a story about printing counterfeit American currency, in which the protagonist outfits a basement with "jelly jars" and "heavy equipment", and learns to print money due to inflation and rising prices. A companion music video was produced featuring Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson, in wigs of many shapes and colors.

"Legal Tender" is an upbeat, synthesizer-based track with a drum machine and hand-clap rhythm. The lead vocals are shared by Pierson and Wilson. The song appears as the opening track on the band's third studio album, Whammy! (1983), signifying that the band had altered their sound quite significantly for the record.

"Legal Tender" was performed live during the Whammy! tour, with Keith Strickland on synthesizer, and horn parts added. The band has also performed the song on various occasions throughout the years.

Chart performance

The single was the band's third Billboard Hot 100 chart entry, peaking at #81. The song also reached #9 on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart, along with album tracks "Whammy Kiss" and "Song for a Future Generation."

The song was a 1984 airplay and club hit in Brazil, and was included in the band's performance at the 1985 Rock in Rio festival. When the band toured Brazil in 2009, omitting the song from the live set, fans chanted for them to play it.^[4] Because of the song's popularity in Brazil, it appeared on the Brazilian version of Time Capsule: Songs for a Future Generation, on which it replaced "52 Girls". It is also featured on the group’s Nude on the Moon (2002) compilation album.

Chart positions

Chart (1983)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[5]	81
U.S. Cashbox Top 100	81
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play^[6]	9

References

^ Sheffield, Rob (February 24, 2023). "The 100 Best Songs of 1983, the Year Pop Went Crazy". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 4, 2023. Pierson and Wilson sing about counterfeiting cash in the basement, using it as a feminist metaphor for outsmarting the patriarchy. (New Wave girls love to sing about stealing.)
^ Naftule, Ashley (August 13, 2019). "Seven Songs to Get You Into The B-52s". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
^ Molanphy, Chris (June 29, 2018). "The Deadbeat Club Edition, Part 1". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
^ "B-52s - Shiny Happy People", SameSame, Interview with Kate Pierson, by Christian Taylor. July 27, 2009 Archived July 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 79.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 34.

External links

"Legal Tender" at Discogs (list of releases)

v t e The B-52s
Kate Pierson Fred Schneider Keith Strickland Cindy Wilson Tracy Wormworth Sterling Campbell Ken Maiuri Greg Suran Ricky Wilson Sara Lee Paul Gordon Zack Alford Pat Irwin Julee Cruise
Studio albums	The B-52's Wild Planet Whammy! Bouncing Off the Satellites Cosmic Thing Good Stuff Funplex
EPs	Mesopotamia
Live albums	With the Wild Crowd! Live in Athens, GA Live! 8-24-1979
Compilations	Party Mix! Time Capsule: Songs for a Future Generation Nude on the Moon: The B-52's Anthology
Singles	"Rock Lobster" "Planet Claire" "Dance This Mess Around" "Private Idaho" "Party Out of Bounds" "Give Me Back My Man" "Legal Tender"/"Moon 83" "Whammy Kiss" "Song for a Future Generation" "Summer of Love" "Girl from Ipanema Goes to Greenland" "Wig" "(Shake That) Cosmic Thing" "Channel Z" "Love Shack" "Roam" "Deadbeat Club" "Good Stuff" "Is That You Mo-Dean?" "Tell It Like It T-I-Is" "Revolution Earth" "Hot Pants Explosion" "(Meet) The Flintstones" "Debbie" "Love Shack '99" "Funplex" "Juliet of the Spirits"
DVDs	The B-52's Time Capsule: Videos for a Future Generation 1979–1998 With the Wild Crowd! Live in Athens, GA
Related articles	Discography Rocko's Modern Life Athens Rock Lobsters

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