With Plenty of Money and You

By Harry Warren & Al Dubin
1936

An underrated Warren/Dubin gem written for the great Dick Powell for one of his classic 1930s musical screen comedies, The Gold Diggers of 1937. A minor standard, it was very popular in its day, owing largely to the clever Dubin lyric that seems to parody trite love ballads, with the vocalist admitting that in addition to love, he wouldn't mind having a little cash to go along with it... One of my all-time favorites.

Lyrics:

Oh, baby what I couldn't do,
With plenty of money, and you.
In spite of the worry that money brings,
Just a little filthy lucre buys a lot of things.

And I could take you to places you'd like to go,
But outside of that, I've no use for dough.
It's the root of all evil,
Of strife and upheaval.

But I'm certain, honey,
That life could be sunny,
With plenty of money and you.

Recorded By:

Jessica Molaskey & John Pizzarelli
Tony Bennett
The Ink Spots
Chick Bullock & His Levee Loungers
Luke Hill

With Plenty of Money and You

By Al Dubin & Harry Warren
1936

This one's a personal favorite of mine, which I discovered on an old LP of hits from the 1930s, belonging to my wife's granfather. The great Dick Powell introduced it in the movie The Gold Diggers of 1937, and it was written for the film by the prolific team of Dubin & Warren. The duo would pen a grand total of 11 number-one hits between 1932 and 1937, with "September in the Rain" hitting the top spot the very same year as this charmer.

Lyrics:

I have never envied folks with money.
Millionaires don't get along so well.
I have you, but haven't any money--
Still, the combination would be swell.

Oh, baby, what I couldn't do
With plenty of money and you.
In spite of the worries that money brings,
Just a little filthy luchre buys a lot of things.

I would take you to places you like to go,
But outside of that, I've no use for dough.
It's the root of all evil, of strife and upheaval,
Yet I'm certain, honey,
That life could be sunny,
With plenty of money and you.

Recorded By:

Tony Bennett & Count Basie
Jessica Molaskey & John Pizzarelli
The Ink Spots
Art Tatum
Dick Hyman