"The Wall Street Shuffle" is a single by the British Pop/Rock band … Read Full Bio ↴10CC
"The Wall Street Shuffle" is a single by the British Pop/Rock band 10cc released in 1974. The song originally appears on the band's 1974 album Sheet Music and was the second single to be released from the album after "The Worst Band in the World." It was also the most successful single to be released from the album making #10 on the British charts.
The songs is a heavy classic rock riff driven affair with lyrics that deal with Wall Street and the economy. It features several topical cultural references and specifically mentions Rothschild and Howard Hughes.
The song remains popular with fans and is often performed live in concert. A live performance can be found on the 2007 promotional live compilation The Best of 10cc Live.
The Wall Street Shuffle
10cc Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hear the money rustle
Watch the greenbacks tumble
Feel the Sterling crumble
You need a yen to make a mark
If you want to make money
You need the luck to make a buck
You've gotta be cool on Wall Street
You've gotta be cool on Wall Street
When your index is low
Dow Jones ain't got time for the bums
They wind up on skid row with holes in their pockets
They plead with you, buddy can you spare the dime
But you ain't got the time
Doin' the
Doin' the
Oh, Howard Hughes
Did your money make you better?
Are you waiting for the hour
When you can screw me?
'Cause you're big enough
To do the Wall Street Shuffle
Let your money hustle
Bet you'd sell your mother
You can buy another
Doin' the
Doin' the
You buy and sell
You wheel and deal
But you're living on instinct
You get a tip
You follow it
And you make a big killing
On Wall Street
The lyrics of The Wall Street Shuffle by 10cc are a satirical commentary on the pursuit of wealth and success in the world of finance. The song talks about the hustle and bustle of Wall Street, where money is made and lost in the blink of an eye. The first verse talks about the sound of money, as traders and investors move their wealth around. The song then goes on to suggest that in order to succeed in the financial markets, you need to have the right connections, and a certain amount of luck. You need to be cool and collected even when everything around you is falling apart.
The second verse is a criticism of the greed that is often associated with Wall Street. The song talks about how people who lose their money are often cast aside and forgotten by those who remain wealthy. The lyrics suggest that the pursuit of wealth can be an all-consuming obsession, and that it often leads people to do things they might not otherwise do. The final verse of the song is a reference to Howard Hughes, an eccentric billionaire who famously spent his last years holed up in a Las Vegas hotel. The lyrics imply that Hughes, like many others on Wall Street, let his wealth and success go to his head and became arrogant and cruel to those around him.
Line by Line Meaning
Do the Wall Street shuffle
Engage in the chaotic dance that is buying and selling stocks on Wall Street
Hear the money rustle
The sound of money being moved around on Wall Street is loud and overwhelming
Watch the greenbacks tumble
Stock prices fluctuate constantly and can drop suddenly, causing shareholders to lose money
Feel the Sterling crumble
The value of the British pound is unstable and can decrease easily
You need a yen to make a mark
To succeed in the world of stocks, one needs to have the right combination of skill, knowledge, and luck
If you want to make money
The ultimate goal on Wall Street is to turn a profit
You need the luck to make a buck
Even with the right skills and knowledge, a fair amount of luck is required to make money on Wall Street
If you want to be Getty, Rothschild
The ultimate level of success on Wall Street is to become one of the renowned billionaires of the financial world
You've gotta be cool on Wall Street
To succeed in the fast-paced, high-stress world of stocks, one needs to remain calm and rational
When your index is low
When the value of your stocks has dropped, it can be a stressful and financially difficult time
Dow Jones ain't got time for the bums
The major stock market index, Dow Jones, doesn't care about individual investors who have lost their money
They wind up on skid row with holes in their pockets
Those who lose money on Wall Street can end up destitute and penniless
They plead with you, buddy can you spare the dime
Those who have lost their money may turn to others for help, even strangers passing by on the street
But you ain't got the time
As a successful investor, there is little time to worry about the financial struggles of others
Doin' the
Continuing to engage in the chaotic dance that is buying and selling stocks on Wall Street
Oh, Howard Hughes
Referencing Howard Hughes, a famous businessman and investor of the time who represented the pinnacle of financial success
Did your money make you better?
Questioning if wealth and success truly lead to a better life or if they can lead to moral or personal degradation
Are you waiting for the hour
Wondering if successful investors are constantly waiting to strike when the market is at its most profitable
When you can screw me?
Are you only successful because you are making trades that can disadvantage others?
'Cause you're big enough
Successful investors have immense financial power and can influence the market
To do the Wall Street Shuffle
To continue making successful trades and profiting from the stock market
Let your money hustle
To let your money keep working for you and generating profits
Bet you'd sell your mother
Successful investors will do whatever it takes to turn a profit, even if it means betraying or harming loved ones
You can buy another
For the wealthy, possessions and people are replaceable if their value has been lost or diminished
You buy and sell
The act of trading and profiting from the stock market
You wheel and deal
Negotiating and strategizing to make the most profitable trades
But you're living on instinct
Successful investors are constantly adapting and making decisions based on their intuition and instincts
You get a tip
Hearing insider information or receiving tips from someone with knowledge of the market can be extremely valuable and lead to profitable trades
You follow it
If the tip seems promising, successful investors will act on it and make trades accordingly
And you make a big killing
Following tips and trusting their instincts can lead to making an immense profit and triumphing over the chaos of Wall Street
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ERIC STEWART, GRAHAM GOULDMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@donnythompson408
Man, this song INSTANTLY takes me back to 1974.
10cc was a great band.
@keithjones6023
They were up there with the best 👌
@rjjcms1
Yep.
@darrylvonrokk
had no idea how great they really were~~~
@sidthetech7623
Shhhhh.. Big boys don't cry...
@davidcurtis7547
Yes , I agree . I had all their albums . Other songs that stand out : One Night in Paris , The Film of Our Love and of course the one that was a minor hit "I'm Not in Love . Cheers @donnythompson408
@vancouverislandandthething3945
LOVE this song. My friend and I would crank this up at her parents' house when we were getting ready to go out. Two fourteen yr old chickies bouncing around. 😂
If anyone knows a Linda G from Vancouver Island tell her her spinny friend C misses her so much. ❤
@keithjones6023
Nothing wrong with adding some humour to rock music, this band did it in style, one of the great's of the 70's 10 /10!
@robpattison6606
same w Zappa, Tubes , Little Feat , Root Boy Slim even the ABB a lot of my “ go to “bands strangely! “does humor belong in music ?” FZ
@michaelkelly3221
Definitely ahead of the time too.