They recruited rapper Kermit and drummer Ged Lynch of the Manchester-based group The Ruthless Rap Assassins, plus guitarist Wags from The Paris Angels. Recording of new material started that year, although the group were not under contract. The key addition to the band was bassist and guitarist Danny Saber, who became Ryder's key musical foil.
In 1995 they signed to Radioactive Records (an imprint of major label BMG) and released their debut album, produced by Saber and Stephen Lironi. It's Great When You're Straight...Yeah immediately charted at number 1 in the UK, and spawned three Top 20 singles. According to Songfacts, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich listed it as his favorite CD of 1996.
Black Grape's music was funky and eclectic, using varied instrumentation and samples. Ryder's lyrics seem to derive mainly from nonsense rhymes and humorous catch-phrases. The debut album received critical acclaim in Britain, riding high during the then fashionable Britpop wave but the group made little impact in the U.S..
The subsequent album, 1997's Stupid Stupid Stupid was less favoured and charted at number 11 in the UK. The group split in 1998 after Ryder fired the rest of band while touring.
The band reformed for a one-off live show, their first in over 10 years, for Get Loaded in the Dark at the Coronet, London, on April 1, 2010. Five years later, the band announced plans for a tour to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their debut album. A reunion album, Pop Voodoo, was released in August 2017, although only Ryder and Kermit remained from the original lineup, with Youth handling bass, songwriting, and production duties.
Shake Your Money
Black Grape Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Shake your money maker
The return of this is good
We'll buzz round for the sample
Shake your money maker
Take it straight out of my face
Your a bleeding motherfucker now aren't you?
Go and bleed in a different place!
Everybody used to be a boxer
Everybody any boxer double
A million years old
And still in trouble
Put down your fists, and hit him with the shovel
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Shake your money maker
Into little airtight bags
We need to score a kit-kat
We just pulled an 8 hour blag
Everybody wants to get busy
Counting money makes me fucking dizzy
A million years old
And still in trouble
Put down your fists, and hit him with the shovel
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Gotta bleed in a different place
Ooooooo you're a bleeding motherfucker now aren't you?
You're a bleeding motherfucker now aren't you boy?
You're a bleeding motherfucker now aren't you?
You're a bleeding motherfucker now aren't you?
Ooooo, fuckin' your a fool to cry
Uh-ooooo, fuckin' your a fool to cry
Easy, easy, easy Slow down!
Ya fucking cunt!
The lyrics to Black Grape's "Shake Your Money" are filled with bold and satirical statements on consumerism, capitalism, and excess. The repetition of "shake your money" conveys the idea that money is something to be played with and shouldn't be taken too seriously. The line "Shake your money maker, the return of this is good" suggests that making money is the ultimate goal, regardless of the means used to do so.
The lyrics go on to talk about drug use and the desperate means some will go through to obtain drugs, such as robbing a store ("We just pulled an 8 hour blag"). The line "Put down your fists, and hit him with the shovel" alludes to the idea that violence doesn't solve anything and one should use their brain and creativity to get ahead.
The chorus of the song feels ironic and mocking, as it encourages the listener to "shake their money maker" and suggests that making money is the only way to survive in society. However, the sarcastic tone of the song implies that Black Grape is pointing out how absurd this notion is.
Overall, "Shake Your Money" is a sharp critique of consumer culture and the tactics people will resort to in order to obtain material success.
Line by Line Meaning
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Encouraging the listener to shake their money
Shake your money maker
Encouraging the listener to shake their body to make money
The return of this is good
Making a profit from shaking their money maker is beneficial
We'll buzz round for the sample
Going around the neighborhood to find business opportunities
Take it straight out of my face
Making money is more important than any personal issues
Your a bleeding motherfucker now aren't you?
The person has suffered the consequences of their actions
Everybody used to be a boxer
Everyone has to fight to make ends meet
A million years old
Feels like they've been struggling for a very long time
Put down your fists, and hit him with the shovel
Using non-violent ways to solve problems is better
Into little airtight bags
Putting money in a safe place
We need to score a kit-kat
Taking a break from work to relieve stress
We just pulled an 8 hour blag
Working hard for a long time to make money
Counting money makes me fucking dizzy
Counting or managing money is overwhelming
Gotta bleed in a different place
Change strategies or tactics to succeed
Ooooooo you're a bleeding motherfucker now aren't you?
The person is facing the consequences of their actions
You're a bleeding motherfucker now aren't you boy?
Addressing the person facing the consequences in a derogatory way
Ooooo, fuckin' your a fool to cry
Feels no sympathy towards the person crying
Easy, easy, easy Slow down!
Taking things slow or easy is advised
Ya fucking cunt!
Using derogatory language towards someone
Contributed by Caleb C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jacques Mesrine
Shake your money maker
The return of this is good
We'll buzz round for the sample
We're in the neighbourhood
Shake your money maker
Take it straight out of my face
Your a bleeding motherfucker now aren't you?
Go and bleed in a different place!
Everybody used to be a boxer
Everybody any boxer double
A million years old
And still in trouble
Put down your fists, and hit him with the shovel
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Shake your money maker
Into little airtight bags
We need to score a kit-kat
We just pulled an 8 hour blag
Everybody wants to get busy
Counting money makes me fucking dizzy
A million years old
And still in trouble
Put down your fists, and hit him with the shovel. !!!
TheSplashin
'everybody use to be a popstar, everybody had a boxing double, a million years old still in trouble, put down your fists and hit him with a shovel' Pure Class !! Where would you find lyrics like this? In a crazed mind !!! Love it !!
Ashley Smith
It’s a fucking tune!!!
jaw dropped
I remember going to see them in Brighton in 95 or 96, anyway I’m a Christian now and don’t listen to secular music but I love and always will like this. It remindeds me of all the times I waisted my life and money on drug dealers. Forgive me Father for wreaking nearly all my life until you came and gave this wretched man a chance
Spotless Leopard
@jaw droppedI'm glad you found your path mate.
I'm not a Christian but I respect your choice.
I certainly believe in a higher power, and I hope it works for you.
jaw dropped
@Spotless Leopard Thank you. You are right in saying there is a higher power, but there is a power that wants to separate you from God. I used to think the acid house scene was almost organic that we had found something based on love, and I love the music. I don’t see it like that anymore we were played. I never considered where all these pills came from I suppose I just thought someone’s knocking them up or lot of people are but that’s not the truth. It was no accident that certain pills that stayed around for a long time. Imagine how many of them would be consumed it would take a factory to make that many pills and because we thought it was all done in the name of love we fell for the lie they did in the 60s. The lie of do what thou wilt, love is the law, straight from Alister Crowley. And I used to think well as long as I don’t hurt anyone. I know I fell for the lie. Mental illness has gone up and continues to go up and I don’t think it’s any coincidence the people who took these pills where you only needed one maybe two are now the generation that is suffering. I truly hope you find God and start learning the truth. Peace and love I leave with you.
Russell Smith
What a tune...what a time to be 16!.
Many thanks to Shaun, Kermit et al.
John DiMare
Love this song, the whole album is great :^D
Jacques Mesrine
Shake your money maker
The return of this is good
We'll buzz round for the sample
We're in the neighbourhood
Shake your money maker
Take it straight out of my face
Your a bleeding motherfucker now aren't you?
Go and bleed in a different place!
Everybody used to be a boxer
Everybody any boxer double
A million years old
And still in trouble
Put down your fists, and hit him with the shovel
Shake your money, shake shake your money
Shake your money maker
Into little airtight bags
We need to score a kit-kat
We just pulled an 8 hour blag
Everybody wants to get busy
Counting money makes me fucking dizzy
A million years old
And still in trouble
Put down your fists, and hit him with the shovel. !!!
CaptainLog
Possibly my all time favourite song. Reminds me of being a kid in London.
Mana
Only inner city kids would get this.