Shortly after, they recruited their good friend and photographer Glenn Gregory on vocals to complete their lineup for Heaven 17. Contrary to popular belief, they were not 'New Romantics' per se and had different visual characteristics than groups such as Spandau Ballet and the Culture Club. Like The Human League, Heaven 17 heavily used synthesizers and drum machines while taking influence from the minimalist electronica music of the 70s.
They had a few minor hits in their early days, including the song "Play To Win" that featured on the album 'Penthouse and Pavement'. Their debut single '(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang' from the same album attracted some attention, became a left-wing anthem for a while, and was banned by the BBC because of its overtly political lyrics, but it still reached number 45 in the UK singles chart.
Major chart success eluded them until the single 'Temptation' (in which they were augmented by the vocalist Carol Kenyon) reached number 2 in the UK charts in summer 1983. Other songs from the same album, The Luxury Gap, also charted though not as high - 'Come Live With Me' reached number 5 in the UK, 'Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry' reached number 17, and 'Let Me Go', reaching 41 in November 1982. The album itself charted at their best ever position, number four.
At the end of 1983, the band helped re-launch Tina Turner's solo career, producing and providing backing vocals on her debut hit 'Let's Stay Together'. 1984 featured the release of the moderately successful How Men Are, which reached number 12.
The band also worked on the Band Aid single at the end of 1984, with Gregory supplying vocals alongside Midge Ure and Sting. However, they did not perform at Live Aid the following year.
Pleasure One (featuring the single 'Trouble') appeared in 1986 and it was followed up in 1988 with Teddy Bear, Duke & Psycho (featuring the single 'Train Of Love In Motion'). The early 90's were a quiet period for the band and they wouldn't work together as Heaven 17 until 1996's Bigger Than America. In the preceding years, Marsh and Ware produced a second B.E.F. album to 1981's original Music of Quality and Distinction and Gregory formed the band Ugly. Ware became an in-demand producer, working for the likes of Terence Trent D'Arby, Alison Moyet and Erasure. 2005 saw the release of the long-awaited Before After; the album having a much more contemporary dance sound compared to previous albums.
I'm Your Money
Heaven 17 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Social partners without a past
Buy the pleasure commodity
Invest in personal industry
I'm your money
I'm your money
I'm your money
Buy this
Sign here
Order now our emotional life
I'm offering you the post of wife
Plus the overnight treasury
It'll work for you if it works for me
She's the voice that'll make you stop
First encounter with the man at the top
Pay with personal credit slip
Express American censorship
I'm your money
I'm your money
I'm your money
I'm your money
Buy that
Sign here
Wine and dine now that you're the boss
There's no hotel to break your loss
Admit relationship unresolved
Chemical love bank has been dissolved
I'm your money
I'm your money
I'm your money
I'm your money
The lyrics of Heaven 17's song "I'm Your Money" are a commentary on the commodification of human relationships and emotions in a capitalist society. The first verse speaks of a "chemical love bank" that can be accessed for pleasure, and "social partners without a past" - implying that relationships can be bought without any history or emotional connection. The chorus itself, "I'm your money," is a direct statement of how money and financial power can be used to buy and control others. The second verse takes this even further, offering the post of wife and a "treasury" of emotional currency, again highlighting the transactional aspect of human relationships.
The third verse introduces the idea of censorship and control, through the use of personal credit and "express American censorship." The idea is that even our emotional lives and expressions are being controlled and limited by money and capitalist systems. The final verse sees the dissolution of the "chemical love bank" and relationship, implying that these transactions and investments are ultimately unstable and unsustainable.
Overall, the song is a critique of capitalist society and how it distorts human relationships and emotions into mere commodities to be bought and sold.
Line by Line Meaning
Chemical love bank within your grasp
You can easily access an artificial form of love
Social partners without a past
You can have a relationship with someone without having any history with them
Buy the pleasure commodity
Purchase pleasure as if it is a product
Invest in personal industry
Spend money on yourself to improve your image and status
I'm your money
Money has control over your life
Buy this
Encouragement to make a purchase
Sign here
Agree to the terms and conditions of the purchase
Order now our emotional life
We can now purchase emotions and companionship
I'm offering you the post of wife
The artist is offering a transactional relationship without any emotional attachment
Plus the overnight treasury
Service available to store personal items overnight
It'll work for you if it works for me
The transaction will only be successful if both parties agree
She's the voice that'll make you stop
The artist refers to a marketing ploy that encourages people to spend money
First encounter with the man at the top
Reference to a business deal that is being closed
Pay with personal credit slip
Using personal credit to make a transaction
Express American censorship
A reference to commercial propaganda used to encourage people to spend money
Wine and dine now that you're the boss
Enjoy luxuries now that you have money to buy them
There's no hotel to break your loss
Money is no object when it comes to spending on luxuries
Admit relationship unresolved
Accepting that the transactional relationship has no real emotional depth
Chemical love bank has been dissolved
The artificial form of love has been lost
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GLEN GREGORY, IAN MARSH, MARTYN WARE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@canyonmom27
Heaven 17 were so far ahead of their time.. electronic music pioneers.
@smiskin1
was searching for this song for about 30+ years .. just knew the tune and found it thanks to the new google app which is better than Shazam etc
@adamhartley8396
Excellent track from heaven 17 am your money it's one of my all time favourite I was in 1981 and I was only one years age I was a little baby when that hit was out
@ajs41
One of the best albums of 1981 along with Tin Drum by Japan.
@theverdict4322
Awsome tune back my childhood, i remember this EP had a tune after the song finished.
@mickeefreeman2898
Perfect new romantic dance track....🕺
@ItaloDiscogs
The best of heaven 17,the synthwork is amazing
@wildswan66
a super classic!!! Heaven 17 at their best!!!
@boombaby1769
I love how the cover tells the story of B.E.F. and Heaven 17. The whole album is legendary.
@luciferbox5577
The original Human League splitting up was brilliant because we got Human League Mk2 and we got Heaven 17. Genius.