Their first release in 1985 was a seven-inch single named "Crazy Game", with the B-side "Everybody's Waiting (for Someone to Come Home)". That same year, the Indigo Girls released a six-track Extended play album named "Indigo Girls", and in 1987 released their first full-length album, Strange Fire, recorded at John Keane Studio in Athens, Georgia, and including "Crazy Game". With this release, they secured the services of Russell Carter, who remains their manager to the present; they had first approached him when the EP album was released, but he told them their songs were "immature" and they were not likely to get a record deal.
They were signed to Epic Records in 1989 and won the Grammy for best contemporary folk album later that year (for their self titled release) Some of their hit songs include "Galileo," "Closer to Fine," and "Shame on You."
Aside from being musicians, Ray and Saliers are activists, constantly supporting causes like gun control, women's rights, Native American rights, environmental protection, the abolition of the death penalty, and as lesbians themselves, LGBT rights. They constantly devote their time and money to such causes, often playing benefit concerts.
Ray and Saliers both have side projects. Ray owns and founded Daemon Records, an independent label based in Decatur. She also has a career as a solo artist, and has released two albums thus far. Saliers is the part owner of Watershed, a restaurant and wine bar in Decatur.
Together, the Indigo Girls are constantly touring. Their new album, Poseidon and the Bitter Bug, was released March 24, 2009.
Money Made You Mean
Indigo Girls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And that's not how it's supposed to be.
You're ready to challenge and defend,
Yeah, but for all the wrong reasons.
How much do we really need?
A question, if you have to ask
Just means what it means-
The question that says everything.
Right and left it's all the same conspiracy
Just cause you ask, doesn't make a difference to me.
You could keep it all or give it away
But where did it come from in the first place?
Robbing Peter to pay me, and I'll just be
Giving it back to Peter to feel free.
Now you have to fix everything that's broke
Cause it'll never leave you alone.
Reinvent the wheel, be the butt of a joke,
Take the long road to charity.
Right or left it's all the same conspiracy
Robbing Peter to pay Paul
Or robbing Peter to pay me.
Robbing Peter to pay Paul
Or robbing Peter to pay me.
Yeah it's just too hard, oh well, jump in.
Forget about the sharks and swim,
Cause now you're one, now you're one.
You can't deny it anymore.
Right or left it's all the same conspiracy
Robbing Peter to pay Paul
Or robbing Peter to pay me.
Robbing Peter to pay Paul
Or robbing Peter to pay me.
You can't deny it anymore.
Indigo Girls' "Money Made You Mean" tackles the concept of how money can change a person's character, leading them towards selfishness and greed. In the opening verse, the lyrics state that despite possessing material wealth, their behavior has gone against conventional morality. They are prepared to fight and defend themselves, but it all comes from a place of selfishness. The song then poses a broader question asking how much money one truly needs, indicating that the insatiable need for more money is what breeds immoral behavior. The question encourages a re-examination of one's priorities.
In the second verse, the song likens the two-party political system to a conspiracy system. The lyrics hint that those in power have the primary motive of serving their own interests. The song emphasizes the cyclical nature of money and the inequalities it fuels. The line "robbing Peter to pay Paul or robbing Peter to pay me" indicates the constant transfer of money from the poor to the rich within the same system. The chorus is an emphatic repetition of the phrase "robbing Peter to pay Paul or robbing Peter to pay me," implying that working within the system is futile because it perpetuates inequality.
In the final verse, the lyrics suggest that to avoid becoming a pawn in this system, one needs to remedy what is broken within it. Empathy and compassion for others are the only paths towards genuine happiness that money cannot buy. The final lines of the song emphasize that denying the impact of money on one's life is impossible. It is a personal and societal issue that we must all confront.
Line by Line Meaning
So money made you mean
Having a lot of money has made you unpleasant and rude.
And that's not how it's supposed to be.
This behavior isn't natural nor is it what one would expect from somebody with wealth.
You're ready to challenge and defend,
You have a quick response and are always prepared to fight back.
Yeah, but for all the wrong reasons.
Unfortunately, your responses often are misplaced or unwarranted.
How much do we really need?
How much money is truly essential in life?
A question, if you have to ask
If you need to ask this question, you might be missing the point.
Just means what it means-
The question is self-evident and needs no explanation.
The question that says everything.
This question sums up all our material needs.
Right and left it's all the same conspiracy
Both sides of the political spectrum seem to be in collusion and serving the same interests.
Just cause you ask, doesn't make a difference to me.
Simply aksing questions won't change anything in this context.
You could keep it all or give it away
You could either hoard your wealth or distribute it to others.
But where did it come from in the first place?
It's important to remember how you acquired your wealth in the first place.
Robbing Peter to pay me, and I'll just be
You acquired this wealth by taking it from somebody else, and it will likely have to go back to that same person.
Giving it back to Peter to feel free.
Returning the money to its rightful owner will give you peace of mind.
Now you have to fix everything that's broke
Your wealth has brought new responsibilities and problems to your life.
Cause it'll never leave you alone.
You'll always be preoccupied with the management of your finances and the problems that come with them.
Reinvent the wheel, be the butt of a joke,
You'll have to try new and unconventional things to maintain your wealth and others might ridicule you for it.
Take the long road to charity.
Donating your money to charities or foundations will take a lot of time and effort.
Yeah it's just too hard, oh well, jump in.
It's often difficult to manage your wealth perfectly, but you must try anyway.
Forget about the sharks and swim,
Don't worry about competitors and detractors, focus on managing your wealth.
Cause now you're one, now you're one.
Now that you have wealth, you're part of a select, privileged club.
You can't deny it anymore.
You can no longer deny the benefits that come with wealth and the responsibilities it brings with it.
Right or left it's all the same conspiracy
Regardless of which political affiliation you have, they all seem to be acting together with rich, powerful interests.
Robbing Peter to pay Paul
One way or another, someone else is losing wealth so that you can gain it.
Or robbing Peter to pay me.
You inherited or obtained your wealth through dubious means that robbed someone else of their prosperity.
Robbing Peter to pay Paul
Taking from another to give to you, or others just like you.
Or robbing Peter to pay me.
Your wealth came at the expense of someone else's.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AMY ELIZABETH RAY, EMILY ANN SALIERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind