It's Only Money
Robin Trower Lyrics

The song "It's Only Money" by Robin Trower talks about how people's greed for money can cause them to betray and hurt others. The lyrics suggest that people use money to elevate themselves to a higher social status but end up losing the precious things like love, family, and peace of mind. The phrase "it's only money" suggests that money is not the most important thing in life and that it cannot bring happiness and fulfillment. Trower's reference to wine to water and gold to dust indicates that the things that money can buy can ultimately turn to nothing. The line "we not forgive where evil must" implies that money can be a motivator for evil and those who use it wrongly must not be forgiven.

In the second part of the song, Trower refers to himself as a gypsy, a nomadic person who is usually associated with a carefree lifestyle. He says to break his skin but not his blood, indicating that he is willing to endure physical suffering to protect his heritage and identity. This suggests that he treasures his cultural roots more than material possessions. The repetition of the phrase "It's only money" emphasizes that money cannot buy true happiness and invokes a sense of defiance against those who seek to define his value based on material possessions.