I'm Your Money

"I'm Your Money" was released as the band's second single on 15 May 1981.{{cite magazine |title=Releases |date=16 May 1981 |magazine=Record Mirror |page=33 |issn=0144-5804 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/80s/81/Record-Mirror-1981-05-16-OCR.pdf |via=World Radio History |access-date=11 January 2025}} Despite their debut single "(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang" reaching number 45 in the UK Singles Chart earlier in the year, "I'm Your Money" failed to replicate the success and failed to chart,{{cite AV media notes |title=The Best of Heaven 17 |others=Heaven 17 |year=1992 |type=UK CD album liner notes |publisher=Virgin Records |id=VVIPD 118}} although it did reach number 59 on the Record Business Top 100 Singles Chart.

Speaking of the song's lyrics, Ware recalled to The Quietus in 2010, "I still think that's funny now. It's a very good analogy."{{cite web |last=Doran |first=John |url=https://thequietus.com/articles/04817-heaven-17-interview-penthouse-and-pavement |title=A dime in the hot slot: Heaven 17 interviewed |publisher=The Quietus |date=17 August 2010 |access-date=7 April 2023}}

Upon its release as a single, Peter Silverton of Smash Hits described "I'm Your Money" as sounding "just like Kraftwerk once sounded – conscious humour and all". He added that although it is "not as obviously funny" as the band's debut single "(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang", it is "stronger and harder".{{cite magazine |last=Silverton |first=Peter |title=Reviews: Singles |magazine=Smash Hits |date=14 May 1981 |volume=3 |issue=10 |page=35}} Simon Tebbutt of Record Mirror was less enthusiastic, writing, "Seems like I'm one of the few not attracted to the cool sounds and automaton rhythms of Heaven 17. I prefer this to their last single but it all gets a bit relentless and monotonous really."{{cite magazine |last=Tebbutt |first=Simon |title=Singles |date=16 May 1981 |magazine=Record Mirror |page=18 |issn=0144-5804}}

During his time DJ-ing in the 2000s, Philip Oakey of The Human League would always include "I'm Your Money" in his set. He told This Is Not Retro in 2008 that he thought it is one of Heaven 17's "best and most interesting tracks".{{cite web |url=https://www.thisisnotretro.com/interviews/human-league-interview-2008/ |title=Human League Interview |publisher=This Is Not Retro |date=August 2008 |access-date=7 April 2023}} In his 2009 book Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978–1984, Simon Reynolds described the song as "brilliant" and noted that, like its predecessor "(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang", it was "also something of a consciousness-raiser, transposing the language of business on to love and marriage à la Gang of Four's 'Contract'."{{cite book |title=Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978–1984 |last=Reynolds |first=Simon |year=2009 |publisher=Faber & Faber |isbn=9780571252275 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dK-F43T8V0wC |via=Google Books}}

7–inch single (UK){{cite AV media notes |title=I'm Your Money |others=Heaven 17 |year=1981 |type=UK 7-inch single sleeve |publisher=Virgin Records |id=VS 417}}

1. "I'm Your Money" – 3:26
2. "Are Everything" (Pete Shelley) – 2:59

12–inch single (UK, 'Special fortified dance mixes!'){{cite AV media notes |title=I'm Your Money |others=Heaven 17 |year=1981 |type=UK 12-inch single sleeve |publisher=Virgin Records |id=VS 41712}}

1. "I'm Your Money" – 5:42
2. "Are Everything" – 4:25

Heaven 17

• Glenn Gregory – vocals
• Martyn Ware – synthesizers, backing vocals
• Ian Craig Marsh – synthesizers

Additional musicians

• Huanita Rana Martinez – backing vocals
• Christopher Umfreville Wilkinson – backing vocals
• Kurt von Rauchitz – backing vocals
• Elzunia Kardasinska – backing vocals
• David Lockwood – acoustic guitar on "Are Everything"

Production

• B.E.F. – producers, engineers
• Denis Blackham – lacquer cut

Other

• Bob Last – sleeve design
• B.E.F. – sleeve design
• Virginia Turbett – photography

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{{Heaven 17}}

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Category:1981 songs

Category:1981 singles

Category:Heaven 17 songs

Category:Songs written by Ian Craig Marsh

Category:Songs written by Martyn Ware

Category:Songs written by Glenn Gregory

Category:Virgin Records singles