Barrett Strong obituary

Motown singer and songwriter whose hits included I Heard It Through the Grapevine, Papa Was a Rolling Stone and Money

Of all the dozens of worldwide hits released by the Motown family of labels, few had a more profound impact than Money (That’s What I Want), sung by the 19-year-old Barrett Strong and released in 1959. “The best things in life are free,” Strong sang, over a pounding piano, “but you can give them to the birds and bees – I need money.” In the background, a female chorus responded with matching fervour: “That’s what I want.”

In the US, the record sold a million copies, helped establish what became the Motown empire, and briefly made Strong, who has died aged 81, a star. Although in Britain it failed to match that chart performance, the song quickly became a part of the repertoire of the young beat groups for whom the raw sound of Black music was inspiring their efforts to demolish the genteel conventions of Tin Pan Alley.