you CAN always get what you want...

January 14, 2008 5:57 AM

i'm looking for songs about selfishness. the tricky part is, i'm looking for lyrics that celebrate or accept selfishness as the way the world works nowadays. with all apologies to the rolling stones, you CAN usually get what you want nowadays -- if you live in a first-world nation. where's the music about that?
posted by rubberfish to media & arts (46 comments total)

Does "Every day I love you (Less and Less)" by the Kaiser Chiefs count?
posted by parmanparman at 6:03 AM on January 14, 2008

Every rap song ever?
posted by mkb at 6:06 AM on January 14, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

'Asshole" by Denis Leary?
posted by TheOtherGuy at 6:07 AM on January 14, 2008 [3 favorites has favorites]

Nickleback has a song that's on the charts here in ZA at the moment, pretty sure its called "Rockstar." I think it fits your description fairly well.
posted by allkindsoftime at 6:10 AM on January 14, 2008

I Wanna Be Rich by Calloway
Money (That's What I Want) by Barrett Strong and covered a bunch
posted by kimota at 6:24 AM on January 14, 2008

I came in here to suggest "Every Day I Love You Less and Less" as well. :)

There are a bunch of Nine Inch Nails songs that I could think of, which address the topic ironically or sarcastically, but they're all pretty clearly criticisms of overconsumptive, hypercapitalist society -- the criticism is through exaggeration, though. "Capital G" from Year Zero, or "Head Like a Hole" would both (IMO) fit into this category.
posted by Kadin2048 at 6:34 AM on January 14, 2008

Money, by Pink Floyd
posted by RussHy at 6:43 AM on January 14, 2008

I think the materialism of most gangsta rap/hip hop is pretty easy to find and fits the bill.
posted by damn dirty ape at 6:45 AM on January 14, 2008

"Supermodel" by Jill Sobule
posted by hermitosis at 6:48 AM on January 14, 2008

Maybe "Los Angeles, I'm Yours" by the Decemberists?
posted by atayah at 6:54 AM on January 14, 2008

How about "Give, Give, Give, Me More, More, More" by the old 80s/90s alterna-band The Wonderstuff
posted by MeetCleaverTheatre at 6:54 AM on January 14, 2008

thanks for all the suggestions so far! are there any songs that focus less on pure materialism/greed and more on the "i deserve this" element?
[head like a hole is great - the control element is fantastic]
posted by rubberfish at 6:56 AM on January 14, 2008

Billy Joel - My Life
posted by thirteenkiller at 7:02 AM on January 14, 2008

Run, don't walk to the Upper Crust, whose AC/DC flavored rock is delivered by four 18-th century French aristocrats. They're a decadent bunch, I'm sure you'll agree, but their songs rock with a capital ROQUE. Song titles include "Let Them Eat Rock" and "Friend of a Friend of the Working Class."

Wonderstuff also had another great song, "It's Your Money I'm After Baby."
posted by Admiral Haddock at 7:07 AM on January 14, 2008

How about "Been Caught Stealing" by Jane's Addiction? And maybe "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" by The Smiths?
posted by cgc373 at 7:08 AM on January 14, 2008

"Little Lord Fontleroy" by Quasi
"Zebra" by The Magnetic Fields
posted by burnmp3s at 7:10 AM on January 14, 2008

Gimme Some Money by Spinal Tap

and the song to which it pays homage: The Beatles' Money (That's What I Want).
posted by wsg at 7:13 AM on January 14, 2008

Old Fashioned Millionaire - preferably by Eartha Kitt - who also did "Santa Baby".
posted by rongorongo at 7:14 AM on January 14, 2008

And maybe "Material Girl" and "My Humps," for another angle. (Or "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend", for an Ur-source.)
posted by cgc373 at 7:16 AM on January 14, 2008

Flogging Molly has titled, quite simply, Selfish Man (lyrics).
posted by Nelsormensch at 7:32 AM on January 14, 2008

"I Wanna Be Adored," by The Stone Roses
posted by mds35 at 7:47 AM on January 14, 2008

"Make More Money Tonight" by the Violent Femmes
"Hooray For Me" by Bad Religion
posted by drezdn at 7:52 AM on January 14, 2008

"Looking Out For Number One" by BTO
posted by rocket88 at 8:02 AM on January 14, 2008

"Santa Baby"
posted by brujita at 8:12 AM on January 14, 2008

Do you want songs about selfishness or songs about greed? They can be two different things.

"No Compassion" by the Talking Heads.
posted by arco at 8:18 AM on January 14, 2008

Selfish by Michael Penn
posted by neustile at 8:25 AM on January 14, 2008

Carol King "You're So Vain" (doesn't celebrate it, and I guess doesn't *accept* it, but definitely describes it)
posted by nax at 8:38 AM on January 14, 2008

CarolE King (sorry Carole)
posted by nax at 8:39 AM on January 14, 2008

I posted this in a different thread once, but "Great Expectations" by NMA is what you're looking for.
posted by nasreddin at 8:42 AM on January 14, 2008

Maybe:
Jude "The Asshole Song"
Cake "Italian Leather Sofa"
Dylan "4th Time Around"
Faith No More "We Care a Lot"

and Yoko does the best cover of "Money (That's What I Want)".
posted by fidelity at 9:12 AM on January 14, 2008

Music for Money by Nick Lowe
posted by Thorzdad at 9:20 AM on January 14, 2008

fidelity, I have a feeling you're thinking of The Flying Lizards' version of "Money."
posted by Oriole Adams at 9:56 AM on January 14, 2008

Hit em Up Style by Blue Cantrell
posted by frobozz at 9:56 AM on January 14, 2008

Randy Newman, "It's Money That Matters".
posted by letourneau at 10:12 AM on January 14, 2008

Run, don't walk to the Upper Crust, whose AC/DC flavored rock is delivered by four 18-th century French aristocrats

<>

"Little Lord Fontleroy" by Quasi

wow, for a second i thought quasi had slipped an upper crust cover past me. alas, it's a different song. but i can vouch for the upper crust's version: when you're feeling like an overprivileged brat -- that is, when you absolutely must sleep until noon and wear pantaloons and french perfume, then nothing will do save the upper crust.
posted by Hat Maui at 10:19 AM on January 14, 2008

Taxi Girl by the Nields?
posted by bassjump at 10:26 AM on January 14, 2008

"Play for Today" by The Cure
posted by Koko at 10:43 AM on January 14, 2008

more on the "i deserve this" element?

Maybe Sinatra's "My Way" strikes the self-congratulatory note you're looking for.
posted by donpedro at 10:47 AM on January 14, 2008

"The Good Life" Kanye West
posted by damn dirty ape at 11:27 AM on January 14, 2008

"Success" Iggy Pop (warning, weird Amazon link to song sample, will probably open in iTunes)
posted by nicwolff at 11:43 AM on January 14, 2008

At the end of the Wilco song "Poor Places," it goes:

And it makes no difference to me
how they cried all over overseas
It's hot in the poor places tonight
I'm not going outside

It's a guilty pleasure of mine.
posted by Quonab at 1:43 PM on January 14, 2008

Tammin Sursok's "Pointless Relationship". But which of the two is the selfish one? :)
posted by aeschenkarnos at 1:53 PM on January 14, 2008

"My Life is Good" by Randy Newman.
"Political Science" by Randy Newman. It began as satire, now it's foreign policy.
"For Free" by Joni Mitchell
posted by doncoyote at 2:42 PM on January 14, 2008

"Luxury," Fad Gadget
posted by Vervain at 3:36 PM on January 14, 2008

Penguins are so sensitive
Penguins are so sensitive
Penguins are so sensitive
To my needs
To my needs
To my needs
To my needs
posted by footnote at 5:55 PM on January 14, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

"Can't Help Thinking About Me" by David Bowie
posted by TV Baby at 12:13 AM on January 16, 2008