Songwriter, singer Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)" (Berry Gordy - Janie Bradford) was the first hit for Motown although it was distributed nationally by Chess Records in 1960. The single reached number two on the R&B chart while peaking at twenty-three on the Top One Hundred.

John Lennon takes the lead on The Beatles "Money (That's What I Want)" with drummer Pete Best during the failed Decca Records audition in early 1962.The label picked Brian Poole and The Tremeloes over the Fab Four who recorded fourteen other tunes in the one hour audition.

They recorded the song again with drummer Ringo Starr and produced by George Martin in 1963 for the U.K. release "With The Beatles". The album included "All My Loving" and was engineered by Norman "Hurricane" Smith.

The Kingsmen (lead vocalist Lynn Easton, Gary Abbott, Don Gallucci, Mike Mitchell and Norm Sundholm) peaked at number sixteen pop and number six on the R&B listing with their cover of "Money (That's What I Want)" in 1964. The single is on the LP "The Kingsmen In Person". The group's biggest hit "Louie, Louie" is the opening cut with Jack Ely singing lead. Jack left the Kingsmen after their initial hit so really wasn't involved on the album.