‘Take the Money and Run’ is a song recorded in 1976 by the Steve Miller Band. A song about two young (possibly teenage) bandits and the detective pursuing them, it was one of the many hit singles produced by the Steve Miller Band in the 1970s and featured on the 1976 album Fly Like an Eagle. The song peaked at number 11 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in July 1976 and also charted in Australia.
The song was written as a road trip. Miller drew inspiration from his childhood, when he listened to the radio station while on long road trips with his family and he would sing along to his favorite songs. Because FM radio was capable of clearer stereo sound, this allowed him to make his road trip songs with more layers for a much bigger sound. Miller has stated that he wrote the song as a salute to the road trip songs he used to song a long to when he was a kid in the back seat of his parents’ car. Another characteristic of Miller's road songs is the mention of various locations – this time it was El Paso - In ‘Rock 'N Me,’ he does shout-outs to more cities - including Phoenix, Atlanta and Philadelphia
Miller’s Bonnie-and-Clyde-type story, about a young couple tired of being stoner TV zombies takes Billie Joe and Bobby Sue to a bungled robbery that ends up being a murder, with the Texas police in pursuit. While some music critics have slammed the song for cheering on the wilful murder of an innocent home occupant and stealing their money, others have suggested that maybe they have failed to pay attention to all of the lyrics, where it is clear that Billy Joe “ran into a great big hassle, and shot the man while robbing his castle”. This suggests that the shooting was not intended, and that the not-too-bright former stoner TV zombies will now have to spend the rest of their lives on the run from a Texan detective, plus probably other cops, who are determined to bring them to justice.
Based on this understanding of the lyrics, the listener isn’t being asked to cheer Billy Joe and Bobby Sue on, but actually realize the hopeless situation that they are now in, and that the only way they can survive is to – take the money and run.
This was the first song Miller let a rap group sample; he let Run-D.M.C. use it in 2001 with Everlast also on vocals. Miller, who had turned down many previous requests to sample his songs, agreed only after hearing the song and liking what they did with it.
Label – Capitol
Songwriter – Steve Miller
Producer – Steve Miller
SONG LYRICS
[Intro]Hoo hoo
[Verse 1]
This here's a story 'bout Billy Joe and Bobbie Sue
Two young lovers with nothing better to do
Than sit around the house, get high, and watch the tube
And here's what happened when they decided to cut loose
They headed down to, ooh, old El Paso
That's where they ran into a great big hassle
Billy Joe shot a man while robbing his castle
Bobbie Sue took the money and run
Hoo hoo hoo
[Chorus]
Go on, take the money and run
Go on, take the money and run
Hoo hoo hoo
Go on, take the money and run
Go on, take the money and run
Hoo hoo hoo
[Verse 2]
Billy Mack is a detective down in Texas
You know he knows just exactly what the facts is
He ain't gonna let those two escape justice
He makes his living off of the people's taxes
Bobbie Sue, whoa, whoa, she slipped away
Billy Joe caught up to her the very next day
They got the money, hey, you know they got away
They headed down south, and they're still running today
Singing
[Chorus]
Go on, take the money and run
Go on, take the money and run
Hoo hoo hoo
Go on, take the money and run, oh Lord
Go on, take the money and run
Hoo hoo hoo
[Chorus]
Yeah, yeah
Go on, take the money and run (Yeah, yeah)
Hoo hoo hoo
Go on, take the money and run, oh Lord
Go on, take the money and run (Yeah, yeah)
Hoo hoo hoo
Go on, take the money and run, oh Lord