The Money Lyrics
The Money
[NARRATOR]The next day, Justin brought a rolled-up baggie of marijuana to school for Naomi
[JUSTIN]
And I was like, oh my god, I'm actually gonna do this. So we was in class, and I sat down right next to her. And she was like—
[NAOMI]
Justin, do you have it?
[JUSTIN]
Yeah, I do. And I was like, you know what?
We're going to wait for a few.
Because I didn't want to be like, oh hey, and just slide it in her hand or whatever.
So we waited
Wood blocks tick-tocking
[JUSTIN]
And she was like—
[NAOMI]
Okay, put it in my purse
[JUSTIN]
So I slid it right in there. And then she was like—
[NAOMI]
Okay, here. Take the money. Justin, take the money
[JUSTIN]
I don't want your money. I got this just for you. Keep your money. There's nothing I won't do for you. I'll come through for you every time—just in time
[NAOMI]
Justin, listen
Please, just take the money
You're making me feel guilty. Take the money
You really did come through for me
There's only one last thing you need to do for me
Take the money
Take the money
Take the money
The teacher's coming
Take this money, Justin
We aren't done. Please take this money, Justin
Take the money
Take the money. Take this money, Justin.
[JUSTIN]
Naomi, I know there's a reason you were transferred here to me
Naomi, I know there's a reason. This isn't luck, it's destiny
Naomi
You know me
I will be there just in time
Every time
Anytime
I don't want your money
I got this just for you
Keep your money
There's nothing I won't do for you. I'll come through for you
Every time
Anytime
Just in time.
[STUDENTS]
Naomi
Naomi
Naomi
Naomi
Song Overview
Song Credits
- Featured Vocalists: Lindsay Mendez, Gerard Canonico, Antwaun Holley, Anthony Ramos, Alex Boniello
- Producer & Composer: Lin-Manuel Miranda
- Release Date: June 19, 2014
- Album: 21 Chump Street – The Musical EP
- Length: 1 minute 59 seconds
- Genre: Hip-Hop / Musical-Theatre fusion
- Label: 5000 Broadway Productions
- Mood: Anxious, guilty, stubbornly romantic
- Language: English
- Copyright © 2014 5000 Broadway Productions, Inc.
Song Meaning and Annotations
“The Money” is the hinge of 21 Chump Street. Justin finally places contraband into Naomi’s purse, yet refuses payment—proof, in his head, that love, not commerce, drove the crime. Lin-Manuel Miranda turns that ethical knot into sound: wood-block ticks mimic a hall-clock, strings sneak in sotto voce, and the The Money Lyrics volley between silky R&B coos and hip-hop recitative. Every musical choice whispers, Time’s up, kid.
Unlike previous tracks, the groove stays suspended on a single minor-key vamp. It feels trapped, the way Justin is trapped between adolescent chivalry and felony charges. Naomi’s refrain—“Take the money”—rides clipped eighth-notes; Justin’s countermelody stretches vowels as if time itself might stall the hand-off. That tug-of-war is the entire plot distilled to 119 seconds.
Verse 1 – The Hand-Off
She was like … Okay, put it in my purse
An everyday purse becomes Chekhov’s gun. Miranda scores the moment with an off-beat cymbal scrape—tiny, but your pulse notices.
Refrain – Naomi’s Plea
Please, just take the money.
Her harmony climbs a whole-tone—urgency without emotion—hinting at police protocol masquerading as care.
Justin’s Aria
I don’t want your money … There’s nothing I won’t do for you.
He reprises melodic fragments from “What the Heck I Gotta Do,” but slower, wistful, already haunted. The circular motif underscores that he thinks he’s choosing destiny while the audience watches entrapment unfold.
Miranda lifted most dialogue verbatim from Robbie Brown’s This American Life reporting—real teenspeak preserved in amber. That journalistic DNA gives the The Money Lyrics an almost documentary chill: no metaphor needed when the facts sting louder than rhyme.
Similar Songs
- “You’ll Be Back” – Hamilton
Both tunes dress coercion in sweet melodies. King George bribes colonies with hollow affection; Naomi bribes Justin with cash. The sinister cheerfulness of courtly strings in “You’ll Be Back” parallels the faux-tender wood-blocks in “The Money,” each masking a power play until the smile cracks. - “All I Ask of You” – Phantom of the Opera
On the surface, promises of protection; underneath, uneven stakes. Raoul vows safety he can’t guarantee, Justin vows loyalty that ruins him. Both duets hinge on lovers ignoring louder, darker music swelling in the wings. - “Take Me or Leave Me” – Rent
Each song stages a negotiation mid-relationship. Maureen and Joanne trade ultimatums over funk-rock riffs; Naomi and Justin haggle over money against a minimalist hip-hop loop. In both, rhythmic back-and-forth mirrors couples whose talk is really a tug-of-war.
Questions and Answers
- Was “The Money” ever released as a single?
- No—it appears only on the five-track EP.
- How long is the song?
- Exactly 1 minute 59 seconds on the official recording.
- Are there notable covers?
- Café-soloists love it: Boone High School’s 2015 staging hit YouTube, and 54 Below hosted a cabaret duet in 2025.
- Did it chart?
- No mainstream chart appearances, though TikTok slowed-and-reverb edits spiked streaming in 2023.
- Can the track be licensed separately?
- Licensing covers the entire 15-minute musical via Concord Theatricals—songs aren’t split.
Fan and Media Reactions
“Teacher: Quit singing about money and get to work.—still the funniest YouTube comment.” YouTube comment on animatic
“Those ticking wood-blocks? That’s my anxiety in surround sound.” @StageLeft42 on X
“‘Take the money’ has lived rent-free in my head—and I paid nothing.” u/ChumpFan23 on r/Broadway
“Miranda turns a $25 drug deal into Shakespearean tragedy in under two minutes.” @CastAlbumReview
“Cabaret audiences gasp when Justin rejects the cash—every single time.” Review, 54 Below Live