Fans of Motown are mourning the loss of songwriter Janie Bradford, who passed away on Friday, August 21 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
According to Bradford’s family, her death came after a lengthy illness. She was 87 years old.
‘Money (That’s What I Want)’
As The Hollywood Reporter points out, Bradford is best remembered for co-writing the song “Money (That’s What I Want)” with Motown founder Berry Gordy.
Released in 1959 by singer Barrett Strong, the song became the first hit for the fledgling Motown label, paving the way for the decades of musical success that followed.
In addition to that song, Bradford also co-wrote “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby,” which hit No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1969 when recorded by Marvin Gaye.
She also wrote songs for a variety of other Motown artists, including Mary Wells, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, The Four Tops and Martha & the Vandellas.
Secretary Turned Songwriter
Bradford started off as Gordy’s receptionist in the early days of Motown.
An aspiring writer, Gordy hired her after she shared some of the poetry she’d written with him, having recently launched his Tamla and Motown labels.
Her career as a receptionist, however, soon morphed into something else when Berry was working on the song that would become “Money.” As Gordy struggled with lyrics, she joined him at the piano and made up a verse on the spot: “Your love gives me such a thrill, but your love don’t pay my bills. Gimme some money, baby!”
Bradford continued working with Gordy on Motown hits, and eventually served as head of writer relations for Motown’s publishing company, Jobete.
‘Talented and Determined’
“Janie was there with me from the very beginning, before there was even a Motown, and she will always hold a very special place in my heart and in the Motown family,” Gordy said in a statement.
“Janie was smart, clever, witty and fun. She was also talented and determined. In those early days, everybody did what was needed to be done, and Janie was no exception. She became Motown’s first receptionist, but her talents quickly took her far beyond that desk,” Gordy added.
Per THR, some of Bradford’s other songwriting credits are “Contract on Love” (recorded by Stevie Wonder), “Your Old Standby” for Mary Wells and the Diana Ross track “I Am Me.” She also wrote two songs recorded by The Supremes: “Time Changes Things” and “We Should Be Closer Together.”
After a quarter-century at Motown, in the 1990s Bradford founded the Heroes and Legends Awards, which honored music icons while presenting scholarships to deserving students. Earlier this year, Bradford was inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame.
“Her annual gatherings always felt like old home week because Janie kept that wonderful sense of family alive,” Gordy added.
The Enduring Legacy of ‘Money’
Despite all those accomplishments, “Money (That’s What I Want)” remains Bradford’s lasting legacy.
Since its release in 1959, the song has been covered by a large and diverse group of musicians.
Among those to record the song are The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Supremes, Boyz II Men and, more recently, Charli XCX.
The song made a big comeback in 1979 when The Flying Lizards’ quirky new wave version became an unexpected hit.
