Expert: Bong Santos - 5/12/2010

Question
I was a teenager during the 1980's and I loved New Wave, Power Pop and Alternative music in the 80's. I heard this song several times in the 80's in the WXB 102 radio station and the song is "The Basement." I'm not sure if that is the title. The other lyrics from the song that I remember are "so I fix up the basement; in heavy equipment; were in the basement." The vocals were sang completely by girls and I thought they were the Go Gos but they are not. There are jangling guitars in the song that I like very much. I hope you can help me.

Thanks.
Terence (avid 80's songs enthusiast)

Answer
Dear Terence,

You really know your music. No doubt you are a new wave enthusiast judging from this song that you like performed by no other but 80's new wave rock band THE B-52's. It was called LEGAL TENDER and it's a cut from their 1983 album WHAMMY!. THE B-52's were originally a five-man band composed of CINDY WILSON, her brother RICKY WILSON, FRED SCHNEIDER, KATE PIERSON & KEITH STRICKLAND until 1985 when the band became a quartet due to RICKY WILSON's death of AIDS-related illness. WHAMMY! was their third studio album and the single LEGAL TENDER became their third Hot 100 charting hit peaking at no. 81 on July 30, 1983. Here's its lyrics:

LEGAL TENDER / THE B-52'S  

We're in the basement, learning to print
All of it's hot!
10-20-30 million ready to be spent
We're stackin' 'em against the wall
Those gangster presidents

Livin' simple and trying to get by
But honey, prices have shot through the sky
So I fixed up the basement with
What I was a-workin' with
Stocked it full of jelly jars
And heavy equipment
We're in the basement...
10-20-30 million dollars
Ready to be spent

Walk into the bank, try to pass that trash
Teller sees and says "Uh-huh-that's fresh as grass."
See the street pass under your feet
In time to buy the latest model get-away Jeep

So I fixed up the basement with
What I was a-workin' with
Stocked it full of jelly jars
And heavy equipment
We're in the basement

So I fixed up the basement with
What I was a-workin' with
Stocked it full of jelly jars
And heavy equipment
We're in the basement,
Learning to print
All of it's hot
All counterfeit


Maraming salamat po!!

BONG M. SANTOS
Manila, Philippines