Jack Bruce – Into Money

I’m featuring two songs by two different trios that Jack Bruce was a part of. I’m not speaking just for me when I say this because many bass players would agree… but Jack Bruce was one of the biggest bass influences I had. There were 3 bassists that I wanted to learn from when I was learning to play bass. John Entwistle, Paul McCartney, and Jack Bruce. All three for different reasons. 

John for the pure speed and those runs he pulled off that still amaze me to this day. Paul because of the melody he added to the bass in songs. He would be going everywhere but you hear a counter melody underneath it. Jack…he was the one that set me on my way because of Crossroads. He combined John Entwistle and Paul in some ways…plus a little extra. He added a jazz touch that Paul and John didn’t have…that is why he is one of the best. Plus one inspiration for Jack Bruce was that he played cello and attacked the bass in a different way than most of his peers.

After Cream I never knew much about him. We all know about Eric and to a certain extent Ginger Baker but Bruce I had no clue. Between 1969 through 2014 he released 14 solo albums. On top of the solo albums, he played with some bands like the power trio West, Bruce, and Laing or WBL including Leslie West, Jack, and Corky Laing for 3 albums. He also did collaborations with Gary Moore, Frank Zappa, Robin Trower, Tony Williams, Mick Taylor, and even his ex-bandmate Ginger Baker.

The song I’m featuring today was from an album B.L.T. Jack Bruce (bassist), Bill Lordan (drummer), and Robin Trower (guitarist). I saw this album at the Great Escape a lot. That was a used record store that I went to as a teen. As soon as CB sent me the link to this…I knew the album right away. It was made in 1981. The album peaked at #37 on the Billboard Album Charts. It’s a straight-ahead power trio that doesn’t let up. Into Money was written by Robin Trower. 

I saw Clapton and Santana in 1990 at the now-demolished amphitheater in Nashville. That summer I also saw Robin Trower and he really impressed me because I got to see him in a club atmosphere and he was spectacular. 

The other song (The Docter) I’m featuring is from WBL which features Leslie West, Jack Bruce, and Corky Laing. It was released in 1972 on the album Why Dontcha which peaked at #26 on the Billboard Album Charts. The Doctor was written by West, Bruce, Laing, and Sandra Palmer. It got quite a bit of radio play at the time. 

Into Money

You’ve got your house, you’ve got your carYou live up on the hill among the starsYou say you did what you had to doBut was it really worth what they put you throughYou know these things we believed inIt didn’t touch you at allI hate to see you like this babyWith your back to the wall

You lost your heart, when you lost your nerveMaybe you lost your grip on that first curveYou used to talk about bein’ freeWhy, you’re so tied up you can’t even breathe

You know these things we believed inThey didn’t touch you at allI hate to see you like this babyWith your back to the wallMoney into moneyMoney into money

Money into moneyMoney into moneyYou’re into money, into moneyYou’re into money, moneyInto money yeah, yeahInto moneyInto money, into money, into money yeah, yeah, yeah, yeahInto money

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

40 thoughts on “Jack Bruce – Into Money”

  2. Bruce was one of the greats. Same with Trower. I saw Robin four times, three different lineups, in a small-club atmosphere. (Still have his guitar pick that he flipped toward my then-fiancée.)

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    1. I would see Trower again in a heartbeat. I didn’t know as much about him at the time…just his name. Very cool about the guitar pick…I’ve never been that lucky.

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  5. I’m in the same camp, Jack Bruce’s time with Cream and that was it, but then I knew his time with Leslie West and Corky Laing (that Canadian connection) which I completely forgot about……as for bass, who’s the guy with Level 42?

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    1. Mark King I believe…Dave just blogged on him not long ago I believe…it’s the only reason I know.
      I seem to remember barely about West, Laing, and Bruce. I’ve seen that album as well at our used record store.

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    1. Yes…Billy Cox was one of my favorites. I met him before…nice guy. He owned a pawn shop in Nashville. Shocked the hell out of me when I met him.
      Geddy of course and yea I like Triumph as well…I saw them open up for someone in the 80s.

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  7. Good picks Max. I could lock into this all day. I love the whole Jack experience. He is one of those players that I can recognise by his sound. Both cuts are samples of his working the trio thing. Even though he has that jazz itch he still likes to rock out. He didnt old back on the first cut. Trower and him were a good creative pair it scratched my craving for Jack in that format. Not surprising you’re a Jack guy, you bassists stick together.

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    1. Jack taught me something that I didn’t go into in the post because people would have said huh? I call it the sliding technique on bass. I’m not sure what real music theory people call it but it’s the sliding on the frets he did that the other two didn’t do…Crossroads you can hear it and other live cuts. That became my style.

      I could have picked any of those out that you sent. I just thought I would include two songs by two different trios he was in…that trio format worked so well for him…perfectly.
      His bass was so fat and thick.

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      2. It could be. I put it in every thing I did and guitar players would look at me…where did you learn to do that?
        You know I never explored Pappalardi much at all. I know he had something to do with Mountain as well.

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      3. Felix and Jack switched spots. Id seen his name on credits with Cream and then found out he was with Mountain,bass etc. I was going to send you Jack and Pete Brown’s ‘Theme From An Imaginary Western’. Great tune that Mountain did but I lean towards Jack’s version.

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  8. Great picks, Max. Unfortunately, you can count me among those who only know Jack Bruce’s work from Cream. I’d love to further explore both B.L.T. and West, Bruce & Laing and hope I’ll get to it in due time.

    I already listened to B.L.T.’s “What Is It” and “Won’t Let You Down,” the two tracks that follow “Into Money” on that B.L.T. album and like them as well!

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    1. BLT was a full blown trio for sure Christian. If you like Cream…I think you will like either one. They are less chaotic in some respects but in some others with WBL…they do sound quite a bit like them.

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    1. Thanks obbverse. I always feel bad when I go on a musical rant…but believe me…I’m no musical theory guy…I couldn’t tell you what chord sounds best with another…I just like what I like…and I picked up a lot of Bruce in my playing.
      I love how these sound as well…the bass is really fat.

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  10. Two hella good songs, Max.

    “Between 1969 through 2014 he released 14 solo albums.” So much music not heard but needs to be heard. I remember the first really listening to his bass playing and thinking this guy is so far above the usual bass parts, almost more jazz with its prominence. He’s also got a great voice. His backup bands on both cuts are superior. Have always loved Trower’s guitar and an ex-bf had one of his albums (probably the one with Bridge of Sighs on it.)

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    1. He was a huge influence on me….which I’m an unknown but there are plenty who are famous who were influenced by him.
      Everytime I pick up a bass a part of him comes out…especially the sliding.
      I didn’t touch on his voice…but yes he had a great voice.
      I haven’t heard Bridge of Sighs in forever…listening to it now! Thanks

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      1. When I hear Bridge… I remember exactly where I was when I first heard it, it impacted me that much. It was over in GR, at my great aunt’s house, down in the basement with one of my 2nd cousins.

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    1. I got a lot of my bass playing from him…the sliding he did on bass. I’m not a musical theory guy…but his bass to Crossroads alone is something.

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  15. Pingback: Jack Bruce – Into Money – MobsterTiger

    1. He is great…I was very impressed and out of Trower, Santana, and Clapton…I probably liked Trower the most…and Clapton is one of my favorites.

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      1. I like Trower best of the three as a guitarist, although I wonder if it’s because he has less cultural baggage than the other two. Santana and Clapton had big hits when past their prime – I dislike Clapton’s Unplugged.

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      2. Yea I never got into the unplugged either. At first it was interesting but it didn’t stick. His 80s work was a wasteland to me. With Santana I liked his early seventies band with Gregg Rolie.
        Well it helped that I saw Trower in a place where he was no more than 10 feet away when I walked close.

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