Money's too tight to mention :-)

[Karina]

Hello all!

I'm sure that you know the song by Simply Red "Money's too tight to mention".
I simply love it, but I was wondering lately what does it mean?
Can someone help me? What does this phrase mean in the context of the song: money's too tight too mention??

Thank you

Here's the link to this song:

And here's the lyrics of this very song:

Money's Too Tight To Mention

I been laid off from work
My rent is due
My kids all need
Brand new shoes

So I went to the bank
To see what they could do
They said son - looks like bad luck
Got-a hold on you

Chorus:
Money's too tight to mention
I can't get an un-em-ploy-ment ex-ten-sion
Money's too tight to mention

I went to my brother
To see what he could do -
He said bro-ther like to help you
But I'm unable to
So I called on my fa-ther fa-ther
Oh my fa-ther
He said

Chorus:
Money's too tight to mention
Oh mo-ney mo-ney mo-ney mon-ey
Mo-ney's too tight to mention
I can't even qual-i-fy for my pension

We talk a-bout rea-gan-on-ics
Oh lord down in the con-gress
They're passing all kinds - of bills
From down cap-it-ol hill - (we've tried them)

Chorus:
Money's too tight to mention
(spoken) cut-back!
Mo-ney mo-ney mo-ney mon-ey
We're talk-in' a-bout mon-ey mon-ey
We're talk-in' a-bout mon-ey mon-ey
We're talk-in' 'bout the dollar bill
Now what are we all to do
When the mon-ey's got a hold on you?
Mo-ney's too tight to mention
Oh mon-ey mon-ey mon-ey mon-ey
Mo-ney's too tight to mention
A-mero - mon-ey oh yeah
We're talk-in' a-bout mon-ey mon-ey
We're talk-in' a-bout mon-ey mon-ey
We're talk-in' a-bout mon-ey mon-ey
We're talk-in' a-bout mon-ey mon-ey…..

[NinaZara]

could it mean, there's no word/expression big enough to express how tight money is?

oh yes, hello and how do you do

[Jamie (K)]

It means, "Don't ask me about money, because I have too little money to talk about."

[Karina]

Oh, thank you for your responses!

Hi Ninazara

I think you're right JamieK And what about this little one somewhere in the middle of the song: cut back ??? What does that one mean?

[Conchita]

[Karina]

[Conchita]

[Karina]

No, I just like it. And I am not a fan of Simply Red, though there are some of his songs that I do enjoy really.

This particular song always gets me in a good mood, don't know why. The speed and energy of it, I guess