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Award-winning composer and musician Bill Shontz, in this conversation with Kathryn Hayward, MD, describes why he wanted to create an album about money management for children. Bill is now performing on his own, having been one half of RosenShontz, the music duo that brought children’s music into genres including rock n’ roll, rap, blues, country and jazz. Bill and Gary Rosen composed and performed songs that both children and adults love. 

This Behind the Music podcast comes from Bill’s album, Money is Music to My Ears: Where Did My Money Go?, and features the song Savings Jar. Bill explains that all the songs on the album have their roots in lessons that he had to learn, lots of times the hard way, about how to manage money. This song is inspired by one of Bill’s heroes, Elvis Presley, and his song Blue Suede Shoes, helping us remember to keep (and not touch until you really need it), your “savings jar.”

As a kid, I had a savings jar which was a bear bank, but I had no discipline. I just spent everything. I loved baseball cards and baseballs and I spent all the money I had on baseball. I definitely needed this song when I was little. Many, many people need this education about savings jars. 

-Bill Shontz

Lyrics

Savings Jar (Parody)

Music Elvis Presley, lyrics by Bill Shontz @Bear Paw Recordings

One Jar for the money, Two to just blow

Three for the savings that you never let go

So Don’t you, spend from that savings jar

Spend everything else, but lay off of that savings jar

You can blow all your money from the spending jar

You can give away money from the give away jar

But if you want to get rich and you want to go far,

Uh Uh baby lay off of that jar,

So Don’t you, spend from that savings jar

Blow everything else, but lay off of that savings jar

Verse:

You can help the poor, who ain’t got a stitch

Help your church, get out of a fix

Do anything, with one small glitch

Don’t touch your savings if you want to get rich

So Don’t you, spend from that savings jar

Spend everything else, but lay off of that savings jar

Verse:

You can buy some shoes or a new TV

Go on a trip with your family

You can eat candy til’ it rots your teeth

Cause I’m tellin’ you now it won’t be half as sweet

So Don’t you, spend from that savings jar

Blow everything else, but lay off of that savings jar

Verse:

A jar for savings, is the best for you

It can bring you freedom, I swear that it’s true

Cause when it grows big, like you want it to

You’ll never have to work, you’ll be one of the few

So Don’t you, spend from that savings jar

Blow everything else, but lay off of that savings jar

Verse:

One Jar for the money, Two to just blow

Three for the savings that you never let go

So Don’t you, spend from that savings jar

Spend everything else, but lay off of that savings jar