Take the Money and Run (song)

"Take the Money and Run"
File:Take the Money and Run single.jpg
Single by Steve Miller Band
from the album Fly Like an Eagle
Released	April 1976
Genre	Rock
Length	2:50
Label	Capitol
Writer(s)	Steve Miller
Producer(s)	Steve Miller
Steve Miller Band singles chronology
"The Joker" (1973) "Take the Money and Run" (1976) "Rock'n Me" (1976)

"Take the Money and Run" is a song recorded in 1976 by the Steve Miller Band. A song about two young (possibly teenage) bandits and the police officer pursuing them, it was one of the many hit singles produced by the Steve Miller Band in the 1970s and featured on Fly Like an Eagle. The song peaked at #11 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and also charted well in Australia.

The two lines "They headed down to, ooh, old El Paso" and "Billie Mack is a detective down in Texas" are followed by claps in a manner similar to "Deep in the Heart of Texas". The difference is that "Deep in the Heart of Texas" has four claps and "Take the Money and Run" has five.

The song is about "Billy Joe and Bobby Sue", described in a similar manner to Bonnie and Clyde, who were from Dallas.

Other versions

• Canadian country music singer Julian Austin recorded the song for his 2000 album Back in Your Life. His version peaked at #4 on the RPM country singles chart.
• The song was played by a part-time Alabama employee before the 2010 Iron Bowl at Bryant-Denny Stadium in reference to Auburn quarterback Cam Newton and the alleged "pay for play" scandal involving his father Cecil. The employee was later fired.
• Steve Miller recorded an unreleased demo of this song's lyrics set to the music of his other song, The Joker.
• Run-DMC recorded a version on their final album, Crown Royal, released in 2001.

Popular culture

A cover version of this song was used in a 2014 Taco Bell commercial promoting the spicy chicken crunchwrap slider.