From ABBA to Led Zeppelin: using music to teach economics
From ABBA to Led Zeppelin: using music to teach economics

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If I Had a Million Dollars - Barenaked Ladies

JEL: e       

If I had a 1,000,000
We wouldn't have to walk to the store
If I had a 1,000,000
We'd take a limousine cause it costs more
If I had a 1,000,000 We wouldn’t have to eat Kraft dinner

If I had a 1,000,000 (If I had a 1,000,000)
i'd but you a green dress ( but not a real green dress that's cruel)
If I had a 1,000,000 (If I had a 1,000,000)
I'd but you some art ( A Picasso or a Garfunkel)
If I had a 1,000,000 (If I had a 1,000,000)
I'd buy you a monkey (haven't you always wanted a monkey?)
If I had a 1,000,000 If I had a 1,000,000 If I had a 1,000,000
If I had a 1,000,000 I'd be RICH!

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Assignment:

This song sings the virtues of having $1M and all that it can buy. However, millionaires are far more common today than when the Barenaked Ladies first released this song in 1992. Use the consumer price index to find the equivalent amount of money you'd need to possess today to buy what $1M dollars bought in 1992. Also, there are several items mentioned in the song that money can't buy. Discuss.

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