Single:
Band of Gold entered the Australian singles chart* on 4 January 1971 and peaked at #5. It was the #19 song on the Top 100 of 1971.
Album:
The song is on Freda’s 1970 album Band of Gold.
Songwriters:
Edythe Wayne, Ron Dunbar
Producers:
Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier
Record label of Australian release:
Invictus
*Kent Music Report / Australian Chart Book. See About.
Wikipedia:
Band of Gold was written and composed by former Motown producers Holland–Dozier–Holland (under the pseudonym of Edythe Wayne) and Ron Dunbar.
The distinctive electric sitar part is played by Dennis Coffey. The lead guitar on the selection is performed by Ray Parker Jr, who later headed the team Raydio before becoming a solo recording artist in his own right.
Read more: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Band_of_Gold_(Freda_Payne_song)
Songfacts:
There is some mystery to this song. Some people think it is about an impotent man, while others think it is about a frigid woman. In a Songfacts interview with Lamont Dozier, who co-wrote the song, he explained:
“The story was, the girl found out this guy was not all there. He had his own feelings about giving his all. He wanted to love this girl, he married the girl, but he couldn’t perform on his wedding night because he had other issues about his sexuality. I’ll put it that way.
“It was about this guy that was basically gay, and he couldn’t perform. He loved her, but he couldn’t do what he was supposed to do as a groom, as her new husband.”
Read more: www.songfacts.com/facts/freda-payne/band-of-gold
Lyrics:
Now that you′re gone
All that’s left is a band of gold
All that′s left of the dreams I hold
Is a band of gold
And the memories of what love could be
If you are still here with me
Click for full lyrics
This song is also on our Spotify playlist Bang a Gong – the 70s
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