Band of Gold (Freda Payne song)

"Band of Gold" is a popular song written by former Motown producers, Holland–Dozier–Holland (under the pseudonym of Edythe Wayne) and Ron Dunbar. It was a major hit when first recorded by Freda Payne in 1970 for the Invictus label, owned by H-D-H. The song has been covered by numerous artists, notably competing 1986 versions by contrasting pop divas Belinda Carlisle and Bonnie Tyler, and a 2007 version by Kimberley Locke.

The legendary songwriting team of Holland–Dozier–Holland used the name Edythe Wayne because of a lawsuit they had with Motown. Ron Dunbar was a staff employee and producer for Invictus. According to Freda Payne,^[1] Dunbar actually contributed to the song. When they first offered the song to Freda Payne, she balked at the idea of recording it, finding the material more appropriate for a teenager or very young woman. Payne reluctantly gave in after much persuasion by Dunbar.^[2] Almost immediately following its release, the Payne record became an instant pop smash, reaching number three in the US and number one on the UK singles chart and remaining there for six weeks in September 1970, giving Payne her first gold record.

After Holland/Dozier/Holland left Motown in 1967, they were still in contact with Motown's house band, the Funk Brothers. When Holland/Dozier/Holland started their own recording company, with the intention of self-producing the songs they wrote, they asked the Funk Brothers to play on those songs.

Golden World/Motown session singers Pamela Wilson, Joyce Vincent Wilson, and Telma Hopkins provided the background vocals on the record. Joyce and Telma would later go on to form the group Tony Orlando & Dawn. Also singing in the background is Freda Payne's sister and future member of the Supremes, Scherrie Payne, who was also signed to Invictus at the time as a member of the Glass House group.

The distinctive electric sitar part is played by New York studio musician Vinnie Bell. Lead guitar on the track is by Ray Parker, Jr.^[2]

In 2004, Freda Payne's "Band of Gold" was voted number 391 in Rolling Stone magazine's listing of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Topic and controversy

The song tells a story which is open to a number of interpretations - based on the lyrics in the most commonly heard version of the song, which is the seven-inch single, the story is of a recently married woman whose husband is incapable of loving her (even though he tried), resulting in the couple sleeping in separate rooms on their honeymoon, to her dismay. It would appear that the marriage ended in the husband's abandoning his bride, leaving her with no more than the 'band of gold' of the title (and the dreams she invested in it). Controversial allusions to the husband either being impotent or gay have been suggested as the cause of the breakdown of the relationship. Steve Huey's article on Allmusic.com deciphers the song as being about the man being impotent - "being unable to perform".^[3]

An earlier studio recorded version of the song includes some lyrics which were cut from the seven-inch single, which reveal the story as somewhat different. The couple were young, the girl was either a virgin or sexually inexperienced. She was still living at home ("You took me from the shelter of my mother"), the boy was her first boyfriend ("I had never known or loved any other"), and the relationship was probably unconsummated ("and love me like you tried before".) The couple rush into marriage and the relationship crashes on the wedding night, when the woman rejects her groom's advance ("And the night I turned you away" - an allusion that she was frigid), emotionally wounding him, resulting in him leaving her. After the hurt she had caused, they spend their wedding night in separate rooms. She then expresses her regret at her mistake ("And the dream of what love could be, if you were still here with me").

According to Ron Dunbar, when interviewed in the documentary Band of Gold - The Invictus Story,^[4] he encouraged Payne to learn the lyrics to the song despite her reluctance, Payne saying "this makes no sense to me." Dunbar told her, "you don't have to like it, just sing it!"^[5] Dunbar continues, "I dubbed that tune 25, maybe 30 times just to get enough parts of it that we could edit to get the song."

Dunbar continued, "They said this song is a smash in the gay community. And I said, gay community? They said, yeah man, it's a smash. And I says, why is it that? And they said, well it's what the lyrics are saying. She said the guy couldn't make love to her so they figured he had to be gay! And I said oh no! And I remembered when they said that to me and I listened back to the song and there was a part in there... because I remembered when we were editing that tune, it was too long, so we had to cut a section out of the tune so the section we cut out of the song really brought the whole song [story] together."

The lyrics which Dunbar cut in the final edit which he was referring to were made to reduce the length of the single from three minutes 43 seconds down to the final two minutes 53 seconds. These were taken from the first verse - "And the memories of our wedding day, and the night I turned you away" - these were effectively substituted with, "And the memories of what love could be, if you were still here with me"; and a larger bridge - "Each night, I lie awake and I tell myself, the vows we made gave you the right, to have a love each night." - which is repeated again later in the song, cutting 18 seconds twice over from the song. With further refinements in the arrangements, including a heavier, richer bassline, and a different vocal take, a further 14 seconds were shaved off the final released seven-inch single.

Cover versions

Despite both coming off major hits and working with noted musicians, neither the Belinda Carlisle nor the Bonnie Tyler versions were major hits. Tyler's was produced by Jim Steinman, the man behind earlier hits by Tyler and Meat Loaf, and later hits by Celine Dion, and the track was given a slew of Hi-NRG remixes. The song was the third single off her Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire, which also features the hit "Holding Out for a Hero". Carlisle's version was also given dance remixes featuring vocals by Freda Payne herself, that appear on a 2003 CD re-issue of the album Belinda, which features the hit "Mad About You".

In 1983, "Band of Gold" was recorded by Disco/Hi-NRG singer Sylvester on Megatone Records and released as a 12" single. Sylvester's version reached number 18 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart^[6] and number 67 on the UK Singles Chart.^[7]

In 1983, country singer Charly McClain recorded a cover version of "Band of Gold" for her album The Woman in Me. McClain's version reached No. 22 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in June 1984.

Kimberley Locke released her version of "Band of Gold" to radio on August 13, 2007 as the second single from her album Based on a True Story. It became Locke's second single to hit number one on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart and her seventh to go top 10 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. In December 2009, Billboard included Kimberley's version of the song at number 45 on their list of the top 50 Dance Club Play songs of the decade.^[8] Locke had previously performed the song alongside Frenchie Davis during "Hollywood week" on the second season of American Idol, and later performed it again during her final performance week on the show.

Track listings and formats (Locke version)

US remixes maxi single - CURBD-2062

"Band of Gold" (Dave Audé radio edit) – 3:12
"Band of Gold" (Bimbo Jones radio edit) – 3:22
"Band of Gold" (Almighty radio edit) – 2:57
"Band of Gold" (Scotty K radio edit) – 3:49
"Band of Gold" (Dave Audé Mixshow edit) – 6:06
"Band of Gold" (Bimbo Jones mix) – 7:17
"Band of Gold" (Almighty extended mix) – 6:51
"Band of Gold" (Scotty K extended Klub mix) – 6:45
"Band of Gold" (Dave Audé club mix) – 8:25
"Band of Gold" (Dave Audé dub) – 7:08

UK promotional remixes maxi single - Almighty remixes

"Band of Gold" (Almighty radio mix) – 2:55
"Band of Gold" (Almighty 12" club mix) – 6:49
"Band of Gold" (Almighty 12" dub) – 6:38
"Band of Gold" (Almighty 12" instrumental) – 6:47

An additional remix by Piper was later released in the digital remix package for Locke's next single, "Fall".

Personnel

Freda Payne version

Lead vocals by Freda Payne
Backing vocals by Scherrie Payne, Telma Hopkins, Joyce Vincent Wilson, and Pamela Vincent
Instrumentation by the Funk Brothers and others
- Bass: Bob Babbitt
- Guitars: Dennis Coffey, Eddie Willis, Ray Monette, and Ray Parker, Jr.
- Keyboards: Johnny Griffth
- Drums: Uriel Jones
- Percussion: Jack Ashford
- Electric sitar: Vinnie Bell

Chart performance

Weekly singles charts

Freda Payne version
Chart (1970)	Peak position
Australia (KMR)	5
Canada (RPM) ^[9]	2
New Zealand (Listener)	6
UK Singles Chart	1
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	3
U.S. Cash Box Top 100 ^[10]	2
US Black Singles	20

Bonnie Tyler version
Chart (1986)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart	81
Billboard Hot Dance Breakouts Singles Sales	6

Belinda Carlisle version
Chart (1986-87)	Peak position
US Hot Dance Club Play	26
US Hot Dance Singles Sales	38
Canadian Singles Chart	91

Kimberley Locke version
Chart (2007-08)	Peak position
US Hot Dance Club Play	1
UK Commercial Club	6
US Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks	9
US Billboard Top Dance Songs of 2008	11
US Hot Adult Contemporary Recurrents	19
Canadian Adult Contemporary	21
US Billboard Top AC Songs of 2008	36
US Billboard Top AC Songs of 2007	39
UK Upfront Club	52

Year-end charts

Chart (1970)	Rank
Australia ^[11]	15
Canada ^[12]	39
UK	3
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 ^[13]	10
U.S. Cash Box Top 100 ^[14]	3

References

↑ Freda Payne Interview, liner notes for Freda Payne, Unhooked Generation - The Complete Invictus Recordings, Castle Music, 2001
1 2 "Band of Gold by Freda Payne Songfacts". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
↑ Steve Huey. "Band of Gold - Freda Payne | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
↑ "YouTube". YouTube. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
↑ Dave Simpson. "Freda Payne: how we made Band of Gold | Culture". The Guardian. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco 1974-2003, (Record Research Inc.), page 252.
↑ "Archived copy". Retrieved July 16, 2009.
↑ "Best of the 2000s: The Decade In Charts and More". Billboard. 2009-12-07. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
↑ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
↑ "Cash Box Top 100 8/01/70". 50.6.195.142. 1970-08-01. Archived from the original on 2016-06-17. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
↑ "Australian Chart Book". Austchartbook.com.au. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca.
↑ "Top 100 Hits of 1970/Top 100 Songs of 1970". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
↑ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1970". 50.6.195.142. 1970-12-26. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-07-07.

Preceded by "The Tears of a Clown" by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	UK Singles Chart number one single (Freda Payne version) September 19, 1970 (6 weeks)	Succeeded by "Woodstock" by Matthews Southern Comfort
Preceded by "No, No, No" by Ono	Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single (Kimberley Locke version) January 19, 2008	Succeeded by "Stars" by Erika Jayne

Freda Payne

Studio albums	After the Lights Go Down Low and Much More!!! (1964) How Do You Say I Don't Love You Anymore (1966) Band of Gold (1970) Contact (1971) Reaching Out (1973) Payne & Pleasure (1974) Out of Payne Comes Love (1975) Stares and Whispers (1977) Supernatural High (1978) Hot (1979) Freda Payne Sings the (Unauthorized) I Hate Barney Songbook: A Parody (1995) Christmas With Freda and Friends (1996) Come See About Me (2001) On the Inside (2007)

Live albums	An Evening with Freda Payne: Live in Concert (1996) Live in Concert (1999)

Compilation albums	The Best of Freda Payne (1972) Greatest Hits (1991) Lost in Love (2000) Band of Gold: The Best of Freda Payne (2000) Unhooked Generation: The Complete Invictus Recordings (2001) The Best of Freda Payne: Ten Best Series (2002)

Singles	"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" (1966) "Band of Gold" (1970) "Happy Days Are Here Again/Happy Music (Dance the Night Away)" (1978)

Related topics	Scherrie Payne Gregory Abbott

Book:Freda Payne

Charly McClain

Notable singles	"It's Too Late to Love Me Now" "Make the World Go Away" "That's What You Do to Me" "Men" "Who's Cheatin' Who" "Surround Me with Love" "Sleepin' with the Radio On" "The Very Best Is You" "Dancing Your Memory Away" "With You" "Paradise Tonight" "Sentimental Ol' You" "Band of Gold" "Radio Heart" "With Just One Look in Your Eyes" (with Wayne Massey) "You Are My Music, You Are My Song" (with Wayne Massey) "Don't Touch Me There"

Collaboration singles	"When It's Down to Me and You" (with Wayne Massey)

Related articles	Discography Epic Records Mercury Records Johnny Rodriguez

Bonnie Tyler songs

Discography

The World Starts Tonight	"Lost in France" "More Than a Lover"

Natural Force	"It's a Heartache" "Living for the City" "Heaven" "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" "Here Am I"

Diamond Cut	"Too Good to Last" "My Guns Are Loaded"

Goodbye to the Island	"I'm Just a Woman" "Sometimes When We Touch" "A Whiter Shade of Pale" "Sitting on the Edge of the Ocean" "I Believe in Your Sweet Love"

Faster Than the Speed of Night	"Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" "Faster Than the Speed of Night" "Total Eclipse of the Heart" "Straight from the Heart"

Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire	"If You Were a Woman (And I Was a Man)" "Loving You's a Dirty Job but Somebody's Gotta Do It" "Band of Gold" "Lovers Again" "Holding Out for a Hero"

Hide Your Heart	"Hide Your Heart" "Don't Turn Around" "Save Up All Your Tears" "To Love Somebody" "The Best"

Bitterblue	"Against the Wind" "Bitterblue" "Where Were You"

Angel Heart	"Fools Lullaby" "I Cry Myself to Sleep at Night"

Silhouette in Red	"You Are So Beautiful"

Free Spirit	"You're the One" "Making Love Out of Nothing at All" "Bridge over Troubled Water" "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad"

All in One Voice	"Angel of the Morning" "I Put a Spell on You" "The Rose" "He's the King" "Silent Night"

Heart Strings	"Human Touch" "Everybody Hurts" "Amazed" "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" "Lean on Me" "In My Life" "Learning to Fly" "Right Here Waiting" "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" "I Can't Make You Love Me" "Need Your Love So Bad" "It's Over"

Simply Believe	"Si demain... (Turn Around)" "Si tout s'arrête (It's a Heartache) "Darlin'"

Wings	"Louise"

Rocks and Honey	"This Is Gonna Hurt" "Believe in Me" "What You Need from Me" "Love Is the Knife" "Mom"

Collaborations	"A Rockin' Good Way (to Mess Around and Fall in Love)" "Islands" "Vergiß Es (Forget It)" "Amour Éternel (Eternal Flame)"

Other songs	"Sayonara Tokyo" "Here She Comes" "The Desert Is in Your Heart" "I Don't Know How to Love Him"

Belinda Carlisle

Studio albums	Belinda Heaven on Earth Runaway Horses Live Your Life Be Free Real A Woman and a Man Voila

Compilations	The Best of Belinda, Volume 1 A Place on Earth: The Greatest Hits The Collection

Singles	"Mad About You" "I Feel the Magic" "Band of Gold" "Since You've Gone" "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" "I Get Weak" "Circle in the Sand" "I Feel Free" "World Without You" "Love Never Dies" "Leave a Light On" "La Luna" "Summer Rain" "Runaway Horses" "Vision of You" "(We Want) the Same Thing" "Live Your Life Be Free" "Do You Feel Like I Feel?" "Half the World" "Little Black Book" "Big Scary Animal" "Lay Down Your Arms" "In Too Deep" "Always Breaking My Heart" "Love in the Key of C" "California" "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" "All God's Children" "Sun" "Goodbye Just Go"

Related articles	Discography The Go-Go's The Go-Go's discography Rick Nowels Ellen Shipley

Book:Belinda Carlisle

Kimberley Locke

Albums	One Love Based on a True Story Christmas

EPs	"Four for the Floor"

Singles	"8th World Wonder" "Wrong" "Coulda Been" "I Could" "Up on the House Top" "Jingle Bells" "Change" "Band of Gold" "Frosty the Snowman" "Fall" "We Need a Little Christmas" "Strobelight" "Silver Bells" "Finally Free"

Featured singles	"Silver Bells" (with Clay Aiken) "Come Together Now" "Please Come Home for Christmas" (with Dave Koz)

Television	American Idol Celebrity Fit Club Little Talent Show

Related articles	Discography American Idol (season 2)

Holland–Dozier–Holland

Brian Holland Lamont Dozier Eddie Holland

Songs	1962 "Dearest One" "Old Love (Let's Try It Again)" "Darling, I Hum Our Song" 1963 "Leaving Here" "Locking Up My Heart" "What Goes Up Must Come Down" / "Come on Home" "Tie a String Around Your Finger" "Come and Get These Memories" / "Jealous Lover" "You Lost the Sweetest Boy" "Heat Wave" / "A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday)" "(He Won't Be True) Little Girl Blue" "Mickey's Monkey" "Too Hurt to Cry, Too Much in Love to Say Goodbye" / "Come on Home" "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes" / "Standing at the Crossroads of Love" "I Gotta Dance to Keep From Crying" "Quicksand" / "Darling I Hum Our Song" "Live Wire" / "Old Love (Let's Try It Again)" "Run, Run, Run" / "I'm Giving You Your Freedom" "Can I Get a Witness" 1964 "A Tear from a Woman's Eyes" "My Lady Bug Stay Away from That Beatle" "Like a Nightmare" / "If You Were Mine" "In My Lonely Room" "Just Ain't Enough Love" "Where Did Our Love Go" "Baby Don't You Do It" "Guarantee for a Lifetime" "Baby I Need Your Loving" / "Call on Me" "Candy to Me" / "If You Don't Want My Love" "Whisper You Love Me Boy" "Baby Love" / "Ask Any Girl" "Come See About Me" / (You're Gone But) Always in My Heart" "Without the One You Love (Life's Not Worth While)" / "Love has Gone" "You're a Wonderful One" "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" 1965 "Where Did You Go" "Stop! In the Name of Love" / "I'm in Love Again" "You've Been a Long Time Coming" "Who Could Ever Doubt My Love" "Nowhere to Run" "Back in My Arms Again" / "Whisper You Love Me Boy" "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" "The Only Time I'm Happy" "Mother Dear" / "He Holds His Own" "Nothing but Heartaches" / "He Holds His Own" "Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things)" "It's the Same Old Song" / "Your Love Is Amazing" "Mother Dear" / "Who Could Ever Doubt My Love" "I Hear a Symphony" / "Who Could Ever Doubt My Love" "Something About You" "Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)" "Darling Baby" "There's a Ghost in My House" 1966 "(I'm a) Roadrunner" "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)" "Ask any Man" "My World Is Empty Without You" "Put Yourself in My Place" "There's No Love Left" "Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)" / "Just as Long as You Need Me" "Helpless" / "A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday)" "Call on Me" "Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart" / "He's All I Got" "Who Could Ever Doubt My Love" "I Like Everything About You" "I Guess I'll Always Love You" "Nothing but Soul" "Love's Gone Bad" / "Put Yourself in My Place" "You Can't Hurry Love" / "Put Yourself in My Place" "Little Darling (I Need You)" "Reach Out I'll Be There" / "Until You Love Someone" "Stay in My Lonely Arms" "You Keep Me Hangin' On" / "I Wanna Mother You, Smother You With Love" "You Keep Me Hangin' On" / "Remove This Doubt" "Standing in the Shadows of Love" / Since You've Been Gone" "I'm Ready for Love" "(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need" "Heaven Must Have Sent You" 1967 "Just One Last Look" "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" / There's No Stopping Us Now" "Your Love Is Amazing" "Jimmy Mack" / "Third Finger, Left Hand" "Bernadette" / "I Got a Feeling" "My World Is Empty Without You" "The Happening" / "All I Know About You" "Just Ain't Enough Love" "7-Rooms of Gloom" / "I'll Turn to Stone" "I Understand My Man" "Your Unchanging Love" / "I'll Take Care of You" "Reflections" / "Going Down for the Third Time" "One Way Out" "You Keep Me Running Away" / "If You Don't Want My Love" "I Got a Feeling" "In and Out of Love" / "I Guess I'll Always Love You" 1968 "Whisper You Love Me Boy" "Forever Came Today" "I'm in a Different World" 1969 "We've Got a Way Out Love" "Crumbs off the Table" 1970 "Give Me Just a Little More Time" "(You've Got Me) Dangling on a String" "Everything's Tuesday" "Band of Gold" "Westbound #9" 1972 "The Day I Found Myself" "Don't Leave Me Starvin' for Your Love" "Why Can't We Be Lovers" 1973 "You're Gonna Need Me" 1975 "We're Almost There" "Just a Little Bit of You" "Early Morning Love" "Where Do I Go from Here" 1976 "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking" "High Energy" "Let Yourself Go" 1982 "We Can Never Light That Old Flame Again"

Related topics	Motown Hot Wax Records Invictus Records List of songs written by Holland, Dozier and Holland

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