November 1st, 2013
Folk-rock legend Roger McGuinn’s “Your Love Is a Gold Mine” is tailor made for our “Music Friday” edition, where featured songs must include jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. This song contains a bonanza of qualifying references, including eight types of gemstones and three precious metals.
In the opening lines, the former lead singer and founding member of The Byrds sets the scene of his 1991 love song with an assist from rubies, sapphires, emeralds and diamonds. In the second stanza, he follows with jasper, chrysolite and topaz. Later in the song, he references amethyst and then turns to the precious metals platinum, sterling silver and yellow gold.
McGuinn doesn’t stop there. His allusions include jewelry terminology, such as “facets” and “refined.” We thinks it’s fair to say that “Your Love Is a Gold Mine” is the musical gold standard for our Friday feature.
Back in 1965, The Byrds — which included David Crosby, Gene and Michael Clark and Chris Hillman — burst onto the music scene as America’s answer to The Beatles. Led by McGuinn on his famous 12-string electric guitar, The Byrds zoomed to the top of the charts with a rapid-fire succession of rock and roll’s most enduring songs, such as "Mr. Tambourine Man," "Turn! Turn! Turn!,” "Eight Miles High" and "So You Want To Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star."
The Byrds disbanded in 1973, but McGuinn went on to have a successful solo career that continues today. The 71-year-old rocker, who is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, has performed with the likes of Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Elvis Costello.
We invite you to enjoy McGuinn’s gem-rich “Your Love Is a Gold Mine” at the end of this post. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along.
“Your Love Is A Gold Mine”
Written by Roger McGuinn and Dave Stewart. Performed by Roger McGuinn.
She got rubies on her pillow
She got sapphires on the head of her bed
She got emeralds on her finger tips
She got diamonds in her hair
She got jasper on her curtains
She got chrysolite on her ceiling
She got topaz on the soles of her shoes
And it sparkles as she's leaving
I see her standing in the candlelight
Come-a come-a come to me tonight
Your love is the sweetest thing
Your love makes me feel so fine
Your love is a shimmering light
Your love is a gold mine
She got amethyst in her earrings
She got platinum on the tips of her toes
She got sterling in her dresser drawers
She got yellow gold on the hems of her clothes
I see her standing in the candlelight
Come-a come-a come to me tonight
Your love is the sweetest thing
Your love makes me feel so fine
Your love is a shimmering light
Your love is a gold mine
So many facets of your love
It's so refined
Take me forever to mine it out
But I don't mind
I think about her and I call her name
Her eyes reflecting in the window pane
I see her standing in the candlelight
Come-a come-a come to me tonight
Your love is the sweetest thing
Your love makes me feel so fine
Your love is a shimmering light
Your love is a gold mine
Your love is the sweetest thing
Your love makes me feel so fine
Your love is a shimmering light
Your love is a gold mine
Your love is the sweetest thing
Your love makes me feel so fine
Your love is a shimmering light
Your love is a gold mine
In the opening lines, the former lead singer and founding member of The Byrds sets the scene of his 1991 love song with an assist from rubies, sapphires, emeralds and diamonds. In the second stanza, he follows with jasper, chrysolite and topaz. Later in the song, he references amethyst and then turns to the precious metals platinum, sterling silver and yellow gold.
McGuinn doesn’t stop there. His allusions include jewelry terminology, such as “facets” and “refined.” We thinks it’s fair to say that “Your Love Is a Gold Mine” is the musical gold standard for our Friday feature.
Back in 1965, The Byrds — which included David Crosby, Gene and Michael Clark and Chris Hillman — burst onto the music scene as America’s answer to The Beatles. Led by McGuinn on his famous 12-string electric guitar, The Byrds zoomed to the top of the charts with a rapid-fire succession of rock and roll’s most enduring songs, such as "Mr. Tambourine Man," "Turn! Turn! Turn!,” "Eight Miles High" and "So You Want To Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star."
The Byrds disbanded in 1973, but McGuinn went on to have a successful solo career that continues today. The 71-year-old rocker, who is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, has performed with the likes of Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Elvis Costello.
We invite you to enjoy McGuinn’s gem-rich “Your Love Is a Gold Mine” at the end of this post. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along.
“Your Love Is A Gold Mine”
Written by Roger McGuinn and Dave Stewart. Performed by Roger McGuinn.
She got rubies on her pillow
She got sapphires on the head of her bed
She got emeralds on her finger tips
She got diamonds in her hair
She got jasper on her curtains
She got chrysolite on her ceiling
She got topaz on the soles of her shoes
And it sparkles as she's leaving
I see her standing in the candlelight
Come-a come-a come to me tonight
Your love is the sweetest thing
Your love makes me feel so fine
Your love is a shimmering light
Your love is a gold mine
She got amethyst in her earrings
She got platinum on the tips of her toes
She got sterling in her dresser drawers
She got yellow gold on the hems of her clothes
I see her standing in the candlelight
Come-a come-a come to me tonight
Your love is the sweetest thing
Your love makes me feel so fine
Your love is a shimmering light
Your love is a gold mine
So many facets of your love
It's so refined
Take me forever to mine it out
But I don't mind
I think about her and I call her name
Her eyes reflecting in the window pane
I see her standing in the candlelight
Come-a come-a come to me tonight
Your love is the sweetest thing
Your love makes me feel so fine
Your love is a shimmering light
Your love is a gold mine
Your love is the sweetest thing
Your love makes me feel so fine
Your love is a shimmering light
Your love is a gold mine
Your love is the sweetest thing
Your love makes me feel so fine
Your love is a shimmering light
Your love is a gold mine