Flashback Friday: Band of Gold

Album: Band of Gold

Artist: Freda Payne

Genre: Oldies

Label: Invictus

Released: 1970

My Review: Has a better girl power song ever been written?  I submit that it has NOT!  Freda Payne totally brings it back with this 70’s pop power ballad.  I used to hear this one on the radio a lot because my mom loves the oldies and I remember I didn’t really understand what it was talking about until I read an article on Freda a few years ago.  It’s such a sad, but empowering song for women who have been through divorce, or just a really bad split from a long time partner, been in a bad relationship, whatever.  In dealing with a broken jaded heart, Freda hits all the right notes. Love this.

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 were still here with me

You took me from the shelter of a mother
I had never known who loved any other
We kissed after taking vows
But that night on our honeymoon,
We stayed in separate rooms

I wait in the darkness of my lonely room
Filled with sadness, filled with gloom
Hoping soon
That you'll walk back through that door
And love me like you tried before
Since you've been gone
All that's left is a band of gold
All that's left of the dreams I hold
It's a band of gold
And the dream of what love could be
If you were still here with me

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh

Don't you know that I wait
In the darkness of my lonely room
Filled with sadness, filled with gloom
Hoping soon
That you'll walk back through that door
And love me like you tried before

Since you've been gone
All that's left is a band of gold
All that's left of the dreams I hold
It's a band of gold
And the dream of what love could be
If you were still here with me

Flashback Friday: You Can't Always Get What You Want

Album: Let it Bleed

Artist: The Rolling Stones

Genre: Rock and Roll

Label: Abkco

Released: 5 December 1969

My Review: So, I’m going to try something new, and hopefully fun on the blogster.  And I figured what better way to kick it off than with one of my favorite Rolling Stones songs?  This “new” thing is Flashback Friday.  Because every once in a while I want to write reviews and recommend songs that are a little bit older, considered to maybe be more “classic” than what goes into the traditional Track on Tuesday, LP Saturday/Sunday and book reviews. 

Anything goes on Flashback Fridays, picture books, books I read in elementary/junior high, and all the music I want to review but never get around to.  So, there it is.

Okay, actually starting.  The Rolling Stones are one of my favorite bands.  Hands down, I like them better than I like The Beatles, and The Beach Boys (but no better than Buddy Holly and Neil Young) anyways, the title of this song is one of my favorite catch phrases, and I feel like it somehow defines the sixties.  “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need.”  Now, I’ll admit I wasn’t even alive in the sixties, but when I think about the sixties this song comes to mind (with a whole slew of others) and this one is one of my favorites.  From the choir singing at the beginning to the opening guitar lick, You Can’t Always Get What You Want is, in my opinion, one of the best songs of all time.

I saw her today at the reception
A glass of wine in her hand
I knew she would meet her connection
At her feet was a footloose man

No, you can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometime you find
You get what you need

I saw her today at the reception
A glass of wine in her hand
I knew she was gonna meet her connection
At her feet was a footloose man

You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes well you might find
You get what you need

And I went down to the demonstration
To get my fair share of abuse
Singing, "We're gonna vent our frustration
If we don't we're gonna blow a 50-amp fuse"

You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes well you just might find
You get what you need

I went down to the Chelsea drugstore
To get your prescription filled
I was standing in line with Mr. Jimmy
And man, did he look pretty ill

We decided that we would have a soda
My favorite flavor, cherry red
I sung my song to Mr. Jimmy
Yeah, and he said one word to me, and that was "dead"
I said to him

You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you just might find
You get what you need
You get what you need--yeah, oh baby

I saw her today at the reception
In her glass was a bleeding man
She was practiced at the art of deception
Well I could tell by her blood-stained hands

You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you just might find
You just might find
You get what you need

You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you just might find
You just might find
You get what you need