What the hell is going on in the song “Band of Gold?”
This song has always confused the fuck out of me. Sure we can just say “she married a closeted gay man and that’s why he’s not loving her,” but … WHAT? In 1970? I’m sorry but homosexuality was still taboo in 1970 and pop songs were not being written about these sort of cover marriages.
Assuming this is true, what the fuck is actually going on in the song? They stayed in separate rooms on their honeymoon? She wants him to live her, as he “tried before?”
Maybe I’m just confused — it wouldn’t be the first time with this song! For years I heard her sing
[Quote] You took me from the shelter of my mother, I had never known
And I thought, what? She never knew her mother? That line is sung as a single lyric and is followed by a beat so it wasn’t until I read the lyrics that I saw the words “I had never known” were meant to be paired with the separate lyric “or loved any other”
Anyway, what’s going on in the song, and don’t say closeted marriage unless you want a slap.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 59 | October 21, 2024 12:37 PM
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^^^ She wants him to love her
by Anonymous | reply 1 | October 19, 2024 6:13 PM
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He tried to have sex with her but couldn't perform... probably closeted
by Anonymous | reply 2 | October 19, 2024 6:18 PM
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OP, could you just shut the fuck up while I'm mourning my dead brother Liam?
by Anonymous | reply 3 | October 19, 2024 6:21 PM
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Per the song’s co-writer Lamont Dozier,
“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 as a groom, as her new husband”.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 4 | October 19, 2024 6:25 PM
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I’m sorry Freda—could you not perform because you were fucking your little brother?
by Anonymous | reply 5 | October 19, 2024 6:26 PM
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I like Belinda Carlisle’s version.
by Anonymous | reply 6 | October 19, 2024 6:30 PM
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So r4 it is a closeted marriage. Amazing that the topic was openly breached in 1970 — in the African community, no less.
The funniest thing about it is that she appeared on Soul Train and sang a song about a gay man marrying and then sexually rejecting a woman, as teens happily danced in the foreground
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 7 | October 19, 2024 6:33 PM
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R4, But according to HDH's writing partner, Ron Dunbar, their original recording of Band of Gold clocked in at close to 4 minutes long, which was deemed too long, so they edited it down to its final 2:53 length, thereby erasing additional lyrics that would've explained why the young couple didn't consummate the marriage:
"And the memories of our wedding day, and the night I turned you away" / "Each night, I lie awake and I tell myself, the vows we made gave you the right, to have a love each night."
The young bride wasn't ready for sex and spurned the groom, causing him to leave her. And now she's lonely and filled with regret.
by Anonymous | reply 10 | October 19, 2024 7:35 PM
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My mom always loved this song. I never knew exactly what it was about, but we'd dance to it. I love that song "Rocking Chair", too.
by Anonymous | reply 11 | October 19, 2024 7:41 PM
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They didn't have Viagra back then.
by Anonymous | reply 12 | October 19, 2024 8:25 PM
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Frieda sang it in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade 1972- it was thrilling-still love it!
by Anonymous | reply 13 | October 19, 2024 8:43 PM
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I wonder what flavor the cake was at the wedding.
by Anonymous | reply 14 | October 19, 2024 8:43 PM
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That’s another burning question the lyrics don’t address, r14!
by Anonymous | reply 15 | October 19, 2024 8:56 PM
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I love this song - makes me think of my childhood because it was such a big hit when I was 5 or 6.
by Anonymous | reply 16 | October 19, 2024 8:59 PM
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Maybe Freda smelled funny 'down there'.
by Anonymous | reply 17 | October 19, 2024 8:59 PM
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The song was originally written for Little Richard but Smokey told him not to do it.
by Anonymous | reply 18 | October 19, 2024 9:31 PM
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The line is cut in half:
You took me from the shelter of my mother/I had never known Or loved any other
by Anonymous | reply 20 | October 19, 2024 11:51 PM
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Freda was so gorgeous too.
by Anonymous | reply 21 | October 19, 2024 11:55 PM
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[quote]The song was originally written for Little Richard but Smokey told him not to do it.
Atta girl
by Anonymous | reply 22 | October 20, 2024 12:07 AM
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You took me from the shelter of a lover I have never known
by Anonymous | reply 23 | October 20, 2024 12:31 AM
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I always loved this song, but never delved that deeply into the lyrics.
by Anonymous | reply 24 | October 20, 2024 1:02 AM
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Even as a gayling I knew what was going on.
by Anonymous | reply 25 | October 20, 2024 1:16 AM
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You're obviously slow OP.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 26 | October 20, 2024 1:18 AM
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Why do so many YouTube links (such as OP’s) on DL now ask me to “sign in to prove I’m not a bot,” and then go blank when I click them? I am signed in to both DL and YouTube.
by Anonymous | reply 27 | October 20, 2024 1:51 AM
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"That night on our honeymoon we stayed in separate rooms!"
How does that work exactly? Were two room booked in the original reservation or was there a last minute room booked? I wonder how often this happens...
by Anonymous | reply 28 | October 20, 2024 1:55 AM
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R14-Hi,yes it was a golden yellow cake made with lots of fresh eggs iced in a buttercream form the Wilton Wonderland of Wedding Cakes Big Book circa 1968.
by Anonymous | reply 29 | October 20, 2024 2:39 AM
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It'd help if someone posted the tune =
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 32 | October 20, 2024 3:17 AM
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Freda Payne has always been one of my names for my imaginary drag career.
by Anonymous | reply 33 | October 20, 2024 3:24 AM
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OP, "Lola" also came out in 1970 and hit the top of the charts. Taboo, schmaboo.
by Anonymous | reply 34 | October 20, 2024 4:00 AM
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Does anyone here remember seeing her sis Scherrie Payne at the I-Beam all those Sunday Tea Dances ago?
by Anonymous | reply 35 | October 20, 2024 4:04 AM
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Miss Freda Payne is the most beautiful girl from Detroit.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 36 | October 20, 2024 4:24 AM
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She liked younger men too…Gregory Abbott was a dozen years younger than her; and she was with Edmund Sylvers for a minute and she was fifteen years older than him.
by Anonymous | reply 37 | October 20, 2024 10:53 AM
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Thread here is DL at its best
by Anonymous | reply 38 | October 20, 2024 11:29 AM
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She’s still very beautiful at age 80+
I was 14 when the record came out and had no idea or interest in what it was “really” about.
by Anonymous | reply 39 | October 20, 2024 11:40 AM
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[quote]They didn't have Viagra back then.
But they most definitely had strap-ons.
by Anonymous | reply 40 | October 20, 2024 11:43 AM
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[quote]Does anyone here remember seeing her sis Scherrie Payne at the I-Beam all those Sunday Tea Dances ago?
Wasn't Scherrie one of the post-Diana Supremes?
by Anonymous | reply 41 | October 20, 2024 4:57 PM
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you keep me searching for a band of gold
by Anonymous | reply 42 | October 20, 2024 5:03 PM
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Yes r41, just in time for the second rate hotel circuit.
by Anonymous | reply 43 | October 20, 2024 5:04 PM
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Other lost lyrics in included the veiled, "You were a fruitcake/Like my Mama said/ I found you outside/Happily giving head"
by Anonymous | reply 44 | October 20, 2024 6:23 PM
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It’s the cover Liza should’ve done after her marriage to David Gest. And Peter Allen.
by Anonymous | reply 45 | October 20, 2024 6:44 PM
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OP "I'm sorry, but..."
What the fuck are you sorry about?
by Anonymous | reply 46 | October 20, 2024 6:47 PM
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[Quote] How does that work exactly? Were two room booked in the original reservation or was there a last minute room booked?
The front deal asked, “the honeymoon suite? Oh congratulations. Is your fiancé a flaming queen?”
by Anonymous | reply 47 | October 20, 2024 6:49 PM
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R46 is also the Menendez-obsessed troll who’s been following me around the DL since I said they are guilty as hell.
Last time I pointed this out, the obsessed troll said, “oh ha ha, you tried, I hope your day gets better, this was my very best laugh of the day,” or some such cringeworthy gibberish, and then flounced off to masturbate to the Menendez boys again.
by Anonymous | reply 49 | October 20, 2024 6:54 PM
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R49 You gonna be ok, sweetheart? You seem oddly triggered.
by Anonymous | reply 50 | October 20, 2024 8:17 PM
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^^^ and just as predicted, a little above-it-all gay sass … from the obsessed stalker 🤣🤣🤣
by Anonymous | reply 51 | October 20, 2024 8:36 PM
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R51 You don’t understand what the word “stalker” means. You obsessively not d me in a thread and I replied. Bless your heart lol.
by Anonymous | reply 52 | October 20, 2024 9:11 PM
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[quote]Other lost lyrics in included the veiled, "You were a fruitcake/Like my Mama said/ I found you outside/Happily giving head"
I adore you, R44
by Anonymous | reply 53 | October 20, 2024 9:33 PM
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I was only in junior high when Band of Gold came out (yes I am a relic). That song i s seared into my brain but it didn’t occur to me until years later that the marriage was never consummated (LOVE that word!) or why it wasn’t. I’d only understood it as something like unrequited love. Now I’m convinced he was a raging if closeted homosexual.
by Anonymous | reply 54 | October 20, 2024 11:32 PM
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No-he was in love with another girl- Camilla Parker Bowles
by Anonymous | reply 55 | October 21, 2024 12:32 AM
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It's her own damn fault. She should have known better when he insisted the groomsman push the garter up HIS leg.
by Anonymous | reply 56 | October 21, 2024 3:23 AM
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He ripped her wedding dress off and he put it on.
by Anonymous | reply 57 | October 21, 2024 3:56 AM
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People who weren't there in the 70s always assume it was the 50s. The 70s was way less uptight than the 2000s.
by Anonymous | reply 58 | October 21, 2024 4:05 AM
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This song was definitely less subtle than BoG:
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 59 | October 21, 2024 12:37 PM
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