Band Of Gold - Various Singles

Well I am going to do something a little different for this post. Dave Brummer requested the Belinda Carlisle - Band Of Gold (Extended Mix) version. Mark has this so I've put it up for Dave (hope you like it). I remember the single from the original version by Freda Payne, and just loved the song, so I thought it would be good to do a post with some of the various versions of the song that have been released. Starting with the original. So here is a post dedicated to one song with different artists who have covered it. Hope you like this.

'Band of Gold' is a popular song written by Holland, Dozier and Holland, under the pseudonym Edith Wayne and Ron Dunbar, and first recorded by Freda Payne.

A smash hit for Payne in 1970, the song has been covered by numerous artists, notably dueling 1986 versions by contrasting pop divas Belinda Carlisile and Bonnie Tyler, and a 2007 version by Kimberley Locke.

When Holland, Dozier and Holland 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. Almost immediately following its release the Payne record became an instant pop smash, reaching number 3 in the US and hitting number 1 on the UK singles chart and remaining there for six weeks in September 1970, giving Payne her first gold record.

The song tells a story 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 titular 'band of gold'. Possible interpretations of the lyrics might include an allusion to the husband's impotence, or perhaps his homosexuality.

Despite both coming off major hits and working with noted musicians, neither the Belinda Carlisle nor the Bonnie Tyler versions were major hits.

Bonnie Tyler's 1986 version was produced by Jim Steinman with the track being given a slew of Hi-NRG remixes helping it make it to number 83 in the UK Singles Chart. The song was the third single off her Secret Dreams And Forbidden Fire album.

Belinda Carlisle 1986 Version was also given dance remixes featuring vocals by Freda Payne herself, that appear on a 2003 CD re-issue of the album Belinda. The single did not chart in the UK but made it to number 26 in the US Dance Club Play, 38 on the US Hot Dance singles Chart and number 91 on the Canadian singles Chart.

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 Pla chart and number 67 on the UK Singles Chart.

Kimberley Locke released her version of 'Band of Gold' to radio in 2007 as the second single from her album 'Based on a True Story'. It became Locke's second single to hit number 1 on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart and her seventh to go top 10 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart.

Click the link below to download the following:

Freda Payne
Soul Train - Live 1971
Single Version
Almighty Anthem Radio Edit
Almighty Pop'd Up Radio Edit
Almighty 12 inch 1993 Club Mix
Almighty 12 inch Anthem Mix
Almighty 12 inch Pop'd Up Mix
Almighty 1993 Club Radio Edit

Belinda Carlisle
Live on Solid Gold with Freda Payne - Video
Extended Mix

Bonnie Tyler
Live Performance - Video
Album Version

Sylvester
Dub Version - Shawn Ryan Edit
Album Version
12 inch Version

Kimberley Locke
Almighty Remix
Dave Aude Radio Mix
Almighty Radio Edit

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=2ccb7d0cd98a6267aaca48175a79d1c341f9cb5393ec0b51c95965eaa7bc68bc

Freda Payne - Band Of Gold - Soul Train - Live 1970



Belinda Carlisle and Freda Payne - Band Of Gold - Live on Solid Gold



Bonnie Tyler - Band Of Gold - Live