Heart of Gold (The Kinks song)

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"Heart of Gold"
Song by The Kinks
from the album State of Confusion
Released10 June 1983
RecordedJanuary 1983 at Konk Studios, London
Genre Rock
Length4:02
Label Arista
Songwriter Ray Davies
Producer Ray Davies

"Heart of Gold" is a song by the British rock band the Kinks. Written by Ray Davies, the song appeared on the band's 1983 album State of Confusion .

Contents

Background

"Heart of Gold" is an acoustic ballad in half-time. [1] [2] Music critic John Mendelsohn describes it as being country music-ish. [2] Musician magazine finds the guitar work reminiscent of the Kinks earlier album Muswell Hillbillies . [3] It was, according to Ray Davies, written about the birth of his and Pretenders front woman Chrissie Hynde's daughter, Natalie, in 1983. [1] [4] [5] According to Davies, it was also inspired by a comment by Anne, Princess Royal in which she told intrusive photographers to "naff off". [1] [3] [5] Davies had stated "I wrote about it imagining I was a photographer, but really it was about Chrissie having her first baby. Both she and Princess Anne seem to be quite anonymous people at times." [1] However, Mendelsohn does not find the claim that the song was inspired by Princess Anne to be very credible. [2] Musician describes the song's protagonist as being "tough but tender". [3] Mendelsohn describes her as having "an abrasive exterior and a new baby daughter". [2] The song was recorded in early 1983, at the same time as "Young Conservatives" (which precedes the song in State of Confusion's running order). [4]

Release and reception

"Heart of Gold" was first released as the ninth track on State of Confusion (eighth on non-cassette versions of the album). It has since appeared on compilation albums such as Come Dancing with The Kinks [6] and Picture Book , [7] as well as the box set The Arista Years.

The song was cited as a highlight from State of Confusion by AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine, who also described it as "charming". [8] [6] Musician also found it to be one of the "best moments" from the album. [3] Music critic John Mendelsohn claimed that "in a better world, 'Heart of Gold'...would have been an even bigger hit than 'Come Dancing.'" [2] Mendelsohn particularly praised the "bright acoustic guitars and grin-inducing Davies brothers harmonies on the choruses". [2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Rogan, Johnny (1998). The Complete Guide to the Music of the Kinks. Omnibus Press. p. 139. ISBN   0711963142.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mendelsohn, John (1985). The Kings Kronikles . University of California. p.  196. ISBN   9780688029838.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Musician, Issues 57-67. Amordian Press. 1983. pp. 63–6489.
  4. 1 2 Hinman, Doug. All Day and All of the Night. p. 262.
  5. 1 2 Schragis, Steven (August 1987). "Love Was a Many Splendored Thing". Spy. p. 20. Retrieved 2015-03-24.
  6. 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Come Dancing with the Kinks: The Best of the Kinks 1977-1986 [1986 CD Version]". Allmusic . Retrieved 2015-03-24.
  7. ↑ Jovanovic, R. (2013). God Save The Kinks: A Biography. Aurum Press. ISBN   9781781311370.
  8. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Kinks: State of Confusion > Review" at AllMusic . Retrieved 24 November 2011.
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