Peak
3
Weeks
20
Score
3,701
Chart Year
1970
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There is some mystery to this song. Some people think it is about an impotent man, while others think it is about a frigid woman. In a Songfacts interview with Lamont Dozier, who co-wrote the song, he explained: "The story was, the girl found out this guy was not all there. He had his own feelings about giving his all. He wanted to love this girl, he married the girl, but 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 do as a groom, as her new husband." This was released on Invictus Records, which Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland formed after they left Motown in 1968. Holland-Dozier-Holland produced the track and wrote it with their collaborator Ron Dunbar, but because of their dispute with Motown, the H-D-H trio couldn't put their names on the label and credited themselves as "Edythe Wayne." Members of the Motown house band The Funk Brothers played on the track. Because of the subject matter, Freda Payne did not want to record this at first. She thought the song was about a woman who was a virgin or sexually naïve, and felt it was more suitable for a teenager. When Payne objected to this song, Ron Dunbar (co-writer of the song) said to her, "Don't worry. You don't have to like them! Just sing it," and she did. Little did she know that this song would become her biggest hit and would give her her first record of gold. In 1986, Belinda Carlisle did a cover of this song for her debut album Belinda. Carlisle's remake of this song is one of three to have entered the Hot Dance Club Play chart. The former Go-Go's vocalist's cover peaked at #26 on a chart run in 1986-87; disco act Sylvester reached #18 with his version, while American Idol finalist Kimberley Locke went all the way to the top of the Club Play chart in 2008 with her update. >> The lead guitarist on this track was Ray Parker Jr., who later found success with the theme song for the comedy movie Ghostbusters. Freda Payne is the older sister of Scherrie Payne, the final lead singer of The Supremes. Holland-Dozier-Holland wrote many of The Supremes' hits. According to 1000 UK #1 Hits by Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh, Freda Payne said of this song: "It is about a wedding night that didn't work out. I wondered why a girl would have a problem on her wedding night and why they would be in separate rooms, but they said, 'Just learn it.' I had no idea that it would be such a big hit."
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 my mother I had never known or 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 Is a band of gold And the dream of what love could be If you were still here with me Oh 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 Is a band of gold And the dream of what love could be If you were still here with me Since you've been 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 dream of what love could be If you were still here with me
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apr 25, 1970 | 93 | 33 |
| 2 | May 2, 1970 | 74 | 52 |
| 3 | May 9, 1970 | 66 | 60 |
| 4 | May 16, 1970 | 57 | 69 |
| 5 | May 23, 1970 | 45 | 81 |
| 6 | May 30, 1970 | 37 | 89 |
| 7 | Jun 6, 1970 | 32 | 94 |
| 8 | Jun 13, 1970 | 27 | 99 |
| 9 | Jun 20, 1970 | 17 | 109 |
| 10 | Jun 27, 1970 | 11 | 115 |
| 11 | Jul 4, 1970 | 7 | 119 |
| 12 | Jul 11, 1970 | 5 | 121 |
| 13 | Jul 18, 1970 | 4 | 122 |
| 14 | Jul 25, 1970 | 3 | 123 |
| 15 | Aug 1, 1970 | 4 | 122 |
| 16 | Aug 8, 1970 | 5 | 121 |
| 17 | Aug 15, 1970 | 7 | 119 |
| 18 | Aug 22, 1970 | 8 | 118 |
| 19 | Aug 29, 1970 | 13 | 113 |
| 20 | Sep 5, 1970 | 22 | 104 |