Fool's Gold by Dean Madonia

Album: Shadow to Shadow, Dean Madonia's Frankenstein (2013)

License This Song

Songfacts®:

This is the fourth track on the second disc of Shadow to Shadow, Dean Madonia's Frankenstein. Madonia re-imagined Mary Shelley's revered horror novel, Frankenstein; or The Modern Prometheus, into an almost two-hour long progressive rock opera. He added his own spin to the story by straightening out the timeline and adding a modern bookend. The monster is alive 200 years later and telling the tale to a genetic researcher to warn her about the dangers of creating the first human clone.
"Fool's Gold" is when the troubled scientist, Victor Frankenstein, learns about the death of his brother. Frankenstein's housekeeper, Justine Moritz, is accused of the murder so he returns home to clear her name. When Frankenstein arrives, he sees the monster and realizes that the creature is actually the one who has killed his brother. Frankenstein is conflicted about revealing the truth for a number of reasons. He thinks no one will believe him if he tries to blame the death on the monster. Frankenstein also worries that if they do believe him, everybody will hate him for actually making the monster. He also has faith that the justice system will clear Justine of the murder, but the monster framed her by planting a locket on her. So Justine ends up confessing to the crime even though she didn't do it, and, ultimately, she is hanged.
Dean Madonia explained in our interview the meaning behind the song, saying, "It's basically about not trusting everybody else to do the right thing."

He continued by urging people to speak up. "If you know the right thing and you have an answer, if you're a witness to something, then you need to come forward and help out," he said. "You can't just expect that it's going to get cleared up by other people."
When writing "Fool's Gold," Madonia was pondering the saying, "silence is golden." He revealed his thought process to us. "I was thinking, 'Well, what if silence isn't golden?'" said Madonia. "Most of the songs on this album have more than one meaning. They have a meaning for the story of Frankenstein but that song is also about speaking out about injustice that you see. If you don't say anything than you're part of the problem. I felt like if silence is not golden than it's like fool's gold."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

More Songfacts:

EverlongFoo Fighters

The Foo Fighters song "Everlong" isn't about Kurt Cobain, but Dave Grohl's girlfriend at the time, Veruca Salt frontwoman Louise Post.

Independent Women Part IDestiny's Child

The Destiny's Child "Independent Women Part I" video was directed by the same guy who did the Hunger Games movies.

I Walk The LineJohnny Cash

Johnny Cash promised to stay true to his first wife in "I Walk The Line," but when the song became a hit he found himself on the road, having an affair with June Carter, who became his second wife.

Dancing In The DarkBruce Springsteen

Alfonso Ribeiro's "Carlton Dance" was inspired by Bruce Springsteen and Courteney Cox' dance moves in the "Dancing In The Dark" video.

Burning Down The HouseTalking Heads

"Burning Down The House" by Talking Heads was inspired by chant band members heard at a P-Funk show where the crowd yelled, "burn down the house... burn down the house."

Where It's AtBeck

Beck's "Where It's At" is a nod to the early years of hip-hop when DJs would use two turntables to loop drum breaks, and a microphone to hype the crowd ("two turntables and a microphone...").