Goldmine

Album: Big TV (2013)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Big TV is a concept album about a girl who's in a relationship with a guy in an unidentified provincial European area who moves to a much bigger, more glamorous city, This song finds the girl reunited with her boyfriend, but for how long? Bassist and lyricist Charles Cave explained to NME: "Even though she's back, he doesn't consider her to be back for good. She's got an itch built in to her – she'll always be digging for gold."
  • This was the last song that White Lies wrote for Big TV. Vocalist Harry McVeigh told Artist Direct: "It came together from parts of other tracks, but it was quite a spontaneous moment in the studio with a couple of days left. It came out of us playing in the room together with a melody in mind. That was it."
  • McVeigh expanded on the song's meaning to Artist Direct: "The basic narrative of the record is about a girl who leaves her hometown. It's implied it's somewhere in Europe, perhaps Eastern Europe. She moves to a big city, and it's implied the big city is in the States. She leaves her hometown thinking she's going to make this great new modern life for herself. Actually, it turns out that doesn't happen, and she moves back home. It's about her digging in the 'Goldmine,' trying to live the dream, and earn money. It's not working out though. She leaves a guy back at home, and it's also his view as well. That's my interpretation."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.

Richard Marx

Richard MarxSongwriter Interviews

Richard explains how Joe Walsh kickstarted his career, and why he chose Hazard, Nebraska for a hit.

Commercials

CommercialsFact or Fiction

Was "Ring Of Fire" really used to sell hemorrhoid cream?

John Doe of X

John Doe of XSongwriter Interviews

With his X-wife Exene, John fronts the band X and writes their songs.

Yoko Ono

Yoko OnoSongwriter Interviews

At 80 years old, Yoko has 10 #1 Dance hits. She discusses some of her songs and explains what inspired John Lennon's return to music in 1980.

Loreena McKennitt

Loreena McKennittSongwriter Interviews

The Celtic music maker Loreena McKennitt on finding musical inspiration, the "New Age" label, and working on the movie Tinker Bell.