Album: La Folie (1981)

Charted: 2

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• Golden brown, texture like sun
  Lays me down, with my mind she runs
  Throughout the night
  No need to fight
  Never a frown with golden brown
  
  Every time just like the last
  On her ship tied to the mast
  To distant lands
  Takes both my hands
  Never a frown with golden brown
  
  Golden brown, finer temptress
  Through the ages she's heading west
  From far away
  Stays for a day
  Never a frown with golden brown
  
  Never a frown (never a frown)
  (Never a frown) with golden brown (with golden brown)
  (With golden brown) never a frown (never a frown)
  (Never a frown) with golden brown (with golden brown)
  (With golden brown) never a frown (never a frown)
  (Never a frown) with golden brown (with golden brown)
  (With golden brown) never a frown (never a frown)
  (Never a frown) with golden brown (with golden brown) Writer/s: Brian Duffy, Dave Greenfield, Hugh Cornwell, Jean Jacques Burnel
  Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 23

• Jesney Havoc from IpswichI can remember Tiswas - British children’s TV show (Live) on Saturday mornings. Sally James had a feature on the programme ‘Sally James’ almost legendary pop interviews’ asking members of the Stanglers what the song was about. They replied ‘Toast’ !
• Jona Bras from The Netherlands@Dave from Dublin Irl : of course it's Heroin...well known fact that Heroin is made of the Opium flower, also known as 'poppy', as opium is the basis ingridient for Heroin, as Morphine is aswell, although both heroin and morphine are added with certain substantials, each in a specific way, for practical reasons, like 'consumption' and medical/physical adjustment. All three are registered under the Law of Opioïdes, meaning 'extreme pain killers'. The Opium plant you can buy in most European countries, as house decoration, than the poppy is dryed out so it can't get transformed for drug abuse; Opium in 'fresh' form and prepared Heroin are prohibited globally, and Morphine is used as medicine with strict regulations. All three are highly addictive as most people know, and all three are related to one another, tho in different ways, but Opium is the mother, Heroin is the son, or daughter, and Morphine is his/her sister. In SE Asian countries pure (fresh) Opium was/is a favorite drug among old and young, mostly, men. The (illegal) houses for these addicts are called 'opium kits'.... since many decades Opium has become Heroin, in certain SE Asian countries. There are about a million Heroin addicts in Thailand, Phillippines, and some other Asian countries. Buddhist Monks have changed their temples in Rehab Centers, in almost every mentioned country, tho the temples are maintained for praying and celebration. Most addicts endure the rehab and therapies positively, in the hands of these fantastic monks, and some end up as a monk themselves, to help the next group of addicts.
  I know, i 'talk' to much, but, anyway, what i wanted to clarify is, that Opium is Heroin, period. Don't let anyone try it, here... it's stronger than you can imagen. Stay safe. Best Wishes.
• Michael from ViennaI have always liked this song because of the tact change and the use of the harpsichord. It is refreshing between the monotonous rhythms that are common in popsongs. I play baroque music myself, so the sound of the harpsichord and tact change are both are familiar to me. I think they were right that didn't want it to be classified as a song about drugs but let everybody have his own interpretation. Of course the title reminds of heroin, but the lyrics rather seem to refer to a exotic woman.
• Michael from FloridaI saw the Dave Brubeck YouTube clip - it is clearly an edit, and it is acknowledged as such by the poster. You can find the original identical clip on YouTube, where they are actually playing Take Five. Watch the drummer at the start of the clip, and watch Dave's hands on the piano, he's not playing the notes of Golden Brown. This is the actual original clip, you can see it is identical to the clip where they appear to be playing Golden Brown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT9Eh8wNMkw
• Davido from LondonThe Dave Brubeck YouTube clip is a clever edit. They never did it for real.
• Siha from UkI could find no Brubeck version but I found this: https://bit.ly/2WjvdC9
  Maybe you guys were mistaken about Golden Brown being older than The Stranglers claimed?
• Andy from Kent, UkJohn from Derry is right. There is a clip on YouTube of the Dave Brubeck Quartet performing it. I have not been able to establish the date, but believe it to be 1964. Whatever the exact date, however, the saxophonist on the clip is clearly Paul Desmond, and as he died in 1977 it must pre-date the Stranglers' release by at least four years.
• John from Derry Could someone correct me, was the original tune golden brown first done by dave brubeck in 1964
• C. Dot from London Se15As a user of heroin with a 30 year addiction, I knew 'Golden Brown' was about heroin. Great song though
• Fluxius from Los AngelesI think Dave from Dublin has a point. Opium comes in sticks, about 6" or so and (depending on morphine content) can be anything from a very light brown (almost yellow ochre) to a darkish brown colour. Heroin is derived from opium, so perhaps when Hugh was inspired to write the song he combined the golden brown skin of his girlfriend and the colour of the opium. Just food for thought I guess.
• Dave from Stapleford, United KingdomActually, Jet Black (the drummer) reckons that it's about Marmite!!!
• Dave from Dublin, IrelandDespite the denials it's not about drugs, it clearly is, in particular Opium.
  
  Golden brown finer temptress
  Through the ages she's heading west
  
  The Opium trade began thousands of years ago in modern day Iran, Irag, Turkey, and Syria.
  Then in 1300 BC Eygpt became the biggest exporters of Opium under Tutankhamen, with it eventually making its' way to Europe [West]
  
  Raw opium is yellow, amber colour, and could indeed be described as "Golden Brown"
  
  The video for the song features images of Egypt, and could therefore be directly referencing the role that country had
  in getting the Opium to Europe.
• Kaz from Chicago Heights, IlAlso love this song. The opening riff into the first verse always reminded me of the Dave Brubeck Quartet's "Take Five"; in a very subtle way, which is why it originally caught my ear! '-)
  -Kaz, Chicago Heights, IL
• Andrew from Victoria, BcAlso appeared in the movie "Away We Go"! Amazing movie.
• Anne-marie from Perth, Australiathis song was also heavily featured in the Australian movie "he died with a falafel in his hand" (2001) directed by Richard Lowenstein, based on the book by John Birmingham. It is played several times throughout the movie, including in the opening scene where a guy is seen sitting in a chair, having OD'd on herion... he has a kebab (with a falafel i assume) in his hand, the white sauce dripping down his arm... which was nice imagery. It also features throughout the movie as the main character plays is frequently on his guitar in the background of scenes. this is a brilliant movie, i highly recommend it! I guess it was chosen based on the premise that this song was written about heroin... even if it wasn't, that's a well-known association.
• Hendrixlover from Does It Matter?, Cai like the added beat in the riff to make it 7/8. martin, i dont think its 3/4 but 6/8 like it says in the description on the page. no matter, awesome song nonetheless
• Paul Marlo from Perth, Australiasnatch ... my favourite movie!
• Dom from Newquay, Englanddennis i don't know how that happened. i'm sure there are a few of their tracks you would recognise
  
  the bassits, JJ Burnell lives in the village where i grew up. he used to (maybe still does) run a pub there. he also taugh karate lessons to the local kids and adults. i remember he was very fit and very good at martial arts
  
  us villagers loved our punk landlord
• Dennis from Newton, Ma3/8/2007 Th My musical interests span most musical genres (except I have not learned to like C&W and Opera). I started with my grandmother's newest purchases at the time (Belafonte' Live at Carnegie Hall & Les Campiones De Le Chanson) at 4 or 5. I even still listen loud to some Metallica and classical music. I have always preferred alternative as opposed to overplayed. And so I am still amazed that the first time I ever heard or even heard anything about Golden Brown and/or the Stranglers was on the way to Hollywood just a few weeks ago. If anyone has any insight on how someone who is really into music could have missed that classic I'd be grateful to hear it.
• Ben from Vancouver, United StatesI've inrtoduced Golden Brown to many a female, followed by the viewing of "snatch," and it seems to be a hit. Not to mention its one of the most memorable songs I have heard.
• Martin from Sydney, AustraliaIn addition to being one of very few pop songs played on a harpsichord, this tune has the most complex rhythm of any pop song I know. Pop songs are usually 4/4, occasionally 3/4. Golden Brown is mostly in 3/4 but has one part (at the start and between the verses) that has three bars of 3/4 then one of 4/4, and repeats like that, giving a 13-beat cycle. Try and dance to that!
• Travis from Laconia, NhThis song was in "NARC" too.
• Nate from Atherton, CaAppeared in the movie "Snatch." Great tune.

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