Sister Golden Hair Explained

Sister Golden Hair
Cover:Sister_Golden_Hair_-_America.jpg
Type:single
Artist:America
Album:Hearts
B-Side:Midnight
Released:March 19, 1975
Recorded:1975
Genre:
Label:Warner Bros. 8086
Producer:George Martin
Prev Title:Lonely People
Prev Year:1974
Next Title:Daisy Jane
Next Year:1975

"Sister Golden Hair" is a song by the band America from their fifth album Hearts (1975), written by Gerry Beckley. It was their second single to reach number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, remaining in the top position for one week.[5]

Background

Beckley says "There was no actual Sister Gold Hair."[6] The lyrics were largely inspired by the works of Jackson Browne. Beckley commented, "[Jackson Browne] has a knack, an ability to put words to music, that is much more like the L.A. approach to just genuine observation as opposed to simplifying it down to its bare essentials... I find Jackson can depress me a little bit, but only through his honesty; and it was that style of his which led to a song of mine, 'Sister Golden Hair', which is probably the more L.A. of my lyrics."[7] Beckley adds that "Sister Golden Hair" "was one of the first times I used 'ain't' in a song, but I wasn't making an effort to. I was just putting myself in that frame of mind and I got those kind of lyrics out of it."[7]

Record World said it is "the story of a guy who's found love at last but doesn't necessarily want to marry her."[8]

Instrumentation

Gerry Beckley said he played the 12-string guitar, and overdubbed the prominent slide guitar. "I had a lovely lap steel that David Lindley had picked out."[6]

Music video

The music video for the song features the band performing the song on The Midnight Special, a popular musical television show.

Weekly charts

Chart (1975)Peak
position
scope="row"
Canada RPM Top Singles[9] 11
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[10] 3
scope="row"
scope="row"
US Easy Listening (Billboard)[11] 5
US Cash Box Top 100 [12] 2
US Record World [13] 1
US Radio & Records1

Year-end charts

Chart (1975)Rank
Canada[14] 80
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[15] 33
U.S. Cash Box[16] 61

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Explore: Soft Rock | Top Songs | AllMusic . . 2011-11-12 . 2014-03-24 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111112170238/http://allmusic.com/explore/metastyle/soft-rock-d4494/songs/tier-asc/50 . November 12, 2011 .
  2. Billboard Staff. The 500 Best Pop Songs: Staff List. . October 19, 2023. February 11, 2024. The achingly gorgeous and stunningly poignant soft-rock staple from the misleadingly named U.K.-formed ’70s trio..
  3. Web site: Tom . Breihan . The Number Ones: America's "Sister Golden Hair". . July 18, 2019 . That worked out nicely for America, since that gooey country-rock sound was absolutely blowing up in 1975. Once again, America found a wave to ride.. June 23, 2023.
  4. What a Fool Believes Edition. Hit Parade Music History and Music Trivia. Slate. Molanphy. Chris. July 31, 2021. February 22, 2024.
  5. The Hot 100 : Jun 14, 1975 | Billboard Chart Archive . Billboard . August 24, 2013.
  6. Web site: Zollo . Paul . Behind the Song: "Sister Golden Hair" by America . American Songwriter . 20 July 2020 . March 26, 2020.
  7. Corbett, John (May 29, 2004). America Revisited - Part 3, AccessBackstage.com.
  8. Record World. April 5, 1975. 2023-03-10. Single Picks. 20.
  9. Web site: Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada . Bac-lac.gc.ca . 17 July 2013. 2016-10-10.
  10. Web site: Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada . Collectionscanada.gc.ca . 1975-06-07 . 2019-11-09.
  11. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=America|chart=all}} America Chart History]. September 14, 2014. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media.
  12. Book: Whitburn, Joel. The Comparison Book Billboard/Cash Box/Record World 1954-1982. Sheridan Books. 2015. 978-0-89820-213-7. 15.
  13. Book: Whitburn, Joel. The Comparison Book Billboard/Cash Box/Record World 1954-1982. Sheridan Books. 2015. 978-0-89820-213-7. 15.
  14. Web site: Top Singles – Volume 24, No. 14, December 27, 1975 . . . 28 March 2017 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170329050316/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.4057a&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=u9874ano8k0c5b6bkp4r8qrbp3 . 29 March 2017 .
  15. Web site: Top 100 Hits of 1975/Top 100 Songs of 1975 . Musicoutfitters.com . 2016-10-10.
  16. Web site: Top 100 Year End Charts: 1975 . . 2015-01-17 .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Sister Golden Hair".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.