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Lyr Req: Fields of gold?/West wind blows?

09 Aug 99 - 09:14 AM (#103311)
Subject: Fields of gold?/West wind blows? lyrics
From: R.B.

Searching for the lyrics to a song that goes something like this:

"You'll remember me when the west wind blows upon the fields of barley...."

......It's been many years.......summer days.......see the children run...as the sun........

....feel her body rise as you kiss her mouth....

..When we walked in the fields of gold ...When we walked in the fields of gold

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!!


09 Aug 99 - 12:45 PM (#103373)
Subject: RE: Fields of gold?/West wind blows? lyrics
From: Steve I

Thats is Fields of Gold by Sting. I have the lyrics somewhere??? But there must be a Sting lyric site out there perhaps


09 Aug 99 - 08:30 PM (#103515)
Subject: RE: Fields of gold?/West wind blows? lyrics
From: Bev Lawton

Sting may well have sung it but he didn't write it. It was written?/sung by a lady possibly Vaughan? now dead. Don't laugh but I heard this on Terry Wogans show a few months ago - just acn't remeber the name damit - thought it was great myself. Bev Lawton


09 Aug 99 - 08:38 PM (#103518)
Subject: Lyr Add: FIELDS OF GOLD (Sting)
From: Bev Lawton

Here you go :

Fields Of Gold
(Sting)

You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Upon the fields of barley
You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we walk in fields of gold

So she took her love
For to gaze awhile
Upon the fields of barley
In his arms she fell as her hair came down
Among the fields of gold
Will you stay with me, will you be my love
Among the fields of barley
We'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we lie in fields of gold

See the west wind move like a lover so
Upon the fields of barley
Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth
Among the fields of gold

I never made promises lightly
And there have been some that I've broken
But I swear in the days still left
We'll walk in fields of gold
We'll walk in fields of gold

Many years have passed since those summer days
Among the fields of barley
See the children run as the sun goes down
Among the fields of gold
You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Upon the fields of barley
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold
When we walked in fields of gold
When we walked in fields of gold


09 Aug 99 - 08:54 PM (#103522)
Subject: RE: Fields of gold?/West wind blows? lyrics
From: Bev Lawton

Eva Cassidy is the singer I was trying to remember. She died in 1996. a link to a site is here : http://crosstownarts.com/CrosstownArts/client_music/eva/evahome.html

Click on the Songbird album. But I have to admit a lot of sites have this song down to Sting! I heard Eva Cassidy sing it and it takes your breath away. Bev


10 Aug 99 - 08:45 AM (#103646)
Subject: RE: Fields of gold?/West wind blows? lyrics
From: Steve I

Thanks for the correction Bev. I have only heard it by Sting. Not exactly the 'type' of song once would associate with him (although who am I typecast him) As you say a beautiful song that literally makes me shiver. Steve


10 Aug 99 - 09:10 AM (#103655)
Subject: RE: Fields of gold?/West wind blows? lyrics
From: Jeri

I do believe Sting wrote the song. Click here for some Sting interview comments, links to other interviews, and a copyright notice - "Music and Lyrics by Sting, Magnetic Publishing Ltd. 1993"

Beautiful song!


10 Aug 99 - 09:23 AM (#103660)
Subject: RE: Fields of gold?/West wind blows? lyrics
From: John in Brisbane

I was going to post the tune but the new darned template won't let me. Help Max!! Regards, John


02 Dec 04 - 10:57 AM (#1345460)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fields of gold?/West wind blows?
From: Big Mick

I have one of Sting's songbooks and it clearly lists Sting as the author of the words and music. If someone else has information to the contrary, please list some cites? I need to know this for credits, and as of now I am going off the published work of Sting.

All the best,

Mick


02 Dec 04 - 11:33 AM (#1345502)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fields of gold?/West wind blows?
From: Jeri

You know, I was wrong*; I was right all along (or at least at some point).

You see, what happens is you heard it one way originally, then heard it another way and believed it, then you find out the truth is way different, and you were right the first time. Then time passes without you having to remember the stuff you learned last, so those brain cells die and the ones that remember what you thought prior to that still hang around, and PRESTO! You're back believing the wrong stuff again. I think that's what happened. I might be wrong, though.

Sting dunnit.


*In an e-mail. Sorry, Mick.


02 Dec 04 - 12:00 PM (#1345530)
Subject: Lyr Add: FIELDS OF GOLD (from Eva Cassidy)
From: GUEST,ClaireBear

I copied the words down once the way Eva Cassidy sang it (the whole song and lyrics are available here, but don't trust the lyrics posted on that site; listen to the song instead). While it was indeed breathtaking vocally, at least in that performance she changed a few words and left out a verse. The resulting lyric didn't hang together quite as well as Sting's original.

Fields of Gold (as Eva Cassidy sang it)

You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Among the fields of barley
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold

So she took her love for to gaze awhile
Among the fields of barley
In his arms she fell as her hair came down
Among the fields of gold

Will you stay with me, will you be my love
Among the fields of barley
And you can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold

I never made promises lightly
There have been some that I've broken
But I swear in the days still left
We'll walk in fields of gold
We'll walk in fields of gold

Many years have passed since those summer days
Among the fields of barley
See the children run as the sun goes down
As you lie in fields of gold

You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Among the fields of barley
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold
When we walked in fields of gold
When we walked in fields of gold


02 Dec 04 - 12:41 PM (#1345577)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fields of gold?/West wind blows?
From: Big Mick

That is the way Sting wrote it.

Jeri, m'love, you are right so often that the occasional mistep is allowed. Thanks for the email.

Back to the barn I go (inside message there for Jeri, folks),

Mick


02 Dec 04 - 02:29 PM (#1345595)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fields of gold?/West wind blows?
From: alanabit

It's worth noting that Sting also wrote "We Work The Black Seam Together" and "I Hung My Head" - both of which could eventually become traditional songs. I think there's a bit more than just a pop star at work there.


02 Dec 04 - 04:22 PM (#1345676)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fields of gold?/West wind blows?
From: Jeri

I've never heard either of those songs, alanabit, but I saw Sting on a video. Something about a concert he was doing in a warm, sunny country. It seems to me he's clearly a musician's musician.


02 Dec 04 - 05:08 PM (#1345723)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fields of gold?/West wind blows?
From: GUEST,ClaireBear

I don't believe that is the way Sting wrote it. Look a bit deeper, please. This whole verse is missing in Eva's version:

See the west wind move like a lover so
Upon the fields of barley
Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth
Among the fields of gold

I think this verse is life-affirming in a way that is not consistent with Eva Cassidy's rendition (note that the missing verse is all in the present tense, which, along with all the sexual imagery, is part of the reason it's so uplifting). Some of the other differences have the same effect: All the references to "We'll forget the sun...as we walk" have been changed to "You can tell the sun...when we walked", subtly recasting more of the song in the past tense. Whereas in Sting's version the very first verse makes me think the couple will again be walking through fields of gold in the hereafter, Cassidy's version puts all that in the past and leaves the partner walking through those fields alone.

Although it doesn't compromise the song, there's also a slight, poetic death reference in Cassidy's version that wasn't in the original -- Sting's "See the children run as the sun goes down among the fields of gold" becomes "See the children run as the sun goes down as you lie in fields of gold."

Finally, there is a tiny text change that further clouds the imagery: "upon the fields" has been changed to "among the fields" in a couple of places.

I know I'm being incredibly picky -- but hey, I'm an editor, I can't help noticing.


03 Dec 04 - 01:51 PM (#1346561)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fields of gold?/West wind blows?
From: Big Mick

Clairebear, I love your pickiness! I only scanned the Eva version, and quickly. Sincere thanks for bringing me up short and reminding me to read carefully. When I went back and read it through, in the context in which you point out, it does give a whole different spin. And it is a damned interesting slant to a man in his 50's. I do love the imagery of "feel her body rise, ......". It immediately brought a vision of that moment every young man experiences.

Alan, I believe you are right about Mr. Sumner. I have always liked his singing, but only in a passive way. Now that you have pointed out "Black Seam" and "I Hung My Head", I think I shall have to look at his work in a more active and interested way.

By the way, Alan. I received the CD. Great piece of work. Is there a thread on it? If not, I will start one.

All the best,

Mick


03 Dec 04 - 02:56 PM (#1346614)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fields of gold?/West wind blows?
From: alanabit

Hi Mick. I should pay more attention to Sting's work too. "Russians", for instance, is a beautifully crafted piece about paying too much attention to rhetorical nonsense in political speeches. I particularly like the lines:
    "There is no monopoly of common sense
    On either side of the political fence
    We share the same biology
    Regardless of ideology".
I think there is a powerful mind and a good heart at work there.
Glad you like the album. Larry, (In Obu) started a very flattering thread about the album a couple of years back. You mustn't revive it, I'll never get my hat back on again!


04 Jan 08 - 12:21 PM (#2228339)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fields of gold?/West wind blows?
From: GUEST,cindyfish

The first time I heard this song was at a choir concert at Butler university....the a capella group sang it and it was so beautiful


04 Jan 08 - 01:39 PM (#2228398)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fields of gold?/West wind blows?
From: harpmolly

I know a woman who does a stunning harp and vocal arrangement of this. I've tried it myself but I can't quite seem to capture her accompaniment style. Maybe I can wheedle her into publishing an arrangement...


04 Jan 08 - 10:10 PM (#2228741)
Subject: Fields of Gold (Sting) - Eva Cassidy version
From: Genie

I agree that Eva's version loses something by not including that very sensual, present-tense verse.   Still, this to me is a prime example of a "cover" artist doing a song much better than the "original" recording and/or the songwriter's own rendition.    Too bad we won't get to hear Eva do the full version.   
I haven't always been in love with the way Eva 'tweaked' and twisted the melodies of some of the songs she covered, but her main recording of Fields Of Gold is awesome.


04 Jan 08 - 11:34 PM (#2228787)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fields of gold?/West wind blows?
From: GUEST,Jim

If you search "eva cassidy" on UTube you'll find a number of her song performances. here is a video of "Fields of Gold". As the poster explains, due to technical problems, no video exists of Eva singing the song, but he put together an edited version by combining different clips. It's not perfect and she plays acoustic guitar, then left-handed and finally electric in the process.


31 Jan 08 - 02:13 PM (#2249738)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fields of gold?/West wind blows?
From: GUEST,Sam

why is it so important who sang it first? i mean i guess i can see why, but the point is it's a really beautiful song.



Sam


01 Feb 08 - 12:13 PM (#2250528)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fields of gold?/West wind blows?
From: GUEST,Ian cookieless

Just a bit of extra info: the pipe player on the Sting original is the amazing Kathryn Tickell.