"Fields of Gold"

For several days, I've wanted to respond to OQMiv's comments in my combox about Sting and his "lute version" of "Fields of Gold." Life, and last night, internet difficulties have gotten in the way, so I'm doing it tonight.

OQMiv said that although he found the merchandizing of Sting's most recent album to be distasteful, he agrees with me that it's a wonderful remake of "Fields of Gold," and that "it's as if the song was made for the lute." This being a site about figure skating, I have to include my favorite performance of the song here. (See above.)

Before hearing Sting's lute version of this song, I always wondered why Michelle didn't use his version. Jennifer Ryan's version is similiar to Sting's lute version; she's a Celtic singer, which explains the similarity. I would bet that if Sting had come out with this most recent version, Michelle would've used it in her program, which is just beautiful. I re-viewed it again tonight, and it's so emotional after her disappointment at the 2002 Olympics. It brought tears to my eyes once again.

OQMiv, on his site, links to my site and says that I see "Christian aspects in the song." Now, I never said that. I said that it was linked to the Christian character on "Studio 60" and her relationship with Matthew Perry's character, and done very well. In other words, Aaron Sorkin used the song to make a statement about the relationship and the dramatic tension in the scene. This isn't anything new for Sorkin; it's something he did often in "The West Wing." OQMiv is right when Sting's intention for writing "Fields of Gold" is "a portrait of some sort of lover's, or lovers', dreamscape."

That being said, let's take a look at the lyrics:

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

I think that there are definately Christian influences in this song, but I wouldn't call in overtly "Christian." Sting was raised Roman Catholic, so there have always been that influence in many of his songs. His most recent album, "Songs From the Labyrinth," definately has been influenced by his Catholic background. The album features the music of John Dowland, an Elizabethan-era composer who was persecuted for his Catholic faith in Protestant England.

I'm with OQMiv; I'd buy anything Sting puts out there. Not only is Sting a phenomenal musician, he's so darn hot! So yes, when I got a CD gift certificate for my birthday, "Labyrinth" was one of the CDs I bought. Unfortunately, however, the CD doesn't have the lute version of "Fields of Gold," so as OQMiv suggests, I bought the track from iTunes. I've listened to the album, and I like it, but then again, this kind of classical music is my cup of tea. Sting's voice is in rare form; it's as if he was made to play the lute and sing this kind of music. Plus, I enjoyed the education Sting gives about Dowland in his liner notes.