I was reminded of how much I like this song when I was watching the 2000 film Snatch in which this song appeared. I always found the unconventional harpsichord sound in Golden Brown alluring, but at the same time slightly unsettling. Golden Brown was intentionally written ambiguously to get past the censors. Singer and lyricist Hugh Cornwell said in 2001: “It’s about heroin and also about a girl… both provided me with pleasurable times.” It is said Hugh Cornwell was loath to admit it to the public but acquiesced to the pressure after bassist J.J. Burnel revealed the meaning to the public at large.
Thanks to being chosen as BBC Radio 2’s record of the week, Golden Brown peaked at No 2 on the UK singles chart, a chart high for The Stranglers, and, it is probably the band’s most famous song.
[Verse 1]
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
[Verse 2]
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
[Verse 3]
Golden brown, finer temptress
Through the ages, she’s heading west
From far away, stays for a day
Never a frown with golden brown
The basis for the tune came from an unused part of Second Coming, a track which featured on their previous album The Gospel According to the Meninblack. According to bassist JJ Burnel, the song’s atypical style was intended to defy expectations. He explained, “The whole thing about that song is it really represented us sticking our fingers up to our detractors‘. “We were written off by then,” Burnell admitted.”There was a new record company at the time that had taken us over because they have swallowed up our previous record company. They said punk was over and we were finished, and then we forced them to release that record‘.
..It wasn’t the lyrical content that inspired so many to purchase the record, but it was the seductiveness of the melody: Wet with atmosphere and rich in sonic experience, the song signalled a more mature outlet that showed that punk was as malleable as the author intended it to be.
– Far Out Magazine
References:
1. Golden Brown – Wikipedia
2. The literal meaning behind The Stranglers’ opus ‘Golden Brown’ – Far Out Magazine
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
Great song!
Always liked this one. Brings back memories.
Good ones I assume
Yes, well before I learnt what inspired the song. Now it sounds more macabre and mysterious.
I’ve always liked “Golden Brown” as well. It’s an unusual song. That harpsichord makes it very memorable.
It’s pretty complex musically. The main body of the song has a triple metre waltz rhythm, with beats grouped in threes, but the instrumental parts add an extra beat to create a phrase of thirteen beats. That’s pretty cool.
Cool song..excellent video….
Yeh, I’m glad you thought so too Tom.
I really like it Matt. Never listened closely until your post….
I was listening to it a lot yesterday. Upon subsequent listens, it kinda sounds more spooky and surreal.
It does have that haunting quality Matt…I listened again…really good…
It is a cool song…they sure did change for this…compare this to “Peaches” and it sounds like a different band.
They definitely challenged their detractors and succeeded. This is punk from a different angle. It’s also quite a technical music accomplishment as explained in the comment with christian below.
They shouldn’t have been a punk band to begin with…they were way too talented…and believe it or not…that was the big knock on them if you can believe that!
Those different time signatures are a pain….I know.
I don’t know much about their background, but they sure did change the playing field with this song. Your musical expertise regarding the time signatures sure says alot. That’s why it became such an alluring track I imagine.
Oh big night of Sports with the superbowl and my son’s team Millionarios playing their old classic rival just before SB kick off. Who are you going for in the SB?
Well we have been sick…flu or covid but we are getting over it now…I was invited to a SB party but I didn’t want to share what we have lol.
You know why I’m excited this week? Spring Training starts Wednesday and Thursday!
There are two sporting seasons about to start which I’m looking forward to. Australian Football (Richmond Tigers) and MLB.
I’m sorry to read about the COVID / flu things and I’m glad you are feeling better. It seems like its going round. What has me more concerned are the new pathology discoveries made by various Embalmers all around the world since the Vaccines were mandated. Dr John Campbell has presented extensively on this recently and nobody else seems to want to address.
Of course they don’t want to talk about it. Yea it’s sad…it will come out but probably years from now.
The embalmers are being threatened for having their licenses taken away. They are calling the police and the regulatory body and being told ‘you can’t say this’ or words to that affect. I never thought I would live in my lifetime to hear such things happening. However I wrote back in 2021 ‘We are now governed under Chinese-Rule’ and that’s what it feels like. It really does. In particular how the World Economic Forum initiative The Great Reset has infiltrated leaders of Government and Multinationals. Maajid Nawaz in the Joe Rogan experience said, ‘‘I believe our elite have come under the undue influence of Chinese Intelligence agencies.’ It’s all being played out basically.
Look at the culture wars…in no way does it make common sense with most of the crap they come up with…but yet someone is pushing this crap.
I can see what you are saying.
I hung in with the Stranglers through out their career. No other band like them.
Sweet man. I know nearly next to nothing about them.
Dave Greenfield the keyboardist just passed away a couple years ago. Such a big part of their sound. I dont know how they’d hit your ear. They were a hard driving band back when. I like them a lot.