Welcome to Music Friday, when we spotlight memorable songs featuring jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. This week, country legend Lee Greenwood laments a "24-karat mistake" in his 1984 hit, “Fool’s Gold.”
In the poignant ballad, Greenwood’s character looks back on a love he destroyed through neglect. Only after losing the woman he loves does he realize the magnitude of his blunder — a “24-karat” error he can never undo.
He sings, “I took a perfect love and gave you a perfect heartache / I took a band of gold and made a 24-karat mistake / And turned it into fool’s gold.”
The title phrase, “fool’s gold,” adds powerful symbolism to the song. Fool’s gold, or iron pyrite, has a gleaming yellow hue that can easily fool an untrained eye into thinking it’s real gold — yet it holds little to no monetary value. In Greenwood’s metaphor, the singer’s once-genuine love has been tarnished by selfishness and regret, transformed from something truly precious — like 24-karat gold — into something that merely looks valuable.
Historically, fool’s gold has been tricking miners since the 16th century. Pyrite’s bright luster led countless prospectors to false riches during the Gold Rush era. Chemically, it’s an iron sulfide mineral — common, brittle and relatively worthless compared to the purity and rarity of real gold. In Greenwood’s hands, it becomes the perfect symbol for emotional illusion: a love that seemed unbreakable, now exposed as fragile and false.
“Fool’s Gold,” written by Timmy Tappan and Don Roth, was released as the second single from Greenwood’s 1984 album You’ve Got a Good Love Comin’. The song struck a chord with country fans, climbing to #3 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and #5 on Canada’s RPM Country Tracks. The album went on to achieve Gold certification, selling more than 500,000 copies.
By the time “Fool’s Gold” was released, Greenwood had already cemented his reputation as one of country music’s great voices. Over his six-decade career, he’s recorded 22 studio albums and more than 35 charting singles, including the patriotic anthem “God Bless the U.S.A.”
Born Melvin Lee Greenwood in South Gate, CA, in 1942, the artist started singing in church at age seven and later performed in Las Vegas casinos before being discovered in Reno in 1979. Today, Greenwood continues to tour nationwide on his “American Spirit Tour,” performing for sold-out crowds well into 2025 and 2026.
With its heartfelt lyrics and timeless metaphor, “Fool’s Gold” remains a reminder that some treasures — like true love — are worth far more than their glittering imposters.
Please check out the audio track of Greenwood performing “Fool’s Gold.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…
"Fool’s Gold"
Written by Timmy Tappan and Don Roth. Performed by Lee Greenwood.
If I only knew then what I know now
You wouldn’t be sayin’ goodbye
But I let you down, I was never around
When you needed me there by your side
I took a perfect love and gave you a perfect heartache
I took a band of gold and made a 24-karat mistake
and turned it into…
Fool’s gold, and I was a fool ’cause I let you go
Fool’s gold, yes I was the fool ’cause I didn’t know
Too many times I just didn’t try
Now all I hear is you sayin’ goodbye
Starin’ at an empty hand full of fool’s gold
If I took the time just holdin’ you tight
and sharin’ my feelings with you
Then you’d understand what’s inside of this man
and you’d know what I’m goin’ through
I know that I was wrong now that it’s too late
I took a band of gold and made a 24-karat mistake
and turned it into…
Fool’s gold, and I was the fool ’cause I let you go
Fool’s gold, yes I was the fool ’cause I didn’t know
Too many times I just didn’t try
Now all I hear is you sayin’ goodbye
Starin’ at an empty hand full of fool’s gold
Credit: Image by PH2 Don Koralewski, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
