For me, Fields Of Gold is one of the best songs ever written.
The music as well as the lyrics are very deep and full of emotion.
I guess the song is about a relationship that broke up long ago (I think so because of the repeated phase “You’ll remember me...”) although it seemed to be so perfect, that even the sun was jealous of it.
The change of perspectives is quite striking: the first, third, fifth and sixth verses as well as the bridge (“I never made promises lightly...”) are written in the perspective of the lyrical I (Sting himself — the person who had the relationship) in a kind of retrospective, it seems he wants his former girlfriend to remember the past relationship, too, because he lists some of the beautiful moments the couple had (going for a walk together — 1st verse; Sting’s confession, that he loves her — 2nd verse; lie together in fields of gold). Maybe he has still got some hope, that one day this relationship will get a second chance (?).
As a contrast, the second and fourth verses are written from the view of a third person who seems to watch another couple’s meeting in the same place (“Fields of Barley”- verse 4). In verse 4 Sting even seems to describe the feelings of the other man (“Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth”). Perhaps Sting wants to express, that there are much more broken hearted people with the same destiny he had — first a perfect relationship, but later a disappointing experience (?)
And, finally, I think the sunset in the 5th verse is a symbol of universal transience and the running children can be seen as a symbol of hope.
This song makes me also remember a quite similar experience of my own life. Once I performed Fields Of Gold on guitar at school together with a keyboarder I loved very much. Singing and making music with him was indescribably intense, but he didn’t love me, so all that’s left for me are these memories and the music.
For me, Fields Of Gold is one of the best songs ever written. The music as well as the lyrics are very deep and full of emotion. I guess the song is about a relationship that broke up long ago (I think so because of the repeated phase “You’ll remember me...”) although it seemed to be so perfect, that even the sun was jealous of it. The change of perspectives is quite striking: the first, third, fifth and sixth verses as well as the bridge (“I never made promises lightly...”) are written in the perspective of the lyrical I (Sting himself — the person who had the relationship) in a kind of retrospective, it seems he wants his former girlfriend to remember the past relationship, too, because he lists some of the beautiful moments the couple had (going for a walk together — 1st verse; Sting’s confession, that he loves her — 2nd verse; lie together in fields of gold). Maybe he has still got some hope, that one day this relationship will get a second chance (?). As a contrast, the second and fourth verses are written from the view of a third person who seems to watch another couple’s meeting in the same place (“Fields of Barley”- verse 4). In verse 4 Sting even seems to describe the feelings of the other man (“Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth”). Perhaps Sting wants to express, that there are much more broken hearted people with the same destiny he had — first a perfect relationship, but later a disappointing experience (?) And, finally, I think the sunset in the 5th verse is a symbol of universal transience and the running children can be seen as a symbol of hope.
This song makes me also remember a quite similar experience of my own life. Once I performed Fields Of Gold on guitar at school together with a keyboarder I loved very much. Singing and making music with him was indescribably intense, but he didn’t love me, so all that’s left for me are these memories and the music.
@groovybassist He DID love you, he told me so! Call him, it's not too late!
@groovybassist He DID love you, he told me so! Call him, it's not too late!