Story Behind The Song
My mother and I were curled up around her fireplace in Cottonwood, CA with a mission to write a song about the Gold rush. We had a desire to write a story that could have possibly happened. We did our research on the internet to find out certain terminology of that period such as "Barbary Coast" and "Shanghai'd" which often took place at that time as thieves would drug gold miners, steal their gold and put them on a slow boat to Shanghai.
Song Description
This song takes place in the United States gold rush days and is about six men who travel from Oklahoma on horseback toward California seeking fortunes in gold. Some of the men were left behind along the way for various reasons. One was left in Virginia City, another lost his horse in a poker game, another lost his heart and married a native American girl and stayed with the tribe. The remaining men made it to California only to be Shanghai'd out to sea. This is their story.
Song Length |
3:28 |
Genre |
Folk - Bluegrass, Country - Bluegrass |
Tempo |
Medium Fast (131 - 150) |
Lead Vocal |
Duet Female |
Mood |
In High Spirits, Enchanting |
Subject |
History, Past, Country, Nation |
Similar Artists |
Woody Guthrie, Indigo Girls |
Language |
English |
Era |
1800 - 1899 |
| |
Lyrics
Fool's Gold
Words and Music by Amber Snider & Diana Wallis © 2008
They came from Oklahoma in search of shiny gold
They mounted six fast horses
Their fortunes to unfold
In Virginia City the silver caught their eye
They stayed on through the winter and left with only five
They lost a man in Reno
Tucker was his name
He bet and lost his only horse in a poker game
In the great Sierras Jedadiah found his bride
She was a native maiden and he became part of her tribe
Chorus: Maybe it's the destination maybe it's the journey too
What if the journey you're after is right in front of you?
Is right in front of you
The last three would be miners arrived at Barbary
Where lonely Argonauts sought female company
Drawing men to the fates like moths to a fire
Liquor lust and lawlessness fed their wild desires
The last thing they remember was the lovely Laura lee
Serving drinks and kisses to the fortune seeking three
They woke the next morning Shanghai'd out to see
Sailing to a foreign land where gold would never be. Never be..
Chorus: Maybe it's the destination maybe it's the journey too
What if the journey you're after is right in front of you?
Is right in front of you
Maybe it's the destination maybe it's the journey too
What if the journey you're after is right in front of you?
Is right in front of you