Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you new tunes with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Lauren Mayberry of the Scottish synthpop band Chvrches (pronounced churches) implores her young fans to embrace their mistakes and “make them gold.”
Written by band members Iain Andrew Cook, Martin Clifford Doherty and Mayberry, “Make Them Gold” is an empowerment anthem that reinforces the notion that nobody is perfect and mistakes are actually a blessing in disguise. They’re an essential part of the process of building skills, confidence and attaining one’s goals.
She sings, “We are made up of our mistakes / We are falling but not alone / We will take the best parts of ourselves / And make them gold.”
Gold, in this case, symbolizes perfection, success and something of great value.
“Make Them Gold” appeared as the fourth track of the group’s second studio album, Every Open Eye. Released in 2015, the album went to #1 on both the U.S. Billboard Top Alternative Albums and U.S. Billboard Top Rock Albums charts. It was also an international success, charting in 16 countries, including Scotland, Sweden, Australia and the UK.
Gathering their inspiration from Madonna, Eurythmics, Prince, Depeche Mode, Kate Bush, Death Cab for Cutie and Cyndi Lauper, among others, the band members write, record, mix and master their songs in Glasgow, Scotland.
The odd spelling of Chvrches is attributed to a general concern about how the band may — or may not be — found on the internet. When the band was formed in 2011, the three members had chosen Churches as the name, but changed it to Chvrches with a Roman letter “v” instant of a “u” because they didn’t think they’d have a chance to come up at the top of a “churches” search result.
“After we decided on [the name], we realized it was more or less impossible to Google,” Doherty told Interview magazine. “There’s a girl called Amy who’s designed all of our artwork. She’d already stylized the logo with the “V” in it. It kind of felt natural just to go with that. Now, we don’t have to compete with anyone, which is cool.”
Trivia: Just a few weeks ago, the band appeared in the heart of Texas at the Austin City Limits Music Festival.
Please check out the video of Chvrches’ live performance of “Make Them Gold.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…
“Make Them Gold”
Written by Iain Andrew Cook, Lauren Eve Mayberry and Martin Clifford Doherty. Performed by Chvrches.
Can you tell me what to have
And what to hold
If you never take the way
On your own
No one tells us what is hard
And what is fair
We will deliver once we know
Where to fall
We are made up of our mistakes
We are falling but not alone
We will take the best parts of ourselves
And make them gold
We are made of the smallest stars
We are breathing and letting go
We will take the best parts of ourselves
And make them gold
Can you steady all the hands
That you hold
If you never look away
From the drum
If you push yourself then I
Will pull you up
And we will deliver once we know
Where to fall
We are made up of our mistakes
We are falling but not alone
We will take the best parts of ourselves
And make them gold
We are made of the smallest stars
We are breathing and letting go
We will take the best parts of ourselves
And make them gold
I will wait to see if you come at all
To stop us falling out of phase
Let’s see if we can keep
Track of losing days
You’d smile so wide i can see the stars
To stop us falling out of phase
I will be with you in the fray
With those second thoughts
You asked for all you asked for
We are made up of our mistakes
We are falling but not alone
We will take the best parts of ourselves
And make them gold
We are made of the smallest stars
We are breathing and letting go
We will take the best parts of ourselves
And make them gold
And make them gold
Credit: Image capture via YouTube.com.