Top 10 popular songs about diamonds
Throughout the ages, a diamond has represented love, prosperity, endurance and perseverance. There’s no denying the symbolism behind the remarkable gemstone is endless, therefore it remains a popular topic, especially amongst artists. Here is a list of famous songs where artists around the world used diamonds in their lyrics:
Beyoncé – Flawless (2013)
Beyoncé describes herself to a flawless diamond
Beyoncé is the queen of self-confidence. The singer compares herself to an internally and externally flawless diamond in her song, Flawless. The lyrics are, “this diamond: flawless – my diamond: flawless – this rock: flawless”. The song was co-written by Beyoncé in hopes of encouraging women around the world to believe in themselves and follow their dreams.
Carol Channing – Diamonds are a girl’s best friend (1949)
Marilyn Monroe is known for making the hit song, Diamonds are a girl’s best friend famous
The song might have been introduced by actress, Carol Channing in the Broadway show, Gentlemen prefer Blondes, but it was made famous by Marilyn Monroe during the film version in 1952. Today, the song is known worldwide and remains to be one of the most important movie songs, as ranked by the American Film Institute. You may have heard the song Diamonds are a girl’s best friend play in the background during a tour of the Cape Town Diamond Museum. We have a wall dedicated to the lyrics of this iconic track.
Kylie Minogue – White Diamond (2010)
After battling with cancer, Kylie compares herself to a colourless diamond
The beautiful song was sung during the 2007 documentary film, A Personal Portrait of Kylie Minogue. The song is about Kylie’s personal battle with cancer and the steps she had to take before returning to the stage. The Australian singer compares herself with a white diamond, which perfectly represents the strength and brilliance she had during her fight with cancer.
Shirley Bassey – Diamonds are forever (1971)
Shirley Bassey compares diamonds to men saying the beautiful gemstone will never let her down
The famous James Bond theme song, Diamonds are forever, still remains a favourite amongst the action film enthusiasts up to this day. During the song, Shirley Bassey compares diamonds to men saying the beautiful gemstone will never let her down. The popular lyrics are, ‘Diamonds are forever, sparkling round my little finger. Unlike men, the diamond linger’. There’s no denying the 1971 song has become one catchy tune.
Rihanna – Diamonds (2012)
Rihanna’s hit song, Diamonds made waves in 2012
A very popular song that made waves in 2012 is Rihanna’s empowering hit song, Diamonds. The song is about love and living in the moment. The lyrics are, ‘So shine bright tonight, you and I / We’re beautiful like diamonds in the sky / eye to eye, so alive / we’re beautiful like diamonds in the sky.’ The song simply has the ability to get stuck in your head.
B.G. and Cash Money Millionaires – Bling Bling (1999)
The popular song, Bling Bling sparked the bling trend in the 90s
The 1999 hit single is known for introducing the term, ‘bling’ to describe the fire and brilliance of a diamond. Rumour has it, the popular song even sparked the bling trend in the 90s after the lyrics mention the joy of wearing huge diamonds and jewellery items. The lyrics are, ‘Diamonds worn by everybody that’s in my clique. Man, I got the price of a mansion ’round my neck and wrist.’ Up until this day, diamonds remain a symbol of wealth.
Earl J. (Kit) Carson – Big Blue Diamond (1950)
Earl J. (Kit) Carson hit song is a classic song about heartbreak
The famous track written by Earl J. (Kit) Carson in 1950 is a classic song about heartbreak. During the song, Kit describes his emotional ordeal when trying to purchase a beautiful diamond for his significant other. Sadly, he was unable to afford her expensive taste and she left him for it. The lyrics are, ‘Big diamonds, big blue diamonds tell the story of the love that no one man could hold’. The song has been covered by multiple artists over the years, but the original still remains a favourite.
The Beatles – Lucy in the sky with diamonds (1967)
John Lennon describes the song as a product of his child’s imagination
There’s a lot of speculation around the famous The Beatles song and what John Lennon was thinking about when he was writing the lyrics. But, the singer cleared up the rumours saying the song was written after he saw a drawing his son, Julian made of a girl named, Lucy. The song, in his words, are merely a product of his child’s imagination. The diamonds, therefore, represent the childlike freedom Lucy has while being in the marmalade sky.
Prince – Diamonds and Pearls (1991)
The song is about the amount of love and affection Prince will give a person
Diamonds and Pearls is a famous song written and produced by the artist, Prince himself in 1991. The song is about the amount of love and affection he will give a person if they had enough money to buy the physical objects of what they were feeling. The lyrics are, ‘If I gave you diamonds and pearls. Would you be a happy boy or a girl.’ It’s truly a love song like no other.
It’s hard not to talk about the mesmerising beauty of a diamond, and even harder not to sing about it. Therefore, it’s no surprise why artists around the world use diamonds as a symbol of what they are feeling or going through. Up until this day, the gemstone remains to be a fascinating topic. What is your favourite song about diamonds?
