Music Friday: The Beatles Sing About Buying a Diamond Ring ‘If It Makes You Feel All Right’ in ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you sensational songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today’s song is the forever-young “Can’t Buy Me Love” from the Beatles’ third studio album, A Hard Day’s Night.

Recorded in 1964 by the best-selling and most influential band in rock history, “Can’t Buy Me Love” leads off with the famous sing-along line, “I'll buy you a diamond ring, my friend, if it makes you feel all right.”

McCartney told an interviewer in 2000 that the idea behind the song “was that all these material possessions are all very well, but they won't buy me what I really want." And, what he wants, apparently, is love.

When “Can’t Buy Me Love” went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on April 4, 1964, the entire Top 5 that day was filled with Beatles’ songs, including "Twist and Shout," "She Loves You," "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "Please Please Me." This amazing accomplishment has never been repeated.

See the classic live performance of the Beatles performing “Can’t By Me Love” at the end of this post. The lyrics are below…

“Can’t Buy Me Love”
Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Performed by the Beatles.

Can't buy me love, oh
Love, oh
Can't buy me love, oh

I'll buy you a diamond ring, my friend
If it makes you feel all right
I'll get you anything my friend
If it makes you feel all right

'Cause I don't care too much for money
For money can't buy me love

I'll give you all I've got to give
If you say you love me too
I may not have a lot to give
But what I've got I'll give to you

I don't care too much for money
For money can't buy me love

Can't buy me love, oh
Everybody tells me so
Can't buy me love, oh
No, no, no, no

Say you don't need no diamond rings
And I'll be satisfied
Tell me that you want the kind of things
That money just can't buy

I don't care too much for money
Money can't buy me love

Buy me love
Everybody tells me so
Can't buy me love, oh
No, no, no, no

Say you don't need no diamond rings
And I'll be satisfied
Tell me that you want the kind of things
That money just can't buy

I don't care too much for money
Money can't buy me love

Can't buy me love, oh
Love, oh
Buy me love, oh

Kate Middleton’s Royal ‘Push Present’ Will Be a Custom-Designed Pink Diamond Brooch, Say British Tabloids

Prince William has enlisted Queen Elizabeth’s personal jewelers to create a royal “push present” for Kate Middleton to commemorate the July 22 birth of their first child, Prince George Alexander Louis. British tabloids are reporting that the gift is a fancy-color pink diamond brooch and that William has been active in the jewelry-design process. Apparently, he’s contributed a number of ideas to make the piece more sentimental.

A member of William’s “inner circle” told The Daily Express, "William has been giving this a lot of thought for a long time. He's got lots of ideas from studying [the] history of art at [the] university and decided on a pink diamond as a centerpiece because it is pretty and feminine. It will be a thank you present to Kate."

William’s post-birth gift for Kate follows a family tradition employed a generation ago by his father, Prince Charles. When Princess Diana gave birth to William, Charles gave the Princess an engraved gold medallion with “William” inscribed in his own writing and a gold charm in the shape of a "W."

According to The Daily Express, William had initially planned to give Kate an item from his late mother’s jewelry collection — she already wears Diana’s engagement ring — but decided that something from him would be more appropriate and sentimental.

It comes as no surprise that a pink diamond was eventually chosen for this special gift because pink diamonds have been a favorite of the Royal Family for generations.

Queen Elizabeth II possesses the most famous pink diamond in the world—the Williamson Pink. Canadian geologist John Williamson presented the flawless 54-carat uncut pink diamond as a wedding present to the Queen back in 1947. It was later faceted and set as the 23.60-carat center of a flower brooch for Elizabeth’s coronation in 1952. She has worn it regularly for 60 years.

Last year, a large pink diamond from the Rio Tinto mining company was named “Argyle Pink Jubilee” in honor of Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee. Originally billed as the largest pink diamond ever found in Australia, the 12.76 carat rough diamond could only be partially cut and polished because of a number of internal flaws that were discovered after the process had begun. It was subsequently donated to Australia’s Melbourne Museum.

'Bachelorette' Desiree Hartsock’s New Engagement Ring Features a 3.5-Carat Cushion-Cut Diamond Set in Entwined Bands of Platinum and Rose Gold

When heartthrob finalist Chris Siegfried met with designer Neil Lane to select an engagement ring for “The Bachelorette” Desiree Hartsock, he was immediately drawn to the beauty, symbolism and Old World charm of an unusual handcrafted design with entwined bands of platinum and rose gold, according to peoplestylewatch.com.

The ring features a large cushion-cut center diamond encircled by a halo of smaller diamonds. More than 200 diamonds are incorporated into the flowing vine-like design for a total of 3.5 carats. The ring is reportedly worth $75,000.

Siegfried got down on bended knee and presented the vintage-style diamond ring to Hartsock on Monday night’s emotional finale of ABC’s “The Bachelorette.” The two-hour program and one-hour after-show was viewed by nearly 9 million teary-eyed fans.

"I want to be your first and I want to be your last. Will you marry me?" Siegfried asked. Hartsock accepted the ring and gave him the final rose. They embraced, they kissed — a happy ending to a turbulent season that almost ended with The Bachelorette going home alone and broken-hearted.

After last week’s episode, many viewers feared that Hartsock would leave the show. She had been “devastated” and “blindsided” when her first choice, Brooks Forester, revealed that he wasn’t ready to make a commitment. But, instead of abandoning her quest for love, she decided to move forward with the two men still vying for her affection — Siegfried and Drew Kenney.

Peoplestylewatch.com reported that Lane arrived in Antigua with six engagement ring options for the final two suitors. One of the rings featured rose gold embellishments, and that’s the one that caught Siegfried’s attention. Apparently, he preferred a style that was romantic, feminine and sophisticated, and the rose gold ring was the perfect match.

Explaining the symbolism behind the platinum-and-rose gold design, the designer told peoplestylewatch.com, “The ring entwines the bands into one, just as Des and Chris are two people wrapped into one couple and forever entwined. It’s beautiful.”

When Siegfried was picking out the ring, he reportedly told Lane that he was so excited that “on a scale from one to 100, I’m a 101.”

Ruby Jewelry Collection Featured by ‘Antiques Roadshow’ in 1998 Has Nearly Doubled in Value

A fabulous Burmese ruby jewelry collection originally valued at $257,000 during a 1998 episode of “Antiques Roadshow” recently earned a return visit from the popular PBS show and an updated appraisal — with surprising results. The three pieces, which included a diamond-and-ruby ring, bracelet and pendant, are now worth $400,000 to $450,000.

Now in its 17^th season, “Antiques Roadshow” travels to various cities to connect professional appraisers with ordinary people curious to learn what their family heirlooms or yard-sale bargains may be worth. Sometimes the so-called “treasures” are exposed as fakes and other times they’re worth a fortune.

During the revisited 1998 episode, veteran appraiser Berj Zavian told a stunned woman in Richmond, Va., that the jewelry she inherited from her great aunt — the wife of a congressman who liked to lavish her with jewels — was worth more than a quarter millions dollars.

Zavian explained that two of the pieces were from the Art Deco period (circa 1925) and one was dated to the 19^th century. They each featured fine-quality Burmese rubies set in platinum. The dual diamond-and-ruby pendant was worth $12,000 and the diamond-and-ruby ring was worth $80,000, but the real showstopper was the diamond-and-ruby bracelet.

Highlighted by a rare 3.5-carat Burmese ruby, the bracelet was adorned by 30 smaller rubies, 70 baguette diamonds and 144 round diamonds. The diamond carat weight totaled 15 carats.

“Wait, you haven't heard anything yet,” Zavian said to build some suspense. “Now, your rubies in here are magnificent. Your bracelet is worth $165,000.”

“I never thought it would be that much,” said the stunned guest.

“The three pieces together in today's market are worth somewhere about $257,000,” said Zavian.

“Wow,” she said.

At the conclusion of the segment a bold graphic summarized the value of the ruby collection — $257,000. But, then a second graphic added for last week’s "vintage" episode swooped into the frame with the updated value of $400,000 to $450,000.

The dramatic change in value over 15 years illustrates the importance of keeping jewelry appraisals up to date. For instance, if the jewelry featured on “Antiques Roadshow” had been lost or stolen before the new appraisal, the owner may have been woefully underinsured.

An updated appraisal is also indispensable when trying to ascertain the value of one’s jewelry for estate purposes, divorce settlements, private sales and loans. Experts advise that appraisals should be updated every two to three years.

Singer Kelly Clarkson Blocked From Taking Novelist Jane Austen’s Ring Out of the UK; Authorities Say It’s a ‘National Treasure’

Describing novelist Jane Austen’s turquoise ring as a “national treasure” that must be “saved for the nation,” British authorities are blocking singer Kelly Clarkson’s attempt to take her $231,227 auction prize out of the country.

The same authorities are appealing for a UK buyer to come forward with a matching offer while a temporary export ban is in place. British buyers have to make a play for the near-200-year-old ring before the ban is lifted on October 1.

“Jane Austen’s modest lifestyle and her early death (at age 41) mean that objects associated with her of any kind are extremely rare, so I hope that a UK buyer comes forward so this simple but elegant ring can be saved for the nation,” UK Culture Minister Ed Vaizey said in a statement.

The 2002 “American Idol” winner and pop sensation purchased the rare turquoise and gold ring in July 2012 at a Sotheby’s auction in London. It is one of only three pieces of jewelry in existence that can be connected to the famous 19th century author of such critically acclaimed novels as Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and Emma.

The provenance of the ring is well documented. Austen, who lived from 1775 until 1817, gave it to her sister, Cassandra, who then gave it to her sister-in-law Eleanor Austen when she became engaged to Henry Thomas Austen. The ring has remained in the Austen family ever since, according to the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

“Jane Austen placed great significance on jewelry’s link to personal relationships both in her life and in her novels,” the Department of Culture said in a statement.

ABC News reported that Clarkson’s fiancé, Brandon Blackstock, had a replica of the Austen ring made for the singer while she waits for the outcome of this intercontinental drama.

Clarkson agreed to sell the ring if a British buyer comes forward. But, even if she relinquishes the ring, she still possesses an important piece of Austen memorabilia — a first-edition copy of Persuasion that she purchased at the same Sotheby’s auction last July.