Music Friday: Enormous Wedding Band Floats Above a Beach in Nelly's 'Just a Dream'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you awesome songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Nelly wears his heartbreak on his sleeve in the 2010 blockbuster hit, "Just a Dream." Nelly's true love is gone and he knows he's only got himself to blame. He didn't give her all his love and he failed to offer the ultimate symbol of his devotion.

He sings, "Now you ain't around, baby I can't think / I should have put it down, should have got that ring."

In the song's official video, Nelly is standing on the beach at Playa del Rey, Calif. Floating high above his head — symbolically out of reach — are his dream home, his custom-made Ford Mustang GT and an enormous — yes, we mean enormous — gold wedding band. Later in the dream sequence, all three symbols of his perfect life burst into flames and fall in fragments to the beach below.

Many Nelly fans speculated that the song was actually a commentary on Nelly's breakup with recording artist Ashanti.

In an interview with That Grape Juice, Nelly attempted to set the record straight: "No it's not about Ashanti. It's just a song that I and my man [Rico] came up with. It's a song that's just relatable on all levels – rich, poor, black, white, child, adult – whatever level it is. If [thinking it’s about Ashanti] is what helps people to go out and support it then so be it (giggles)."

"Just a Dream" was released as the lead single from Nelly's 2010 album 5.0. The song zoomed all the way to #3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #5 on the Canadian Hot 100. It charted in 21 countries and was named the "Top Streaming Song" at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards.

Cornell Iral Haynes Jr., known professionally as Nelly, was born in Austin, Texas, in 1974, and grew up in St. Louis. While in high school, he formed a band called the St. Lunatics. As an independent artist, Nelly blossomed into a world-class rapper, earning Grammy Awards in 2003 and 2004. With 21 million albums sold, the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) ranks Nelly #4 on the list of the best-selling rap artists in American music history.

Please check out the official video of Nelly performing "Just a Dream." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"Just a Dream"
Written by Mitch J, Nelly, Rico Love, Jim Jonsin and Frank Romano. Performed by Nelly.

I was thinking bout
her, thinkin' bout me
Thinkin' bout us, what we gonna be
Open my eyes yeah,
it was only just a dream
So I traveled back, down that road
Will she'd come back, no one knows
I realize yeah,
it was only just a dream

I was at the top and now it's
like I'm in the basement
Number one spot and now
she's findin a replacement
I swear now I can't take it,
knowing somebody's got my baby
And now you ain't around
baby I can't think
I should've put it down,
should've got the ring
Cause I can still feel it in the air
See her pretty face run my
fingers through her hair
My lover, my life, my sharty, my wife
She left me, I'm tied
Cause I knew that it just ain't right

I was thinking bout
her, thinkin' bout me
Thinkin' bout us, what we gonna be
Open my eyes yeah, it
was only just a dream
So I traveled back, down that road
Will she come back, no one knows
I realize yeah, it was only just a dream

When I be ridin' I swear
I see your face at every turn
Tryna get my Usher on
but I can't let it burn
And I just hopes he knows that
she the only one I yearn for
More and more I miss
her, when will I learn
Didn't give all my love,
I guess now I got my payback
Now I'm in the club
thinking all about my baby
Hey, it's was so easy to love
But wait, I guess that
love wasn't enough
I'm going through it
every time that I'm alone
And now I'm missing, wishing
he'll pick up the phone
But she made the decision
that she wanted to move on
Cause I was wrong

I was thinking bout
her, thinkin' bout me
Thinkin' bout us, what we gonnna be
Open my eyes yeah, it
was only just a dream
So I traveled back, down that road
Will come back, no one knows
I realize yeah, it was only just a dream

If you ever loved somebody
put your hands up
If you ever loved somebody
put your hands up
And now they're gone and you're
wishing you could give them everything
Said if you ever loved
somebody put your hands up
If you ever loved somebody
put your hands up
Now they're gone and you're wishing
you could give them
everything

I was thinking bout
her, thinkin' bout me
Thinkin' bout us, what we gonna be
Open my eyes yeah, it
was only just a dream
So I traveled back, down that road
Will she come back, no one knows
I realize yeah, it was only just a dream

I was thinking bout
her, thinkin' bout me
Thinkin' bout us, what we gonna be
Open my eyes yeah, it
was only just a dream
So I traveled back, down that road
Will she come back, no one knows
I realize yeah, it was only just a dream

Credits: Screen captures via YouTube.com/NellyVEVO.

$5,000 Halo-Style Grand Prize Looks a Lot Like a White Castle Chicken Ring

White Castle, America's first fast-food hamburger chain, is ringing in the summer with a sweepstakes highlighting new value deals on its distinctively shaped Chicken Rings. The Grand Prize is a $5,000 halo-style diamond ring whose key design element — a hollow center — is reminiscent of White Castle's bite-sized crispy chicken treat.

Nine round diamonds encircle the top of the ring in a configuration that could be mistaken for a contemporary halo-style engagement ring, except for the void where the center stone would be. In addition, the halo's side profile is dotted with smaller diamond accents, as is the white metal band.

White Castle's symmetrical Chicken Rings stand apart from its many competitors' "unshapely nuggets."

"Although we've been known as America's slider provider for more than 98 years, our Original Chicken Rings have rung up a significant following with their crispy, dippable flavor," said White Castle VP Jamie Richardson. "We recognize it's time to treat these Chicken Ring lovers by offering a chance at more than a thousand prizes..."

The company, in coordination with Dr. Pepper, will be giving away 100 pairs of limited-edition Chicken Ring Earrings. Other prizes include 200 coupons redeemable for a Crave Case filled with 30 Original Sliders, 400 coupons redeemable for a sack of 10 Original Sliders and 400 limited-edition Chicken Ring Pop Socket grips.

White Castle is accepting entries two ways. The first requires the customer to visit the prize website, fill out a short form and upload a picture of a White Castle receipt that includes the purchase of Chicken Rings and at least one small soft drink. Online entrants will receive a coupon redeemable for one small order of french fries.

There is also a mail-in option that requires no purchase. Click this link for more info.

Formally known as the "Dr Pepper Ring Thing Giveaway," the contest launched on June 27 and runs through August 31. The Grand Prize winner will be drawn randomly on September 12, according to the official rules. Each entrant must be a U.S. citizen and at least 18 years of age.

A regional hamburger chain with 599 locations in 13 states, the 98-year-old brand earned worldwide attention after the release of the 2004 flick Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.

Credit: Images courtesy of White Castle.

Birthstone Feature: In 1961, Smithsonian Got This 60-Carat Ruby Bracelet From a Secret Donor

Back in 1961, the Smithsonian received an extraordinary ruby-and-diamond bracelet from an anonymous donor. Fifty-eight years later, The Burmese Ruby Bracelet continues to be a star at the Gem Gallery at the National Museum of Natural History because it contains 31 highly prized pigeon's blood rubies from the Mogok region of Burma (Myanmar). Ruby is July's official birthstone.

Weighing a total of 60 carats, the rubies display a slightly purplish-red color that is medium-dark in tone and enhanced by a red fluorescence. The rubies were taken from another piece of jewelry and reset by Harry Winston, Inc., in 1950.

According to the Smithsonian, the original cuts were retained and the stones were reset in platinum in a three-row design with 107 pear, marquise and round brilliant cut diamonds totaling 27 carats.

Since the late 15th century, Burma, particularly the region around Mogok, has been a vital source for high-quality rubies. Mogok is a city founded more than 800 years ago in the Pyin Oo Lwin District of the Mandalay Region. Mogok and other villages nearby have been famous for their gemstones, especially rubies and sapphires. The mountainous Mogok area, known as the "Valley of Rubies,” is regarded as the original source of pigeon's blood rubies as well as the world's most beautiful royal blue sapphires.

Ruby is a variety of the mineral corundum (aluminium oxide). Gemstone-quality corundum in all shades of red are generally called rubies. Corundum is other colors are called sapphires.

The word "ruby" comes from "ruber," Latin for red. Rubies gets their color from the element chromium and boast a hardness of 9.0 on the Mohs scale. Only diamonds are rated higher at 10.0.

Legend tells us that rubies were revered as a mystical gem representing love, health and wisdom. It was a long-held belief that wearing a ruby brought good fortune to its owner. The value of a ruby increases based on its color, cut, clarity and carat weight.

While Burma has earned the reputation of producing the finest rubies, the coveted red gems have also been mined in Thailand, Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, India, Namibia, Japan and Scotland. After World War II, ruby deposits were discovered in Madagascar, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Tanzania and Vietnam. In the U.S., rubies have been found in Montana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Wyoming.

Credit: Photo by Chip Clark/Smithsonian.