Music Friday: Tommy Proposes With a Class Ring in 1991's 'She's in Love With the Boy'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you awesome songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. In Trisha Yearwood's chart-topping single, "She's In Love With the Boy," the parking lot of a Tastee-Freez is the setting for the class-ring marriage proposal of a smitten teen.

Written by Jon Ims and released on Yearwood's self-titled debut album in 1991, "She's In Love With the Boy" chronicles the love story of Katie and Tommy — teenage sweethearts living in a one-horse town. Tommy loves speeding around town in his beat-up pickup truck.

Katie's dad isn't impressed by the young man's showboating, claiming, "When it comes to brains, he got the short end of the stick."

Still, Katie doesn't care what her dad thinks. She'd follow Tommy anywhere. Even if they have to run away together, "she's going to marry that boy someday."

Katie finally gets her wish when her lovestruck boyfriend proposes after a romantic evening at a drive-in movie.

Yearwood sings, "Later on outside the Tastee-Freez / Tommy slips something on her hand / He says my high school ring will have to do / 'Til I can buy a wedding band."

Katie's dad is furious when Tommy and Katie come sneaking up the walk at half past 12. He orders Katie to go to her room and is just about to give Tommy a piece of his mind when Katie's mom intervenes. She reminds her husband that he and Tommy are very much alike. Her own father disapproved of their relationship and mocked her then-boyfriend as a hay-seed plowboy who didn't have a row to hoe.

"But he was wrong and, honey, you are too," Yearwood sings. "Katie looks at Tommy like I still look at you."

When "She's In Love With the Boy" topped the U.S. Billboard Country chart, Yearwood became the first female singer to reach #1 with her debut single. The song would help rocket her to stardom.

Patricia Lynn “Trisha” Yearwood was born in 1964 in Monticello, Ga., to a school teacher mom and a banker dad. She got her big break as a 21-year-old when she interned for — and was then hired by — MTM Records, which was founded by the late Mary Tyler Moore. While working for MTM, Yearwood sang background vocals for new artists, including Garth Brooks.

“I got work based on the fact that I showed up on time, I worked cheap, I knew the songs when I got there and I sang on pitch,” Yearwood told People magazine in 2015.

The 55-year-old Yearwood has been a cast member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1999. Her work has earned three Grammy Awards, three awards from the Academy of Country Music and three awards from the Country Music Association. She has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide.

In 2005, she married Brooks, her longtime friend and collaborator. Brooks admitted on The Ellen Show that there had always been an undeniable chemistry between the pair.

Her Food Network cooking show, Trisha's Southern Kitchen, won a 2013 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Culinary Program and is now in its 12th season.

Please check out Yearwood’s live performance of "She's In Love With the Boy." The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

"She's In Love With the Boy"
Written by Jon Ims. Performed by Trisha Yearwood.

Katie's sittin' on the old front porch
Watchin' the chickens peck the ground
There ain't a whole lot goin' on tonight
In this one-horse town
Over yonder comin' up the road
In a beat-up Chevy truck
Her boyfriend Tommy, he's layin' on the horn
Splashin' through the mud and the muck

Her daddy says he ain't worth a lick
When it comes to brains, he got the short end of the stick
But Katie's young and man, she just don't care
She'd follow Tommy anywhere

She's in love with the boy
She's in love with the boy
She's in love with the boy
And even if they have to run away
She's gonna marry that boy someday

Katie and Tommy at the drive-in movie
Parked in the very last row
They're too busy holdin' on to one another
To even care about the show
Later on outside the Tastee-Freez
Tommy slips something on her hand
He says my high school ring will have to do
'Til I can buy a wedding band

Her daddy says he ain't worth a lick
When it comes to brains, he got the short end of the stick
But Katie's young and man, she just don't care
She'd follow Tommy anywhere

She's in love with the boy
She's in love with the boy
She's in love with the boy
And even if they have to run away
She's gonna marry that boy someday

Her daddy's waitin' up 'til half past twelve
When they come sneakin' up the walk
He says young lady get on up to your room
While me and Junior have a talk
Mama breaks in, says don't lose your temper
It wasn't very long ago
When you yourself was just a hay-seed plowboy
Who didn't have a row to hoe

My daddy said you wasn't worth a lick
When it came to brains you got the short end of the stick
But he was wrong and, honey, you are too
Katie looks at Tommy like I still look at you

She's in love with the boy
She's in love with the boy
She's in love with the boy
What's meant to be will always find a way

She's in love with the boy
She's in love with the boy
She's in love with the boy
What's meant to be will always find a way
She's gonna marry that boy someday

She's in love with the boy

Credit: DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley / Public domain.

Leading Diamond Miners Join Forces to Launch the 'Natural Diamond Council'

The world's leading diamond miners have hit the reset button on the "Diamond Producers Association," relaunching the global trade organization as the "Natural Diamond Council" (NDC), while at the same time replacing their "Real is Rare, Real is a Diamond" branding with the simpler phrase, "Only Natural Diamonds" (OND).

NDC's new consumer-friendly website, naturaldiamonds.com, will offer insightful natural diamond coverage under six key pillars: "Epic Diamonds," "Hollywood & Pop Culture," "Love & Diamonds," "Style & Innovation," "Diamonds 101" and "Inside the Diamond World." Overall, the group's mission is to promote the desirability of natural diamonds and support the integrity of the diamond jewelry industry.

"Our new digital platforms will inspire and inform consumers globally about the values and heritage of natural diamonds, as well as promoting the significant innovation happening throughout the world of diamond jewelry,” noted NDC Managing Director, Kristina Buckley Kayel. “The younger audience is clearly engaged and inspired when we present ourselves with authority in the digital world. It’s our aim to be number one across all digital platforms in our industry, and our ambitious plans reflect these goals.”

The OND website aims to be a trusted educational hub, providing all the facts needed when considering buying diamond jewelry.

On its YouTube page, Only Natural Diamonds, the OND posted a 50-second video with the caption, "What the modern diamond industry looks like today may surprise you. Discover the world of natural diamonds, today."

In the video, viewers learn that diamond producers are committed to giving back to the Earth by reducing their carbon footprint, protecting 1,000 square miles of land and supporting the livelihood of 10 million people with safe, quality jobs. What's more, the diamond industry is creating infrastructure, social programs and schools to empower future generations, while infusing $7 billion annually into local communities.

The launch of the NDC is the result of the collaborative effort of seven leading diamond mining companies: ALROSA, De Beers, Dominion Diamonds, Lucara Diamond, Petra Diamonds, Murowa Diamonds and Rio Tinto. Combined, they represent about 75% of the world's rough diamond production.

“There is no task more important than inspiring consumers with what we call 'The Diamond Dream,’” said Stephen Lussier, Chairman of the NDC. “Our mission is to educate consumers [about] the industry and the positive social contribution diamonds make to the world today. Our members are committed to these goals, and the launch of the NDC marks an exciting step on this path.”

Credit: 813-carat Constellation diamond image courtesy of Lucara Diamond.

Gemfields' Third Short Film Introduces the '6Cs' of Buying a Ruby or Emerald

"Buyers Guide," the third installment in Gemfields' short-film series, introduces the "6Cs" of buying a ruby or emerald. Gemfields takes the commonly known "4Cs" of buying a diamond — color, clarity, cut and carat weight — and adds "character" and "certification."

The character of a gemstone is defined by its unique inclusions – the tiny flaws entombed in its crystals, which give it a personality all its own. This “story inside each gemstone” is perhaps the most important consideration for buyers, says the narrator.

He goes on to explain how a certificate from a licensed gem laboratory provides expert opinion on the gemstone's characteristics, as well as its country of origin and any treatments undertaken.

Color and clarity vary according to hue, tone and saturation, according to Gemfields, and these are influenced largely by the gemstone’s place of origin.

The skilled artistry involved in shaping each gemstone into an exquisite cut — be it round, oval, marquise, pear or octagon — is referenced, too.

Narrated and set to dramatic music, the film runs just under two minutes. But, in that short time, the viewer is taken on a spectacular journey from the formation of gemstones deep within the earth to the time they come to market.

"A gemstone is a gift from the earth itself," says the narrator.

The Buyer’s Guide video was created by Lambda Films, which utilized "liquid art" (a mixture of paint and oil) to illustrate how rubies and emeralds are formed at an elemental level. The Lambda creative team also used sculptured marble tableaus in 3D to depict modern-day shoppers, a gemologist and even an African queen.

Gemfields is featuring the short film on its website and on its YouTube channel, with shorter teasers posted to Gemfields’ social media.

The first video in the series emphasized the miner’s commitment to responsible sourcing, while the May release focused on emerald — the most valuable member of the beryl family and the official May birthstone.

The fourth and final video will be released in July. Gemfields will shine the spotlight on ruby, the birthstone of that month.

The mining company is uniquely qualified to tell the story of emeralds and rubies. For the past 12 years, it has operated Kagem, the world’s largest and most productive emerald mine. Kagem is 75% owned by Gemfields and 25% owned by the Government of the Republic of Zambia. Gemfields also operates the world’s largest ruby mine — the Montepuez mine in Mozambique.

Please check out the Buyers Guide video, below…

Credits: All images © Gemfields.

Music Friday: Eric Clapton’s ‘Golden Ring’ Chronicles a Complicated Love Triangle

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you classic songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today's featured song, "Golden Ring," chronicles Eric Clapton's complicated love triangle with model Pattie Boyd and The Beatles' George Harrison.

When asked by VH1 in 1999 to name his favorite song from his own catalog, the 17-time Grammy winner surprisingly picked “Golden Ring,” the ninth track on his 1978 Backless album.

He said the simple song was his all-time favorite because “it’s obscure, people don’t know it and it’s about marriage.”

It was later revealed that Clapton wrote the song to send a not-so-subtle message to Boyd about her lingering feelings for the ex-husband, Harrison. The Fab Four guitarist and Clapton became close friends in the late 1960s, but despite their friendship, Clapton fell in love with Boyd, who Harrison had married in 1966.

In 1970, Clapton reportedly proclaimed his love for Boyd with his hit song, “Layla.” When Boyd rebuffed his advances, Clapton went into a self-imposed musical exile that would last more than three years.

Boyd and Harrison eventually separated in 1974 and divorced in 1977. Clapton now had his chance to rekindle the relationship.

Clapton penned “Golden Ring” in the emotional transition year between Boyd’s official divorce from Harrison and his own marriage to Boyd in 1979. It was also the year Harrison tied the knot with author Olivia Trinidad Arias.

Clapton explained in his 2007 autobiography, “[Golden Ring] was written about the situation between me, [Pattie] and George. It referred in part to her response to the news that George was getting married again. She took it quite hard, and I, in my arrogance, found that hard to understand. So I wrote this song about the peculiarity of our triangle, which finishes with the words, ‘If I gave to you a golden ring / Would I make you happy, would I make you sing?'”

Clapton, who is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of the Yardbirds and Cream), is considered one of the most influential guitarists of all time, ranking second on Rolling Stone magazine’s all-time list.

Clapton has sold more than 100 million albums and played 3,000-plus concerts during his 58 years as a performing artist. Over that time, more than two billion people in 58 countries across six continents have attended his concerts.

Born Eric Patrick Clapton in Surrey, England, in 1945, to a Canadian soldier stationed in England and a teenage mom, the future guitarist was raised by his maternal grandparents, convinced that his mother was his sister. At age nine, he learned learned the truth. Emotionally scarred, he became moody and distant and stopped applying himself at school.

Clapton loved music and got his first guitar on his 13th birthday. In 1961, at age 16, Clapton attended the Kingston College of Art and studied stained-glass design. He was expelled from college after one year because he spent most of his waking hours playing guitar and listening to the blues.

According to Clapton’s official bio, he spent his early days in music as a street performer. When he was 17, Clapton joined his first band, The Roosters. To make ends meet, the young Clapton worked as a laborer alongside his grandfather, a master bricklayer.

Clapton, who was making a name for himself on the R&B pub circuit, was recruited to become a member of The Yardbirds. The 18-year-old guitarist, who would earn the nickname Slowhand even though his hands were blazing fast, accepted the offer and the rest is history.

We invite you to enjoy the audio track of Clapton performing “Golden Ring.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Golden Ring”
Written and performed by Eric Clapton.

He gave to you a golden ring
It made you happy, it made you sing
And I played for you on my guitar
It didn't last long, we didn't go far

And though the times have changed, we're rearranged
Will the ties that bind remain the same?

You came around after a while
Everyone said that I made you smile
It all went well and suddenly then
You heard that he would marry again

And though the times have changed, we're rearranged
Will the ties that bind remain the same?

Well I know that I have been here before
I've trod on your wings, I've opened the door
If I gave to you a golden ring
Would I make you happy, would I make you sing?

Though the times have changed, we're rearranged
Do the ties that bind remain the same?
Oh the times have changed, they're rearranged
Will the ties that bind remain the same?

Credit: Eric Clapton photo by Majvdl / CC BY-SA

Lady Gaga Wore the 128-Carat 'Tiffany Diamond' During a Post-Oscar Run to Taco Bell

On Friday, Lady Gaga dished the tasty 2019 Oscars backstory of how the $30 million, 128.54-carat "Tiffany Diamond" that she wore during the awards ceremony remained on her neck during a Madonna-hosted afterparty — and a late-night excursion to Taco Bell.

During her virtual appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Gaga described the celebration after scoring her first Oscar for Best Original Song.

“I didn’t know what was going to happen that night — I was just so happy to be there,” the 34-year-old singer-actress told the host. “My sister and I were barreling through champagne backstage, and when we left, I didn’t tell anyone, and I still had the diamond on.”

The extraordinary cushion-cut sparkler, which normally resides on the main floor of Tiffany’s Fifth Avenue flagship store, has been worn by only three women during its 143-year history. The fancy yellow diamond made its first public appearance on the neck of Mrs. E. Sheldon Whitehouse at the 1957 Tiffany Ball. Actress Audrey Hepburn famously wore it in 1961 publicity posters for the motion picture Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

And, in February 2019, Gaga and The Tiffany Diamond turned heads at the 91st Academy Awards. Tiffany's security team was on hand throughout the evening to keep a watchful eye on the famous stone.

“Everyone freaked out that I was still wearing [the necklace],” Gaga said. “When I went to Madonna's house, security guards were side-eyeing me."

Gaga was finally separated from the mammoth diamond when she and her entourage sought a late-night snack at a fast-food drive-thru.

“When we were heading to Taco Bell, my car was pulled over and Tiffany's security politely removed [the necklace] from my neck,” Gaga said.

The 128.54-carat yellow diamond was cut from a 287.42-carat rough stone discovered in the Kimberley diamond mines of South Africa in 1877 and acquired the following year by Tiffany’s founder, Charles Lewis Tiffany.

The rough stone was brought to Paris, where Tiffany’s chief gemologist, Dr. George Frederick Kunz, supervised the cutting of the diamond into a cushion-shape brilliant with an unprecedented 82 facets — 24 more facets than the traditional 58-facet brilliant cut. The stone measures slightly more than an inch across.

In 1961, the diamond was set in a ribbon rosette necklace to promote Breakfast at Tiffany’s. In 1995, it was part of a brooch called Bird on a Rock, which was exhibited at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.

The Tiffany Diamond necklace worn by Gaga was designed in 2012 to mark Tiffany’s 175 anniversary celebration. The platinum necklace features an openwork motif of sun rays glistening with 481 diamonds totaling more than 100 carats.

Credits: Academy Awards screen capture via YouTube.com/ABC; Bird on a Rock image by Shipguy [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons.