Album:  

Writer:

Sting

Length:

3:32

Notes:

This is what I might call a 'stealth classic'. Upon its release in 1993 it was unable to climb any higher than 16 in the UK charts, yet most people would probably assume it had been a number one for Sting. Songs that seemingly under-perform yet ultimately are considered classics are a bit puzzling. My own theory is that it might have something to do with dreamy ballads. Catchy pop songs that get your feet tapping and have a hook that becomes an earworm in your brain tend to dominate the number one spot, whereas a song like "Fields of Gold" may make you think, 'aw, how lovely' without necessarily rushing out to buy it. And of course, young people are less into ballads and they tend to be the prime market for singles purchasing. By the time those young people have lived another decade they will start to become more receptive to ballads and realise that actually, songs like "Fields of Gold" are pretty good. In time, such songs get a booster shot from cover versions; in this case, notably, by Eva Cassidy who took the song to another level, and hence they burrow ever deeper into the collective consciousness.

Katie recorded the song as the BBC Children in Need single for 2017. She could easily have put her own stamp on it but instead chose to follow Eva's stunning interpretation. This backfired slightly as there were some grumblings amongst Cassidy fans on social media that Katie was merely copying their idol—clearly they were ignorant to the fact that Eva was Katie's idol too, and she was honouring her with this performance. It is also worth pointing out this was for charity and not Katie's own financial gain. Personally, I actually prefer Katie's performance, probably because my ear is now perfectly attuned to the frequency of Katie's voice (yes, technically frequencies, I know, but I'm referring to tuning as in a radio dial—I'm tuned in to her radio station if you like). In that sense, I would have liked to have seen how Katie might have interpreted the song her own way but you can't have your cake and eat it and I think on balance she was right to emulate Eva. But that is why I trust Katie—she always makes the right choices.

YouTube:

If you haven't seen the official video then I'm actually torn between pitying you and being ragingly indignant. If you have you'll be more than happy to see it again. So here is the link: Fields of Gold

Lyrics:

Fields of Gold