Diamond Ring

from Heart Like Thunder by Hallie Spoor

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Each verse of Diamond Ring is a different love story in my life, with the question at the end of why I was not “the one”. Why was I not good enough to wear your mama’s Diamond Ring? In verse one, I am lying on the couch, listening to Neil Young’s Heart Of Gold on vinyl while the rain is pouring down with my partner. Next, we’re having a screaming match in the West Village. And in the last verse, I am back with my first love- stargazing in an abandoned horse racing track in Nashville, TN. Lyrically, the story takes us to the acceptance and peace of knowing none of these were meant to be, but that in another life we could be friends. I aspire to have that level of acceptance in my songs because it’s so hard to do this in real life with all the baggage and pain I carry with me. Like the ending of “Annie Hall” when Alvy runs into Annie, and they have lunch in a sunny diner. He parts ways with his former love remembering how great she is, and how happy he is to have known her. He says, “You know, we’re always trying to get things to come out perfect in art because it's so difficult in life.”

Sonically, there are a lot of special jewels in Diamond Ring. First, are the drums by JT Bates. We actually had to re-record the drums for most of the album because the tempos evolved so much from when I first recorded, but we could not let go of the gorgeous drums that JT did on Diamond Ring and Shenandoah. The drums have this train-chugging shuffle that is haunting and rich, they feel so natural and live to me.

Then the second thing that is notable about this song’s arrangement is the beautiful bridge that producer Stephen Chen helped me bring to life. The song takes on this slow, longing build with the strings rising and rising, vocals creating the swirling Oh’s echo effect. This section moves the story into a new world, and I just love it.

lyrics

Records and the rain, Heart Of Gold playing on repeat.
Dancing in the bars, ending up fighting on the street.
Does she make you laugh? Do you miss the way I sing?
Am I washed away by the next best thing?
A better fit for your mama’s diamond ring.

Lying in the grass counting constellations in the stars
Smoking cigarettes, made us feel older than we are
Does she take her glass whisky neat?
Am I more than that, did I make you weak?
A better fit for you mama’s…

Maybe when we’re older we’ll look back and laugh at who we were
All of our mistakes, forgotten with a pain that doesn’t hurt
You will take my hand on a sunny street
I’ll understand why we’d never be
A better fit for you mama’s diamond ring.

credits

from Heart Like Thunder, released October 17, 2023

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Hallie Spoor Brooklyn, New York

"If you’re a fan of confessional lyrics and a strong, powerful voice,” writes 303 Magazine, “then Spoor is your girl." Based in Brooklyn, indie-folk singer-songwriter Hallie Spoor has often been described as an old soul. Her compelling vocals and emotional storytelling has led to her nickname, “The Adele of Americana". ... more

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