Music Review: Christina Perri "Burning Gold"

Christina Perri

Burning Gold

Album: Head or Heart

Year: 2014

             Christina Perri develops confidence in herself in the  purposeful  “Burning Gold.”

            A determined drum opens the single, setting a pressing tone.  She should’ve said something. She had an opening. If she had talked to the woman, she could’ve made a new friend. She wishes she could talk to her mom. She always knew what to say. She takes her car keys. She has to take her dad grocery shopping. Ever since her mom passed away, she’s been taking care of him.  However, she wants her life to more than her dad and work. She thought she would’ve made a road trip to California with a boyfriend or a group of friends. As she approaches 30, she knows she will lose any opportunity she once had. Traveling alone is something she can do. It doesn’t make her any less of a person. She parks in her dad’s driveway and rings the doorbell. (“Looking for an exit in this world of fear/I can see the path that leads away/Mama never left and Daddy needs me here/I wish the wind would carry a change/Looking through the window to a world of dreams/I can see my future slip away/Honey you won't get there if you don’t believe/I wish the wind would carry a change.”)

            In the pre-chorus, she can longer stay at home watching television, waiting for life to happen to her. She has to do something or she is going to the spend the rest of her life with regrets. (“I’ve had enough/I’m standing up/I need, I need a change/I’ve had enough/Of chasing luck/I need, I need a change.”)

         In the chorus, she finally began talking to the guy she’s liked. Together, they are trying new things. She is fine tuning her resume. She wants to lead the life she always wanted. (“I’m setting fire to the life that I know/Let’s start a fire everywhere that we go/We’re starting fires, we’re starting fires/Until our lives are burning gold/Until our lives are burning gold.”)

       She has gotten two job interviews. However, she was too nervous during one of them and screwed it up. It seems she won’t truly ever get her dream. She’s so frustrated. (“Looking for my ticket to a higher place/I can see my chance begin to fade/One step forward and two back again/I wish the wind would carry a change.”)

            The pre-chorus and chorus are sung again.

             In the bridge, it’s several years later. She is now an account executive  and married. She has traveled to many places with both friends and her husband. Her life is full of memories. She knew she could do it. It was her drive that saw her through. (“Looking back I see I had the flame in me/I’m the wind that’s carrying change.”)

           An edited pre-chorus is sung. (“I’ve had enough/Of chasing luck/I need I need a change.”)

            Two variations on the chorus are sung to end the single. (“I’m setting fire to the life that I know..until our lives are burning gold/I’m setting fire to the life that I know

Let’s start a fire everywhere that we go/We’re starting fires, we’re starting fires/

Until our lives are burning gold/Until our lives are burning gold.”)

      Perri’s drained vocals want to get out of her comfort zone and live life a little. She can no longer stand by and wish. As she reaches the chorus, she has a more of a fight in her (which matches the later lyrics well). She can emote, expressing the range of emotions needed for the single. If she ever wanted to explore rock, there would be cheering for me. She can make decent adult contemporary music and has a distinguishable voice  However, she’s capable of much more.

       The flickering  “Burning Gold” is a pleasant listen but Perri needs to follow her own advice as well.