Song written by Kim Wilde and Hal Fowler, coupled with the traditional Silent Night. Eighth track of the album Wilde Winter Songbook.
Versions
There are two versions of ‘Burn Gold/Silent Night’: the album version and the Electric Penguins remix.
Kim about ‘Burn Gold/Silent Night’
This is the first song I have ever written with my husband, Hal Fowler. Hal has written many beautiful poems over the years we’ve been married, and I keep them all in a special box .The song began with a simple piano part I came up with to evoke the snow falling silently on a still, cold, winter’s night…’Silent Night’. Hal heard me working with the idea and suggested adding another theme; based on some poems he had written several years back, they combined beautifully. Hal also sings with me, making this song especially personal to both of us. (1)
Credits
Vocals: Kim Wilde & Hal Fowler
Bass & keys: Ricky Wilde
Drums & percussion: Jonathan Atkinson
Guitars: Neil Jones
Backing vocals: Scarlett Wilde
Produced by Ricky Wilde
Recorded at RAK Studios, London
Mixed by Ricky Wilde & Sean Vincent at RAK Studios, London
Engineered by Sean Vincent, assisted by Robbie Nelson & Helen Atkinson
Interview source
(1) Track by track, Kimwilde.com website (UK), 11 November 2013
Lyrics
The ash long gone,
Nurtures all the trees,
Her sapling children never sleep,
The willow throws her branches high,
And hawthorn silhouettes the sky,
They’ll burn orange,
Then burn yellow,
Then burn gold.
The walnut strong,
Proves all is fine,
And birch and maple, oak and pine,
With colours stained by all that’s pure,
Their silent wisdom will endure
And burn orange,
Then burn yellow,
Then burn gold.
Let’s learn from them,
both you and I,
Lay low and silent for a while,
Wait for the promise of our spring to come,
Then shine our colours on everyone,
We’ll burn orange,
We’ll burn yellow,
We’ll burn gold.
We’ll burn orange,
We’ll burn yellow,
We’ll burn gold.
Silent night, Holy night,
All is calm, all is bright,
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.