Detours Album cover, by Sheryl Crow
It took me a little bit to find a song I liked. I wanted a song about actual jewelry, and many of the songs are using “ring” and “watch” in other ways. When I heard Diamond Ring by Sheryl Crow, I liked the sound of her voice and also that the lyrics resonated with me. For a person who has been married and also experienced other relationships where the other person wanted to control me, and what better way to control than to sign a contract (i.e. marriage contract.) The idea of entering another such contract with another does more than give me cold feet.
Sheryl Crow has been a favorite of mine since her 1993 debut album Tuesday Night Music Club. The hits off of it, “Strong Enough” and “All I Wanna Do” convinced me to follow her career. “Cmon Cmon” is the first album of hers I bought and is the one I’m most familiar with. Today’s choice is a new song of hers for me.
Per wikipedia, Detours is the sixth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow, released on 2/5/08. The album peaked at number two in the United States, becoming Crow’s third consecutive album to do so, and sold over 700,000 copies worldwide up to 2010. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album on 12/4/08. Detours was recorded at Crow’s Nashville farm and includes 14 of the 24 songs recorded. “Diamond Ring” is the 10th cut on the album. There were over 30 musicians and production people on the album, but one name stood out for me: Doyle Bramhall II on electric guitar. Doyle II gets around!
From songfacts.com:
This song seems to allude to Sheryl Crow’s called-off engagement to champion cyclist Lance Armstrong. Crow refused to confirm this in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine saying: “All I can say is that I’ve been engaged 3 times. So I have a thing about diamonds!”
per wikipedia:
Crow has had several high-profile romantic relationships. In the late 1990s, she dated musician Eric Clapton and actor Owen Wilson. The song “Safe and Sound” on the album C’mon, C’mon was dedicated to Wilson and, according to the album’s liner notes, was an account of their relationship. Crow began dating cyclist Lance Armstrong in 2003. The couple announced their engagement in September 2005, but jointly announced they had split on 2/3/06. According to Crow, she has been engaged two other times but never married.
Now you have to wonder who “My Favorite Mistake” was about!
When you decide to step into celebrity, every aspect of your life is scrutinized. It has to be tough to know everybody knows when you fall in love or fall out of love.
Diamond Ring
We made love all day
In our little hide away
But I blew up our love nest
By making one little request
Diamond ring
Diamond ring
Don't mean anything
Diamond ring
Diamond ring
Should not mean a thing
You could say, "I do"
Hide your negative reviews
You love me, you say
But you can't even face the day
Diamond ring
Diamond ring
Don't mean anything
Diamond ring
Diamond ring
Should not change
Some say love is, oh, so blind
But I say love is only in the mind
Diamonds may be, oh, so sweet
But to me, they just bring on cold feet
Someday you'll be like me
With someone who just wants to be free
Diamond ring
Diamond ring
Fucks up everything
Diamond ring
Diamond ring
Should not mean a thing
Written by: Sheryl Crow (lyrics,) and Sheryl Crow, Jeff Trott (music)
Album: Detours
Released: 2007
Jim Adams is the host of Song Lyric Sunday. This week, Jim wants us to find a song that mentions jewelry like a watch, a ring or a necklace.
Tao Talk 
Your expression glows with honesty (≧◡≦)
Every word feels true and necessary (^_−)☆
I’d love to hear your view on my writing too (*≧▽≦)
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Thanks, Hary.
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Nice choice, Lisa and I never looked at a failed relationship as a way to achieve freedom before, but that does make sense if you are engaged to a controlling man.
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Jim, I appreciate your sharing your thoughts on it. Unfortunately it’s been a pattern, but I’m not blaming the men. It’s just that some men are so afraid of losing their partner and don’t know any other way, whether they will admit it not. Listen to some of Bruce Springsteen songs; it’s a favorite topic of his. Glad you liked the song.
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The fear of losing a partner, coupled with deeper insecurities, can be a significant reason why some men attempt to control women.
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Relationshipping is a challenge any way you look at it, isn’t it. Just like everything else, there is light and shadow within it. It’s just that when people use physical violence and/or psychological torture, it becomes a whole different animal.
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Love Sheryl Crow!
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She has the voice of an angel and the strength of a mountain.
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Brilliant choice Lisa she is a wonderful artist her voice is sublime 🩷
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Yes, she is! Thanks, Ange.
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Sadly. my knowledge of Sheryl Crow stalled after One of Us. I bought the tape- yes, we still listened to tapes at that time and that was the kind of player installed in my car- and found out the God song was the only one I liked- so that was the end of that.
I do however love knowing the backstory of anything- so this was a most delicious post.
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V, even the best musical artists have dud albums. Sometimes a “Best of…” album works better when you only like one or two from their albums. Glad you liked the back story. She’s dated some really driven and successful men, but in the end she values her independence more and doesn’t have to play trophy wife to anyone. Thanks much.
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I’d love to see her engagement ring collection 😜
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:)
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One of Us was Joan Osborne. I can’t remember the rest of that album either, though I don’t remember hating it.
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Now that made me look it up. I actually did like a lot of those songs I think. I don’t still have the CD (or maybe I had the album, but I gave all those away) but I’ll have to see if the library has it and give it another listen. You’ve made me curious!
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Omg that’s right! I don’t know what I was thinking about 🤯
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Glad you saw K’s comment :)
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Aha! I didn’t look at Sheryl’s discography when the comment was made but I should have. Let me know about Joan’s One of Us and if it’s any good.
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I will.
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I really enjoyed your post and the song… 💜💜💜
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Willow, thank you <3 <3 <3
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Thanks for sharing. I love rare finds like these a lot.
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You are welcome, Sanjeet. Glad you liked it.
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New song for me also, Lisa. Sheryl Crow is the voice of many women in this song. All some guys have to hear are words like ‘commitment’, ‘another level’ or ‘diamond ring’; the warning (wedding) bells go off and he’s out the door! Great pick for this week’s challenge.
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Thanks, Nancy!
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Very welcome, Lisa.
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I always like Sheryl Crow but I don’t think I have heard this. I guess my exposure to her was mostly the popular stuff that was played on the radio all the time! Good song though. I like her voice!
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I agree it’s a good song and on her voice. She sings with a lot of raw energy on this one.
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yes, that’s a good description.
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I’m not familiar with this album either, just the first two, although I know songs from other albums. This is a good song. Too many men just want to possess a woman (while they keep seeing others of course). Who was it sang the song “You Don’t Own Me”?–I just looked it up–Lesley Gore. (K)
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I love that Lesley Gore song. For the time it came out it was probably considered sacrilege.
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Yes. Even now among some circles, unfortunately.
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How did I miss this earlier? Anyway…I never heard this one…which makes it even better. I love her voice in this one…she goes for it in this one. I saw her open for the Rolling Stones…she was awesome…and very cool.
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Yes she does. Maybe Armstrong was her favorite mistake? I bet she would be awesome in concert.
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Yea he could have been…or Eric Clapton…they saw each other as well. She was awesome…and I saw her with Willie Nelson and Bob…forgot about that
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Love your pick today Li. I am a fan of Sheryl Crow too and I agree it was about her break up with Lance Armstrong.
There is a lot of truth in these lyrics …
Some say love is, oh, so blind
But I say love is only in the mind
Diamonds may be, oh, so sweet
But to me, they just bring on cold feet
The receiving of a ring is romantic to some but to others it is like someone staking a claim or putting something on layaway and never paying it off. How’s that for cynicism!! 🤣🤣
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Love your comment, Christine, especially that last part.
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Great song and choice for this week. I also considered posting it…. ;-)
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So cool, Marina!
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A great song Li! Love Cheryl Crow! Xoxo
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I agree, Carol Anne. <3
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