Formed in 1961, the band was active for 60 years, almost non-stop. They had 56 years of studio output, starting in 1965, which made them the world's longest surviving rock band, formed a year before The Rolling Stones, until their tragic end on 5 February 2021, when guitarist founding member George Kooymans revealed that he had been diagnosed with the neuro-muscular disease, ALS.
The band's core line-up of four was unchanged from 1970 to 2021, although extra musicians had short stints in the band in the 1970s. Golden Earring was always touring, except in 2000 (their only sabbatical year) and the final year of their existence, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 1961 George Kooymans (age 13) and his neighbour Rinus Gerritsen (age 15) formed The Tornado's in the Zuiderpark district of their home town of The Hague, The Netherlands. The band's first line-up mainly played The Shadows and The Ventures covers, as well as other instrumental tunes, and played its first gigs at school parties.
In 1963, as the band found out that there already was a British band called The Tornados, they decided to change their name into The Golden Ear-rings (after a Peggy Lee song). The band now performed around The Hague, soon had a devoted local following and landed a record deal with Polydor. Their début single, 1965's Please Go, immediately landed in the Dutch Top 10.
Under the Golden Earrings moniker the band eventually recorded four albums and had twelve hit singles in the Netherlands between 1965 and 1969, ten of which reached the Dutch Top 10. Several of their records were released internationally in Europe and even North America, although they failed to make an impact there.
One of the band's sixties singles became their first Dutch #1 hit: 1968's somewhat carnavalesque Dong-Dong-Diki-Digi-Dong, although that tune is now frowned upon by the band and generally regarded as inferior to other sixties Earrings gems, such as That Day (1966, the first Dutch pop single to have been recorded in the U.K., at London's Pye Studios), Sound Of The Screaming Day (1966) and the epic Just A Little Bit Of Peace In My Heart (1969).
The band's lead singer during the early Golden Earrings years was Frans Krassenburg. He was replaced by Barry Hay (ex-The Haigs) in 1967. The band's drummer for much of the 1960s was Jaap Eggermont. His successors were Sieb Warner (1969) and, in 1970, Cesar Zuiderwijk (ex-Livin' Blues), Golden Earring's definitive drummer.
The band's international career modestly started to take off in 1969, the year of their psychedelic Eight Miles High album, their first haphazard tour of the United States and also the year in which the band name was slightly changed into The Golden Earring and finally (dropping the article within a year), Golden Earring. On their early U.S. tours, their long, wild cover version of The Byrds' classic Eight Miles High impressed audiences and press alike. Golden Earring's 19-minute album version, as well as the stand-alone 1969 single, Another 45 Miles, were the first Golden Earring recordings to get some North American airplay.
The arrival of drummer, Cesar Zuiderwijk, in 1970, completed what would turn out to be the group's definitive line-up: Barry Hay (lead vocals/guitar/flute), George Kooymans (guitar/vocals), Cesar Zuiderwijk (drums) and Rinus Gerritsen (bass/harmonica/keyboards).
1970 saw a dramatic shift in Golden Earring's musical style. After the melodic, often Beatle-esque sixties beat of The Golden Earrings and a brief phase of psychedelia and hippie rock in 1968 and 1969, the single Back Home marked the birth of Golden Earring's trademark heavy, riff-based brand of hard rock with catchy hooks. Back Home hit #1 in the Dutch charts and 'broke' Golden Earring in most of Europe, notably countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Austria and France.
This marked the start of a decade of domestic and international glory. Between 1966 and 1976 seventeen consecutive Earring singles rocketed into the Dutch Top 10, while their international popularity increased, especially after their lengthy 1972 tour of Europe, supporting The Who. Buddy Joe (1972) achieved considerable chart success in the German-speaking countries of Europe, but 1973's Radar Love was their breakthrough smash hit worldwide: #13 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, #1 in the U.S. Cashbox chart, #5 in Britain, #8 in Australia, #10 in Canada, #5 in Germany, #6 in Belgium, #1 in Spain and also #1 in (last but not least) Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), to name but a few.
Radar Love remains an enduring 'car classic' and radio anthem of global fame to this day. Between 1969 and 1985 Golden Earring completed ten major tours of North America, building a considerable North American fanbase, as well as five headlining tours of Great Britain in 1973 and 1974 alone. Golden Earring toured as 'special guests' of The Who, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, .38 Special, Rush and many more, whereas bands like Aerosmith, KISS, ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd opened for Golden Earring. The album that spawned Radar Love, 1973's Moontan, was certified 'Gold' by North America's RIAA in 1974 and sold millions of copies worldwide.
The band failed to achieve similar chart success in the years after Radar Love: the progressive Switch (1975) and To The Hilt (1976) charted in Billboard's album charts, but yielded no major U.S. hits. The singles were clearly not what North American audiences wanted from the 'Radar Love guys'.
Golden Earring was forgotten by many outside of The Netherland and by 1980 even Dutch audiences started to lose interest: albums such as No Promises, No Debts (1979) and Prisoner Of The Night (1980) were commercial flops, leading to the band's decision (in 1981) to record a 'final LP and then call it quits.
The lead single from 1982's 'farewell album', Cut, a Kooymans-penned tune called Twilight Zone, surprisingly became an even bigger hit in the U.S. than Radar Love: #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks, thanks to heavy MTV rotation of the Dick Maas-directed video. The song (#1 in The Netherlands) revived Golden Earring's stateside career overnight. The Cut LP was certified 'gold' in Canada, with Twilight Zone hitting #3 in the Canadian charts.
In their native Netherlands the band did manage to extend their creative and commercial peak this time: the single When The Lady Smiles and the album N.E.W.S. ('NorthEastWestSouth'), both released in 1984, repeated the success of Twilight Zone and Cut. 'Lady' peaked at #3 in Canada, but fared disappointingly in the U.S. as MTV and even radio stations banned the track because of its controversial video, once again directed by Dick Maas, in which the rape of a nun was suggested.
After 1985 things rapidly went downhill for Golden Earring internationally (they would not tour the U.S. again), but - after a creative and financial crisis that lasted throughout the second half of the 1980s - the band wrote one of their most enduring Dutch hits in 1991 (the power-ballad, Going To The Run, which fared partially well in Russia) and discovered a new gold mine in their home country a year later: acoustic concerts in theatres, the concept of MTV Unplugged.
To everybody's surprise, the band's acoustic live album, The Naked Truth, slowly became their all-time biggest selling album in The Netherlands. Its sequels, Naked II (1997) and Naked III (2005) also went platinum at least once in The Netherlands.
Golden Earring's by far most succesful album internationally remains 1973's Moontan, which sold well over 3.5 million copies outside of The Netherlands and was certified 'gold' in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom (and platinum in the U.S. in later years).
Golden Earring released 25 studio albums, 9 live albums and countless succesful compilations. Almost all of these records were certified gold, often platinum, in The Netherlands. More than anything else, though, the band remained a live force of legendary status in their home country and beyond. They toured throughout each year until the very end, almost exclusively in the Netherlands, although there are still occasional live appearances in Belgium and Germany. 2009 saw Golden Earring's long overdue return to the United Kingdom: their sold out shows in Ipswich and London's Shepherd's Bush Empire were their first live appearances in England since 1978.
In 2011 the band recorded their first album of new material since 2003's Millbrook U.S.A.: Tits 'n Ass - studio album #25 for the Dutch legends - was released on 11 May 2012 on Universal Music and hit #1 in the Dutch album charts one week after its release to become Golden Earring's 8th #1 album in their home country. Certified 'gold' in The Netherlands, the album was generally believed to be Golden Earring's final studio outing, but December 2015 saw the release of a five-track mini album entitled The Hague, released more than fifty years after their début single and just before the band's sold out 'Five Zero' anniversary concert at Amsterdam's Ziggo Dome in front of a 17,000-strong crowd. 2019 saw the release of a stand-alone single, Say When: Golden Earring's final studio recording.
Nobody was aware of it at the time, but the band's 16 November 2019 performance at the Rotterdam Ahoy would turn out to be their final concert. After a year of Covid-19 lockdowns, guitarist George Kooymans announced his ALS diagnosis on 5 February 2021, the disease rendering him unfit to perform. Within hours, the band admitted that carrying on without Kooymans was unthinkable. In the words of lead singer, Barry Hay: "This is the end of the line for the band. It's a death blow. We always said: we'll keep going until the first one of us goes down. I never expected it to be George."
The band's final performance was released as a live CD and DVD in April 2022, named after Barry Hay's final words at the end of countless Golden Earring shows: You Know We Love You!.
Studio albums (released as Golden Earring, unless noted otherwise)
Just Ear-rings (1965, as The Golden Earrings or The Golden Ear-rings)
Winter-Harvest (1967, as Golden Earrings, sometimes spelled as Winter Harvest)
Miracle Mirror (1968, as Golden Earrings)
On The Double (1969, as Golden Earrings)
Eight Miles High (1969, as The Golden Earring)
Golden Earring (1970, colloquially known as 'Wall Of Dolls')
Seven Tears (1971)
Together (1972)
Moontan (1973)
Switch (1975)
To The Hilt (1976)
Contraband (1976, U.S. title: Mad Love)
Grab It For A Second (1978)
No Promises... No Debts (1979, spelled as No Promises, No Debts on most online platforms)
Prisoner Of The Night (1980)
Cut (1982)
N.E.W.S. (1984)
The Hole (1986)
Keeper Of The Flame (1989)
Bloody Buccaneers (1991)
Face It (1994)
Love Sweat (1995, covers album)
Paradise In Distress (1999)
Millbrook U.S.A. (2003)
Tits 'n Ass (2012)
The Hague (EP, 2015)
Live albums
Live (1977)
2nd Live (1981)
Something Heavy Going Down (1984, includes one new studio track)
The Naked Truth (1992, acoustic)
Naked II (1997, acoustic)
Last Blast Of The Century (2000)
Naked III (2005, acoustic, incorrectly listed as Naked Truth III on some streaming platforms)
Live In Ahoy 2006 (2006, live DVD + CD set)
You Know We Love You! (2022, live DVD + CD set)
Additional information:
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Earring
Official website: https://www.golden-earring.nl
Something Heavy Going Down
Golden Earring Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Still can't figure out how to get home
There is no life lines, only dead lines
Sure picked a fine time to be born
First you taste it then you're wasted
By the time you're almost 16 years old
Everything used to be so simple
Like the beating of a heart
Right until the day we'd part
There's a fist on the door
I can hear it knocking
Gotta check it out
Beyond a shadow of a doubt
There's something heavy going down
And there's more to it than a pistol and a gun
There's something going down
On a midnight operation
When the searchlights make your skin crawl
My reaction to the action is
I don't want to be doing this at all
Breaking rules that are made in schools
That teach you how to be successful
Used to be oh so simple
Like the beating of a heart
Dedicated to my little darling
Right until the day we'd part
There's fist on the doorI can hear it knocking
Gotta check it out
Beyond a shadow of a doubt
There's something heavy going down
And there's more to it than a pistol and a gun
There's something going down
Something heavy going down
There's more to it than a pistol and a gun
There's something going down,
Something heavy going down
There's more to it than a rocket and a bomb
There's something going down,
Something heavy going downA
Nd there's more to it than a pistol and a gun
There's something going down, down, down, down yeah
Something heavy going down
The lyrics of Golden Earring's song "Some Heavy Going On" vividly describe the sense of being lost and uncertain, with references to the difficulties of growing up in uncertain times. The sense of being lost is expressed through the first line, "On the streets that go by number/Still can't figure out how to get home," which conveys a sense of alienation and disorientation. The second line, "There is no life lines, only dead lines," further underscores this feeling of isolation and desperation. The lyrics suggest a longing for simpler times with the lines "Everything used to be so simple/Like the beating of a heart/Dedicated to my little darling/Right until the day we'd part."
The song also contains references to criminal activity and danger, as signaled by the line "There's a fist on the door/I can hear it knocking/Gotta check it out/Beyond a shadow of a doubt/There's something heavy going down." This imagery implies that the singer is caught up in some kind of criminal situation, possibly involving guns or other weapons. The theme of danger is further developed in the third verse, which describes a "midnight operation" that makes the singer's "skin crawl."
Overall, "Some Heavy Going On" conveys a sense of disorientation and danger, with a strong emphasis on the difficulties of growing up in uncertain times. The song's lyrics are powerful and evocative, carefully crafted to capture the ambiguities and anxieties of adolescence.
Line by Line Meaning
On the streets that go by number
Referring to navigating the numbered streets of a city or town.
Still can't figure out how to get home
Feeling lost and unsure of how to get back to a familiar place.
There is no life lines, only dead lines
Feeling disconnected and isolated, with communication only through impersonal means such as phone lines.
Sure picked a fine time to be born
Feeling like one was born into a difficult time, with challenges and chaos surrounding them.
First you taste it then you're wasted
Referring to the addictive nature of drugs or alcohol, and how quickly one can spiral out of control after a first taste.
By the time you're almost 16 years old
Pointing out the young age at which some people may fall into addiction or other destructive behaviors.
Everything used to be so simple
Reflecting on a time when life seemed easier and less complicated.
Like the beating of a heart
Referring to something that used to be a natural, steady rhythm or routine.
Dedicated to my little darling
Addressing a loved one or significant other with affection.
Right until the day we'd part
Expressing a commitment to that significant other until the end of a relationship or death.
There's a fist on the door
A metaphorical knock or threat, possibly indicating a sudden change or danger.
I can hear it knocking
Sensitivity to the warning signs and sense of urgency.
Gotta check it out
Feeling compelled to investigate the source of the knock or danger.
Beyond a shadow of a doubt
Emphasizing the certainty and seriousness of the situation.
There's something heavy going down
Noticing a significant event or situation unfolding.
And there's more to it than a pistol and a gun
Implying that the situation is more complex and dangerous than just a simple weapon.
On a midnight operation
Suggesting something done secretly or illicitly in the cover of darkness.
When the searchlights make your skin crawl
Feeling exposed and vulnerable under the intense scrutiny of authority or danger.
My reaction to the action is
Referring to the singer's response to the unfolding situation.
I don't want to be doing this at all
Expressing discomfort or reluctance to participate in the situation.
Breaking rules that are made in schools
Considering how societal norms and rules are formed and enforced.
That teach you how to be successful
Examining the values and goals prioritized by society.
There's fist on the doorI can hear it knocking
Repetition of the earlier lines to emphasize the danger and tension.
There's something heavy going down
Further acknowledgment of the significant event or danger.
And there's more to it than a pistol and a gun
Repeated emphasis on the complexity and gravity of the situation.
There's something going down,
Repeating the earlier lines to reinforce the seriousness of the situation.
Something heavy going down
Continuing to emphasize the significant and dangerous situation unfolding.
There's more to it than a rocket and a bomb
Expanding on the metaphor to suggest that the situation is even more complex and nuanced than an explosive event.
There's something going down,
Further emphasizing the gravity of the situation.
Something heavy going down
Repeated ultimate refrain to conclude the song and drive home the serious tone.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BARRY HAY, GEORGE KOOYMANS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jos Santen
Wow! This is one of my most favorite Golden Earring videos. There's a remarkable contradiction between the very funny video and the both rapid and melancholic sound. The way George's guitar weeps is of an unknown strength that recalls many precious memories of my childhood.
Nave Yarg
@Jos Santen get it tho? My guitar gently weeps... the beatles... george harrison... wait that was eric clapton that played the solo on that tho...
Jos Santen
@Nave Yarg Yes, you are perfectly right!
Nave Yarg
the way george's guitar gently gently weeps?
Deltonum
One of the most underrated bands and songs ever.
Pete Marr
Thanks for putting this up :) I heard it back in the 80s on Cable TV, loved it :) Ordered the Complete box set...... Love the band, Focus and Ekseption. (of course many others, but those 3 are Dutch :) )
Ellen R.
Love the band! Great video. 👌
Victor Waddell
I was a radar operator in the U.S. Navy . Sometimes the radio waves made my skin crawl .
daggoeface
sick guitar
Mark Wendt
This song rocks big-time !