Stay Gold
Stevie Wonder Lyrics


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Seize upon that moment long ago
One breath away and there you will be
So young and carefree
Again you will see
That place in time...so gold
Steal away into that way back when
You thought that all would last forever
But like the weather
Nothing can ever...and be in time
Stay gold
But can it be
When we can see
So vividly
A memory
And yes you say
So must the day
Too, fade away
And leave a ray of sun
So gold
Life is but a twinkling of an eye
Yet filled with sorrow and compassion
though not imagined
All things that happen




Will age too old
Though gold

Overall Meaning

"Stay Gold" is a song by Stevie Wonder that originally appeared in the film "The Outsiders". The lyrics speak of nostalgia and the desire to hold onto a moment in time that was full of innocence and beauty. The first verse speaks of a moment long ago that can be seized upon, and how time seems to stand still in that memory. The second verse acknowledges that time moves on and things change, but the memory of that golden moment remains. The chorus urges us to "Stay gold," even though we know that everything must ultimately fade away.


The lyrics encourage us to hold onto the beauty of life, even in the midst of its sorrows and challenges. The song's title is a reference to the poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost, which speaks of the impermanence of all things. The poem suggests that even though beauty and happiness may be fleeting, they are still worth cherishing.


"Stay Gold" has become a beloved song in popular culture, inspiring multiple covers and references in other media. It is a testament to Stevie Wonder's writing and musical talents that this song has resonated so deeply with so many people.


Line by Line Meaning

Seize upon that moment long ago
Take advantage of that time that passed a long time ago.


One breath away and there you will be
The moment is really close, and you just have to take a deep breath.


So young and carefree
You were young and didn't have many worries back then.


Again you will see
You will get to relive that moment again in your mind.


That place in time... so gold
That moment was really special and valuable to you.


Steal away into that way back when
Go back in your mind to that moment when you were carefree.


You thought that all would last forever
At that time, you thought that moment would never end.


But like the weather
Just like the weather, things come and go.


Nothing can ever... and be in time
That moment can never be relived exactly as it was.


Stay gold
Hold onto that special moment and treasure it forever.


But can it be
However, is it really possible?


When we can see
Now that we can remember and see that moment in our minds.


So vividly
It's so clear, like it just happened yesterday.


A memory
It's just a memory now, but still so precious.


And yes you say
Even though you know it's just a memory.


So must the day
That moment, just like every other day, will come to an end.


Too, fade away
It will slowly fade away into the past.


And leave a ray of sun
But it will leave a bright memory that will always shine through.


So gold
That memory will always stay valuable - just like gold.


Life is but a twinkling of an eye
Life can be really short - it can pass in the blink of an eye.


Yet filled with sorrow and compassion
But it can also be filled with both good and bad experiences.


Though not imagined
Even if you didn't imagine those experiences happening.


All things that happen
Everything that happens to you in life.


Will age too old
All those experiences will eventually become distant memories and will get old with time.


Though gold
But the good ones will always remain valuable - just like gold.




Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Carmine Coppola, Stevie Wonder

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Cheryl Rowland Hall


on Isn't She Lovely

Dedicated to my lovely daughter, Amy Kathleen Rawson, the lovely child who helped mom to grow up!

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