Wonderful vs Golden

[robb]

Golden was written by a young man; by someone who was really just beginning to come of age and understand the long game of the life he'd chosen. It's exciting and beautiful and profound. It looks forward to a life yet to be lived. The lyrics are very clever, the work of a writer with a natural gift for poetry.

Wonderful was written by a mature man who made many life choices and had to stand beside the consequences of them, both good and bad. It's almost a midlife kind of musing as a man looks back on his life and choices and then forward to "a new life" or a new old life. It is full of peace and contentment and excitement for a next chapter.

Because these were written during different "eras", I find it hard to throw them against each other. It's like comparing apples and oranges: I life them both equally!

I have a special place in my heart for Wonderful. I sing this with my 9 and 5 year old sons every night before bed. We've sung it dozens of times and when we sing, my heart swells with joy and love. 

That being said, Golden is one of those tunes that cemented my love of the band, like many others have already said.  It's a tune that makes you realise what a powerfully gifted songwriter Jim is. 

I think Golden may be the most perfect song he's ever written.

I think you're confusing that with Where to Begin.

[dapguitar]

The best part about reading all of these answers is knowing - almost with certainty - that all of these responses and opinions are bound to change (of course, nothing is certain). What was Golden yesterday is Wonderful today, and what is Wondeful today will be Golden tomorrow.

One of the lyrics that I have identified with most over the past couple years is, "it's the art of feeling naked in your clothes" from Where to Begin. With that, we understand that as we grow, we wear different clothes - the size changes, the style changes, and our view of ourselves as reflected upon the world changes. There was a point in my life where baggy, torn jeans along with a lip ring and beard were the way that i truly felt naked - it was me. I'm still the same mind and body, but I know I wouldn't feel naked wearing those clothes today. So, as with our constantly evolving and maturing sense of self-identification and search for meaning, we change (or stay the same...Simon and Garfunkel?).

On a technical and fundamental analysis, neither Golden nor Wonderful are that different - both songs are in standard keys; use a very similar collection of major/minor chord patterns that just play around with the tonic and dominant chords without any modulation to other keys; have simple, non-complex time signatures; and the melodies are not accentuated with much dissonance (almost all dissonant tones in these songs are mostly just passing tones that quickly resolve either a step up or down). The thing that blows my mind is how Jim is able to take something so simple and make it so deep and beautiful - that is a talent he has that very few people are able to do. While sometimes simple may seem safe and boring, that is never the case with My Morning Jacket. With MMJ, it's hard to know if it's the way that Jim sings, the words he says, or the band...it's all so good and is a meaning I understand. It's a mystery, I guess - lots of things I can't find.

[rjlemons]

The best part about reading all of these answers is knowing - almost with certainty - that all of these responses and opinions are bound to change (of course, nothing is certain). What was Golden yesterday is Wonderful today, and what is Wondeful today will be Golden tomorrow.

One of the lyrics that I have identified with most over the past couple years is, "it's the art of feeling naked in your clothes" from Where to Begin. With that, we understand that as we grow, we wear different clothes - the size changes, the style changes, and our view of ourselves as reflected upon the world changes. There was a point in my life where baggy, torn jeans along with a lip ring and beard were the way that i truly felt naked - it was me. I'm still the same mind and body, but I know I wouldn't feel naked wearing those clothes today. So, as with our constantly evolving and maturing sense of self-identification and search for meaning, we change (or stay the same...Simon and Garfunkel?).

On a technical and fundamental analysis, neither Golden nor Wonderful are that different - both songs are in standard keys; use a very similar collection of major/minor chord patterns that just play around with the tonic and dominant chords without any modulation to other keys; have simple, non-complex time signatures; and the melodies are not accentuated with much dissonance (almost all dissonant tones in these songs are mostly just passing tones that quickly resolve either a step up or down). The thing that blows my mind is how Jim is able to take something so simple and make it so deep and beautiful - that is a talent he has that very few people are able to do. While sometimes simple may seem safe and boring, that is never the case with My Morning Jacket. With MMJ, it's hard to know if it's the way that Jim sings, the words he says, or the band...it's all so good and is a meaning I understand. It's a mystery, I guess - lots of things I can't find.

Well said, dap. I knew there was a reason Golden made me feel Wonderful and Wonderful made me feel Golden. You summed it up!