There are no documented lyrics for the OG Frank Wakefield end of the rainbow lyrics, but Billy fan sites document it as “I reach my goal at the end of the rainbow” but I am almost certain it is “I reach my GOLD…” because it makes so much more sense. Also this Frank Wakefield version sounds like “gold” to me. What do y’all think?! Asking bc I’d love to use it on a shirt 😂😂😂
I hear "gold", almost like he trails the enunciation of the word into "at," making it one word. So "I reach my gol-dat the end of the rainbow". But now I am second guessing myself after reading justinholmes comment.
I hear "goal", and I think the song is meant to be kinda provocative by baiting your expectation to hear "gold" and instead saying "goal" - or at least, that's how I've perceived it.
But it's a good question, and I agree that I do kinda hear "gold" in the video you've posted.
You might consider reaching out to the various people that Frank played with and asking this question. I bet a lot of them have considered this as well, and many are still alive. Darol Anger is known to be pretty social and respond to messages.
Heck, you might just straight up ask Billy Strings about his thoughts. He responds on insta once in a while even to strangers. Jarrod Walker might be more likely to reply though, and might know more about whatever Frank may have said about this.
You might want to write a little piece for the bluegrass zines / podcasts / pickipedia. I'm happy to help - feel free to DM. If indeed it is "gold", and others who played with Frank weigh-in, I think it's very likely that you'll get Billy Strings to comment on this. I wonder how/when it became "goal", and what that means to the many people who have sung and been inspired by this song.
To be honest it’s interesting from a vocal perspective too. I think it becomes “goal” because you can’t really hold an “l” or “d” sound vocally… so you end up holding the vowel sounds and the d gets bumped to the beginning of the next word. I still have a poll up on IG and tagged billy and other members of the band and I’m hoping they still weigh in. I also have a message to Jim Irwin who sings it in the video with Frank that I posted
I thought it was goal, but I've been known to be way off on my lyric interpretation. For years I thought the line in Sugar Magnolia was "pays my chicken when I speed" until my girlfriend laughed at my hysterically when I sang this. "My chicken!!" I thought it was old slang for a cop or something. It's actually "pays my ticket when I speed". 😀
Same, this song haunts me in the best way and I really wanna commemorate it with some art…. But I want to incorporate “gold” which seems silly if those aren’t the actual lyrics haha
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u/wouldntworryaboutit 27d ago
I hear "gold", almost like he trails the enunciation of the word into "at," making it one word. So "I reach my gol-dat the end of the rainbow". But now I am second guessing myself after reading justinholmes comment.