The Jewelry Judge  - Ben Gordon's Blog
April 10th, 2015
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today’s featured artist is the chart-topping British indie-pop star Ellie Goulding singing “I’ll Hold My Breath.”

elliegoulding1

In the song she co-wrote with producer Starsmith, she encourages her boyfriend to take chances, be independent-minded and try new things. When he’s ready to settle down, she’ll be waiting for him because he’s a risk she’ll always take.

She sings, “We'll watch the buildings turn to dust / A sky of diamonds just for us.” The diamonds symbolized their idyllic life together.

Originally titled “Swimming Pool,” today’s featured song was somewhat unintended. According to SongFacts.com, Goulding told the now-defunct streaming music service Sky Songs that the song was “written when Fin (Starsmith) and I were messing around, but we liked it so much, we developed it and it made the album.”

“I’ll Hold My Breath” became the ninth track on Goulding’s wildly successful debut album called Lights. Released in February of 2010, Lights entered the UK Albums Chart at #1 and climbed to a respectable #21 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. Her current hit "Love Me Like You Do [From Fifty Shades of Grey]" is #3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 list.

Born in Herefordshire, England, the musically gifted Goulding played the clarinet at the age of nine and the guitar at 14. She began writing songs at the age of 15.

Goulding, who boasts a vocal range of three octaves, got her big break when she met producer Fin Dow-Smith through Myspace while she was studying drama at the University of Kent.

By the fall of 2009, she had released her first single, and a year later she was picked as “the artist to watch” when she emerged at the top of the BBC Sound of 2010 poll. In 2011, Goulding made headlines when she was selected to perform at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Noted Billboard magazine, “With her unique soprano warble and knack for writing catchy yet emotionally earnest songs, Goulding… stands at the forefront of contemporary mainstream music and arty, independent-minded pop.”

We hope you enjoy the audio track of “I’ll Hold My Breath.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

"I'll Hold My Breath"
Written by Ellie Goulding and Fin Dow-Smith. Performed by Ellie Goulding.

Breathe air you're not used to, tread floors you don't fall through
Make waves
You crash a symbol hard
Follow no one, always play the wrong card
Waste days, in foreign places
Shed lights, on your better side
Reassure me that you'll wait for me, wait for me as long as it takes!

And I'll hold my breath, I'll hold my breath

Until you see me in your dreams
We'll stay awake beneath the trees
We'll watch the buildings turn to dust
A sky of diamonds just for us
You are the risk I'll always take
The only branch I'll never break
Those fears we'll blow them all way

Fight fires in your best clothes, touch skin with your eyes closed
Chase thunder
With the volume down
Pack a suitcase, wonder to the next town
Force quit, on your losing streak
Solve a riddle in a magazine, be tongue in cheek
Tell me that we're still too young, that we're still too young and I'll hold my tongue

Until you see me in your dreams
We'll stay awake beneath the trees
We'll watch the buildings turn to dust
A sky of diamonds just for us
You are the risk I'll always take
The only branch I'll never break
Those fears we'll blow them all way

I'm here, I'm here to save you
No fall, I will swim to save you

Until you see me in your dreams
We'll stay awake beneath the trees
We'll watch the buildings turn to dust
A sky of diamonds just for us
You are the risk I'll always take
The only branch I'll never break
Those fears we'll blow them all way


Image: YouTube screen capture.