“Gold and Braid” is a track from the Bella Donna recording sessions. Although it was never recorded for the album (or ANY album for that matter), it quickly became the elusive fan favorite, kind of like the “Silver Springs” of Stevie’s solo career. The iconic live version of “Gold and Braid” finally found a home on Stevie’s 1998 Enchanted box set.

Diehards will turn to this performance from the 1981 White Winged Dove Tour to rekindle fond memories of marching high kicks and a flying tambourine, as Stevie cheers “Don’t hide behind your hair, it’s a bit of gold and braid!” And that incredible band.

When Stevie performed “Gold and Braid” during her millennium shows in December 1999, she told the crowd — who had been singing and dancing along to the obscure song — how flabbergasted she was by its popularity among her fans. “This song was never recorded,” Stevie said with sheer astonishment, “That song we just played, I never recorded it. It was recorded as a demo and it went out on a million bootleg tapes. It’s amazing to me that so many people know this song that was never on a record.”

Why Stevie never completed the song in the studio remains unknown, but the enduring appeal of this concert classic is crystal clear: It’s “her life…her mystery!”

Lyrics

Though deep set and somewhat shadowed
Her life… her mystery
Well, it’s not so different than the way that he said
“Well, don’t hide your eyes from me that way, baby”

In his heart he wishes her stardom
His eyes want for her much more
That’s not so different
Than the way that he said
“There are so very few stars left”
Ooh ooh ooh…

Well, don’t hide behind your hair
It’s a bit of gold and braid
Easy come the tears
You see a pathway ending with a doorway
You slip toward the doorway
Been waiting there all day
All these years

In his heart he wishes her stardom
His eyes want for her much more
But that’s not so different
Than the way that he said
“Well, don’t hide your eyes from me that way, baby”

Well, don’t hide behind your hair
It’s a bit of gold and braid
Easy come the tears
You see a pathway ending with a doorway
You slip toward the doorway
Been waiting there all day
All these years

Don’t hide that…

In his heart (in his heart)
He wishes to forget her
Like to make her better
And to hold her like a child…

In his heart he wishes her stardom
His eyes want for her much more
But that’s not so different
Than the way that he said
“Don’t hide behind your hair that way, baby”

Well, don’t hide behind your hair
It’s a bit of gold and braid
Easy come the tears
You see a pathway ending with a doorway
You slip toward the doorway
Been waiting there all day
All these years

Don’t hide your eyes that way
Don’t hide anything not anymore
Because I never did not love you
I never did run from you
In a dream I said to you
That I’d always love you…

Oh oh oh… 
Oh oh oh… 
Oh oh oh…