10 Best Songs About Diamonds

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While diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, they’ve also played a pretty significant role in the stories behind some legendary classic rock songs. Whether sparkling symbols of love, reflections of past mistakes, or emblems of raw power, diamonds have inspired some of the greatest songs in rock history. In this list, we delve into ten unforgettable tracks, each exploring the unique allure of diamonds from a different angle.

Joan Baez starts us off with “Diamonds & Rust,” a haunting ballad that recalls a love as enduring—and as cutting—as diamonds themselves. Meanwhile, Seals & Crofts’ “Diamond Girl” celebrates a woman’s rare beauty and brilliance. In a more passionate twist, Prince and The New Power Generation’s “Diamonds and Pearls” combines sensuality and devotion, capturing how love can be both precious and intense.

Tom Waits takes us down a different road in “Diamonds on My Windshield,” where diamonds are born from the cold rain hitting his car, capturing the gritty poetry of urban life. Then there’s Kiss’s “Black Diamond,” a hard-edged anthem that channels the raw, unfiltered side of the gemstone motif, bringing rock power to the forefront. Pink Floyd’s iconic “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” mourns the lost brilliance of a bandmate and friend, exploring the high price of fame with a tender touch that’s unforgettable.

We move into different rhythms with Paul Simon’s “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes,” a breezy tune that combines South African melodies with lyrics about resilience and survival, all while embracing life’s little luxuries. David Bowie’s “Diamond Dogs” takes a darker turn, leading us into a dystopian urban jungle where beauty and decay live side by side. Shirley Bassey’s “Diamonds Are Forever,” an undeniable classic from the James Bond universe, combines sensuality and sophistication with an unbreakable sense of self-reliance. And finally, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” by The Beatles (and Elton John’s unforgettable cover) whisks us away to a surreal, kaleidoscopic world where imagination shines as brightly as the stones.

10 Best Songs About Diamonds

# 10 – Diamonds And Rust – Joan Baez

“Diamonds & Rust” by Joan Baez opens this list of the 10 Best Songs About Diamonds, setting the stage with its haunting recollection of love, memory, and regret. Written in 1974 and released in 1975, “Diamonds & Rust” reflects Baez’s reflections on a former lover, who many interpret to be Bob Dylan. Through the vivid imagery of a surprise phone call and flashbacks to a cold, gritty hotel room in Greenwich Village, Baez reveals the emotions stirred by the encounter. Each lyric masterfully balances the beauty and pain of memory—what she encapsulates as “diamonds and rust”—making it a timeless exploration of the enduring impact of love.

The song’s opening lines, “Well, I’ll be damned, here comes your ghost again,” immediately transport listeners to the unexpected emotional revival caused by a familiar voice. Baez describes the memories vividly, bringing back moments like buying her lover cufflinks, “bluer than robin’s eggs” eyes, and poetic exchanges that linger with bittersweet nostalgia. The lyrics emphasize the inevitable duality of precious memories; while they hold beauty and value, they also carry a sense of decay, like rust. As she recalls “brown leaves falling all around” and “snow in your hair,” Baez captures the melancholic nostalgia of autumn in New York City, layering personal memories with seasonal imagery that evokes loss and change. Her voice captures both the softness of sentimentality and the sharpness of regret, emphasizing the complex relationship with the past.

Read More: Top 10 Joan Baez Songs

# 9 – Diamonds On My Windshield – Tom Waits

Featured on Waits’ 1974 album The Heart of Saturday Night, this track marks a pivotal moment in his career, where his gritty, spoken-word style and poignant lyricism began to take shape. Produced by Bones Howe, who would go on to work closely with Waits throughout the 1970s, the song captures the essence of urban landscapes and lonely highways with a blend of jazz, blues, and beat poetry.

One of the musical highlights of “Diamonds on My Windshield” is the impeccable bass work by Jim Hughart, whose steady, grooving bass lines provide a rich foundation to the song’s jazz-infused atmosphere. Alongside Hughart, drummer Jim Gordon complements the vibe with subtle, cool jazz drumming that rolls like tires on wet asphalt, adding to the track’s vivid, late-night ambiance. Together, these musicians set the tone for Waits’ gritty, noir-inspired lyrics, which evoke the feel of a rainy night drive and the melancholy beauty of windshield reflections. The rhythm and instrumentation create a soundscape that’s both cinematic and intimate, drawing listeners into the transient world Waits describes.

# 8 – Black Diamond – Kiss

Released as the closing track on their 1974 debut album, Kiss, the song captures the essence of gritty street life with lyrics that speak to struggle, defiance, and survival. Paul Stanley wrote the track, setting the tone with a haunting acoustic intro before the song bursts into a powerful riff—a signature move that defines Kiss’s sound. Stanley also delivers the haunting opening line before handing lead vocals to drummer Peter Criss, whose gravelly voice deepens the song’s sense of rawness.

# 7 – Diamond Girl – Seals & Crofts

“Diamond Girl” by Seals & Crofts captures the gentle allure of soft rock while immersing listeners in an adoring tribute to an idealized love, likening the beloved to a rare and radiant gem. Released as the title track of their 1973 album Diamond Girl, the song builds on the duo’s signature style that previously brought them chart success with “Summer Breeze.” Peaking at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching number four on the Adult Contemporary chart, “Diamond Girl” quickly resonated with audiences for its poetic lyrics and smooth melody, solidifying Seals & Crofts as prominent figures in the soft rock genre of the 1970s.

Read More: Top 10 Seals & Crofts Songs

# 6 – Diamonds And Pearls – Prince

Released as a single in 1991 and as the title track of the album Diamonds and Pearls, this song achieved widespread success, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and securing the top spot on the R&B chart. Prince’s collaboration with New Power Generation, especially vocalist Rosie Gaines, is central to the song’s powerful sound, with Gaines’ soulful co-lead adding texture and intensity to Prince’s introspective lyrics. This track, like much of Prince’s work, beautifully combines rock, funk, and soul, giving it a unique place in the late artist’s expansive catalog.

Read More: 10 Most Rocking Prince Songs

# 5 – Diamonds Are Forever – Shirley Bassey

We are big James Bond fans here at the site, so there was no way we were not including this one on the list. Of course, we had to make sure to include the cool opening video to the classic Bond film Diamonds Are Forever. This was one of our favorite Bond films, featuring the best Bond of them all: Sean Connery. “Diamonds Are Forever” by Shirley Bassey is an iconic Bond theme that perfectly captures the allure, danger, and glamour synonymous with the James Bond franchise. Released in 1971 as the title track for the seventh Bond film, Diamonds Are Forever, this song marks Bassey’s second collaboration with the series after her legendary performance of Goldfinger.

# 4 –Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes – Paul Simon

“Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes” brings the vibrant soundscape of Paul Simon’s Graceland to life, blending Western pop with South African music in a way that was groundbreaking at the time. Released in 1986 as the fourth single from Graceland, this track showcases Simon’s collaboration with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, whose harmonized Zulu vocals enrich the song’s layered texture. The song’s unique blend of jazz, pop, and traditional South African rhythms represents Simon’s desire to push artistic boundaries, while the lyrics offer a story filled with charm, irony, and subtle social commentary. As Simon sings of a wealthy woman flaunting “diamonds on the soles of her shoes,” he contrasts her with a “poor boy” whose “pocket is empty,” creating a rich metaphor for materialism and class differences.

Read More: Top 10 Paul Simon Songs

# 3 – Diamond Dogs – David Bowie

“Diamond Dogs,” released as a single in 1974, is David Bowie’s audacious title track for the album Diamond Dogs, a record that captured Bowie’s vision of a dystopian world inspired by George Orwell’s 1984. In this post-apocalyptic landscape, Bowie introduces us to Halloween Jack, a rebellious persona residing atop a decrepit Manhattan skyscraper, far removed from society. Bowie’s guitar work, heavily influenced by the raw edge of The Rolling Stones, reflects a pivotal shift in his music as he veered from glam rock into a grittier, proto-punk sound. Bowie’s iconic voice, both haunting and provocative, carries the song’s sense of urban decay and moral ambiguity, making “Diamond Dogs” one of his most artistically ambitious works.

# 2 – Shine On You Crazy Diamond – Pink Floyd

“Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” a nine-part opus from Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here, is one of the band’s most hauntingly beautiful compositions. Written by David Gilmour, Roger Waters, and Richard Wright, this tribute to former bandmate Syd Barrett is both mournful and celebratory. Originally performed on Pink Floyd’s 1974 French tour, the piece fully took shape in 1975 at Abbey Road Studios, recorded meticulously with elements designed to convey both respect and sorrow for Barrett, who left the band in 1968 due to mental health issues compounded by substance abuse. The song’s structure and musicality, spanning nearly 26 minutes, underscore the layered complexity of both Barrett’s life and the profound impact he had on the band.

When compared to other songs on this list, “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” diverges in its deeply personal nature. Where tracks like David Bowie’s “Diamond Dogs” venture into dark societal commentary, Pink Floyd’s track is introspective, focusing on the fragility of the human psyche and the impact of fame. Its profound layers and expansive soundscape make it a standout, with lyrics that feel as timeless as the diamond they reference. This track remains a tribute not only to Syd Barrett but also to the enduring power of music to encapsulate loss, remembrance, and reverence.

Read More: Top 25 Pink Floyd Songs

# 1 – Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds – The Beatles

Closing out this list is the Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” Created primarily by John Lennon, the inspiration came from a heartfelt moment: a simple nursery drawing by his young son Julian, who, upon returning from school, proudly displayed his picture, naming it “Lucy – in the Sky with Diamonds.” This unpretentious title sparked Lennon’s imagination, igniting a lyrical vision that paired innocence with kaleidoscopic wonder. Paul McCartney, who contributed to the song, described their creative process as one driven by the whimsical worlds of Alice in Wonderland, helping to infuse the lyrics with images of “newspaper taxis” and “cellophane flowers.” This narrative fantasy became a vivid journey for fans, sparking interpretations that ranged from literary tributes to the speculation about the song’s title initials, “LSD.” Though both Lennon and McCartney would deny any connection to the psychedelic substance, the imaginative, dreamlike atmosphere resonated with a generation caught in the allure of counter-culture.

In 1974, the song would experience a remarkable resurgence thanks to Elton John’s cover, which was more than just an homage—it was a re-imagination. With Lennon himself contributing guitar and backing vocals under the pseudonym Dr. Winston O’Boogie, the cover brought the song’s rich, layered imagery to a new audience. Elton’s version added a glam-rock polish, paired with his characteristic flair, and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, marking one of the few Lennon-McCartney compositions to hit the top by an artist other than the Beatles. Elton’s connection with Lennon went beyond mere musical partnership; they performed the song live together at Madison Square Garden in 1974, immortalizing the friendship with an electrifying performance that merged rock royalty with intimate camaraderie.

Comparing these two iconic versions reveals just how adaptable the song is. Where the Beatles leaned into poetic subtleties and subdued effects, Elton embraced theatricality, each artist’s rendition reflective of their unique approach to music. Both versions stand as testaments to the song’s enduring appeal, one that spans decades and connects generations with its ageless wonder and fantasy.