"Sister Golden Hair" is a song written by Gerry Beckley and recorded by the band America for their fifth album Hearts (1975). It was their second single to reach number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, remaining in the top position for one week.[2]
Background
The lyrics were largely inspired by the works of Jackson Browne. Beckley commented, "[Jackson Browne] has a knack, an ability to put words to music, that is much more like the L.A. approach to just genuine observation as opposed to simplifying it down to its bare essentials... I find Jackson can depress me a little bit, but only through his honesty; and it was that style of his which led to a song of mine, 'Sister Golden Hair', which is probably the more L.A. of my lyrics."[3] The band previewed the song for Browne while touring together with the singer, at whose suggestion the lyric originally written as: "Will you meet me in V.A." - referring to Virginia - became "Will you meet me in the air".[4] Beckley adds that "Sister Golden Hair" "was one of the first times I used 'ain't' in a song, but I wasn't making an effort to. I was just putting myself in that frame of mind and I got those kind of lyrics out of it."[3]
Music video
The music video for the song is of the band performing the song on Midnight Special.
^Hartford Courant 25 August 2000 "Pop Group America Marks 30 Years With Three-Disc 'Highway' Anthology, Tour Stops in Connecticut" by Roger Catlin p.D3