Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, country star Cody Johnson’s hands are shaking like a canebrake rattler as he pops the question in his 2011 release, “Diamond In My Pocket.”
In the song, Johnson portrays a young man who realizes, despite his anxiety, that there will never be a better time to make the ultimate commitment to the love of his life. He can’t afford to take her to a Broadway play, so he opts for a midnight ride to Kickapoo Creek, where the crickets are singing to the radio. With a shooting star flashing across the sky, Johnson lays it all on the line.
He sings, “Cause baby, there’s a shooting star, / That was for me and you. / So, hold me tight, and make that wish, and pray that it comes true. / I ain’t sure of much, / But this I know… / I got a diamond in my pocket and my baby’s got a heart of gold.”
Written by Johnson, Trent Wayne Willmon and Thomas Daniel Green, “Diamond In My Pocket” appeared as the third track on Johnson’s self-released album, A Different Day.
Johnson is credited with six self-released albums, the last of which made its debut at #2 on the Billboard U.S. Country Albums chart without the benefit of major label support or widespread radio play. His seventh album, Ain’t Nothin’ to It, was released via Warner Bros. Records Nashville and reached #1 on the Billboard U.S. Country Albums chart.
The 33-year-old country star’s road to success was hardly paved with gold. Born in Sebastopol, Texas, Johnson discovered his passion for music as a pre-teen and started writing songs in junior high school. In 2006, at the age of 19, he formed the Cody Johnson Band with his dad, Carl, and drummer Nathan Reedy. The group played the rodeo circuit and sold albums out of the back of Johnson’s pickup truck.
The struggling artist worked as a corrections officer in Huntsville, Texas, but his wife, Brandi, encouraged him to pursue his dream and record full time. In 2011, Johnson got a big break when he won the Texas Regional Music Award for New Male Vocalist of the Year. That accomplishment landed him better gigs at larger venues. He became the first unsigned independent artist to play to a sold-out crowd at the 74,177-seat Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Please check out the video of Johnson’s live performance of “Diamond In My Pocket” at the Troubadour music room in Dallas. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…
“Diamond In My Pocket”
Written by Trent Wayne Willmon, Thomas Daniel Green and Cody Daniel Johnson. Performed by Cody Johnson.
Saturday night and the moon is out
Just shinin’ over top of the pines
I’m headin’ on down to my baby’s house
Gonna take her on a midnight ride
Down those backroads winding down to Kickapoo Creek
Dancin’ and singin’ to some good ol’ boys like me
Baby, there’s a shooting star,
That was for me and you.
So, hold me tight, and make that wish, and pray that it comes true.
I ain’t sure of much,
But this I know…
I got a diamond in my pocket and my baby’s got a heart of gold.
I brought along a little courage and Coleman cooler just to help me out
My hands are shaking like canebrake rattler,
Nothing’s gonna save me now
Might as well jump in head first, lay it all on the line
What am I worrying about never gonna be a more perfect time
Cause baby, there’s a shooting star,
That was for me and you.
So, hold me tight, and make that wish, and pray that it comes true.
I ain’t sure of much,
But this I know…
I got a diamond in my pocket and my baby’s got a heart of gold.
Well I didn’t have money for a Broadway show but the crickets are singing to the radio.
And we got tickets, on the very front porch.
Baby, there’s a shooting star,
That was for me and you.
So, hold me tight, and make that wish, and pray that it comes true.
I ain’t sure of much,
But this I know…
Well, I got a diamond in my pocket and my baby’s got a heart of gold.
I got a diamond in my pocket and my baby’s got a heart of gold.
Yeah, my baby’s got a heart of gold.
Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com.
