Released: 10 January 1982 Finally on the list is a tonal departure for British punk band "The Stranglers". With previous hits such as "No More Heroes" from 1977 solidifying their reputation as one of the major players on the punk scene. Golden Brown was much slower and did not feature their regular aggressive guitar playing, that they had become acclaimed for. Regardless of this, it went on to reach number two in the official UK charts in February 1982, kept from the top spot by the previously mentioned song by The Jam "Town Called Malice". The lyrics in the song sound like a regular love story upon first listen, yet there is more present here than that. In his autobiography lead singer Hugh Cornwell explains that the song is in fact yes about a girl, but also about his experiences with heroin usage and his enjoyment derived from both. Lines such as the intro of "Golden Brown, texture like sun" ambiguously hint towards both, from the image alongside the similar hue of heroin. Both these themes are also shown through the final verse consisting of the repeated line of "Never a frown, with golden brown" which describes Cornwell's reliance upon both to feel happy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWAsI3U2EaE
