About The Song
“Pocket Full of Gold” is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Vince Gill. It was released in January 1991 as the first single and title track from the album Pocket Full of Gold. The song reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. It was written by Gill and Brian Allsmiller.
“Pocket Full of Gold” is a ballad about a man who commits infidelity and hides his wedding ring in his pocket, an act which later causes misfortune within his life. Throughout the song, he is referred to as a “rich man with his pocket full of gold”. Vince Gill took the idea from a song of the same name written by his friend Brian Allsmiller, then a basketball player for Vanderbilt University’s college team. According to Gill, Allsmiller would often write his own songs and take them to Gill for feedback. One such song featured the lyric “pocket full of gold”, an idea which Gill liked and used as inspiration. Although GIll ultimately wrote the song by himself, he credited Allsmiller as a co-writer.
Video
Lyrics
He slipped the ring off his finger
When he walked in the room
And he found him some stranger
And promised her the moon
How many lies you must have told
You think you’re a rich man
With your pocket full of gold
For another man’s treasure
You’d say anything
But is one night of pleasure
Worth the trouble you’ll bring
Don’t look so surprised
‘Cause son I should know
I once was a rich man
With my pocket full of gold
Some night you’re gonna wind up
On the wrong end of a gun
Some jealous guy’s gonna show up
And you’ll pay for what you’ve done
What will it say on your tombstone
Here lies a rich man
With his pocket full of gold
Yeah, here lies a rich man
With his pocket full of gold
