Mark Loren Designs Blog

Welcome to Music Friday, when we spotlight classic songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, we revisit Dean Martin’s 1958 rendition of “Buona Sera,” a charming song in which a young man in Naples promises to buy his sweetheart a wedding ring.



Set against the picturesque backdrop of Italy’s Mediterranean coast, the song follows a young couple enjoying a moonlit evening. Though the night is drawing to a close, Martin’s character reassures his beloved that he will stop by a little jewelry shop the next morning to purchase a ring for her finger.

He croons, “In the morning signorina we’ll go walking / Where the mountains help the moon come in to sight / And by the little jewelry shop we’ll stop and linger / While I buy a wedding ring for your finger / In the meantime let me tell you that I love you / Buona sera signorina kiss me goodnight.”

Written by Peter De Rose and Carl Sigman, “Buona Sera” — Italian for “good evening” — was first popularized by Louis Prima in 1956. Dean Martin, the “King of Cool” and iconic Rat Pack member, recorded his own smooth version two years later for the album This Is Dean Martin, seamlessly blending his Italian-American heritage with Napoli’s charm.

Born Dino Paul Crocetti in 1917 in Steubenville, OH, Martin grew up speaking Italian as his first language and didn’t learn English until starting school. His path to stardom was far from easy: he left school after the 10th grade, worked in steel mills, bootlegged liquor, dealt blackjack, and even boxed as a welterweight. Moving to New York, he performed under the name “Dino Martini” and eventually joined the Ernie McKay Orchestra, launching his legendary career.

Over his lifetime, Martin recorded more than 100 singles, including timeless hits such as “Memories Are Made of This,” “That’s Amore,” “Everybody Loves Somebody,” and “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head?” His smooth voice and relaxed charisma made him one of the most beloved entertainers of the 20th century, appearing in more than 30 films and numerous television specials.

Martin passed away on Christmas Day, 1995, at age 78. In recognition of his legacy, Ohio’s Route 7 through Steubenville was renamed Dean Martin Boulevard in 1996.

“Buona Sera” remains a playful and romantic snapshot of Martin’s style: easygoing, charming, and always ready to celebrate love — and the sparkle of a wedding ring.

Please check out the audio track of Martin’s cover of “Buona Sera.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Buona Sera”
Music by Peter De Rose and lyrics by Carl Sigman. Performed by Dean Martin.

Buona sera signorina buona sera
It is time to say goodnight to Napoli
Though it’s hard for us to whisper buona sera
With that old moon above the Mediterranean sea
In the morning signorina we’ll go walking
Where the mountains help the moon come in to sight
And by the little jewelry shop we’ll stop and linger
While I buy a wedding ring for your finger
In the meantime let me tell you that I love you
Buona sera signorina kiss me goodnight
Buona sera signorina kiss me goodnight

Buona sera signorina buona sera
It is time to say goodnight to Napoli
Though it’s hard for us to whisper buona sera
With that old moon above the Mediterranean sea

In the morning signorina we’ll go walking
Where the mountains help the moon come in to sight
And by the little jewelry shop we’ll stop and linger
While I buy a wedding ring for your finger
In the meantime let me tell you that I love you
Buona sera signorina kiss me goodnight
Buona sera signorina kiss me goodnight



Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com / John Bond.

Players, management, and staff of the Oklahoma City Thunder received their bejeweled 2025 NBA Championship rings in an emotional on-court ceremony ahead of their season opener against the Houston Rockets — a game that stretched into double overtime before the Thunder sealed a thrilling 125–124 victory. But the drama wasn’t confined to the court. The evening also marked the debut of one of the most innovative championship rings ever created — an exquisite “ring-in-a-ring” design that fuses fine craftsmanship, gemstone artistry and groundbreaking engineering.



The Thunder’s championship ring dazzles with more than 800 custom-cut, hand-set gemstones set in 14-karat gold. At its crown, the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy gleams amid 100 brilliant diamonds, while the diamond-studded OKC Shield symbolizes unity and resilience. Surrounding this centerpiece, 46 taper-cut blue sapphires and 34 emerald-cut diamonds shimmer along the outer edge — an homage to the Thunder’s bold colors and Oklahoma’s wide-open skies.



Side panels celebrate both team pride and personal achievement. The left proudly proclaims “Oklahoma City,” framed by princess-cut blue sapphires, while the right reads “Thunder,” bordered by a burst of blue and orange sapphires that echo the team’s vibrant spirit. Each player’s name and number appear in yellow gold and diamonds, accented by lightning-bolt motifs that embody the team’s energy and drive. Even the Thunder’s record-breaking 68–14 regular season is immortalized in alternating rows of blue and orange sapphires.



At the heart of the design lies its signature innovation — a removable inner band revealed when the ring’s top opens. This refined inner ring, edged with 94 diamonds, features the player’s signature and jersey number engraved in miniature, along with the numbers of every teammate. Inside, a tiny illustration of the Thunder lifting the championship trophy completes the intimate, wearable tribute. The concept allows players to wear a bold, gem-laden statement piece for special occasions — or the elegant inner ring as an everyday symbol of victory.

Emotional symbolism deepens the artistry. The outer palm side of the ring features an engraving of the Gates of Time and Reflecting Pool at the Oklahoma City National Memorial, surrounded by round sapphires. Inside, the state motto, “Labor Omnia Vincit” — “Work conquers all things” — is inscribed in tribute to Oklahoma’s enduring spirit and the dedication that powered the Thunder’s first-ever NBA title.

“This ring is a fusion of artistry, engineering and storytelling,” said Chris Poitras, SVP & GM of The Champions Collective, the Jostens division that designed the piece. “Every detail — from the sapphire palette to the modular ring-in-ring construction — was created to honor Oklahoma City’s championship journey.”

Credits: Images courtesy of The Champions Collective, a Jostens Company.

A rare 37.41-carat rough diamond combining both pink and colorless zones has fueled the curiosity of gemologists and collectors worldwide. Unearthed at Lucara Diamond Corp.’s famed Karowe mine in Botswana, the remarkable Type IIa stone was recently analyzed by the Gemological Institute of America’s (GIA) Botswana laboratory, revealing clues about its extraordinary formation and geological history.



According to the GIA, the diamond exhibits a “mostly sharp boundary” separating its pink and white regions — a feature that suggests the two portions may have formed at different times.



Using advanced analytical techniques, including visible and near-infrared spectroscopy, GIA scientists determined that the pink coloration likely resulted from “plastic deformation,” a process in which intense geological pressure alters a diamond’s crystal structure. The colorless portion, by contrast, may have crystallized later, after the stress-causing event had subsided.



“This unique combination of color zones, size and clarity makes the diamond of great scientific and gemological significance,” said Dr. Sally Eaton-Magaña, GIA’s senior manager of diamond identification. “It may help researchers better understand how pink diamonds are formed deep within the Earth’s mantle.”

Pink diamonds are among the rarest of all natural gems, with their distinctive hue typically linked to internal lattice distortions rather than trace elements. That makes bicolor examples of this size virtually unheard of — and potentially historic once cut and polished.

HB Antwerp, Lucara’s cutting and technology partner, is now responsible for the stone’s transformation. The company’s co-founder, Oded Mansori, described the diamond as “a rare and remarkable find,” adding, “This stone has the potential to become one of the most important pink diamonds ever polished. Its intensely rich coloration is a testament to the geological uniqueness of the Karowe mine.”

The Karowe mine, located in central Botswana, has earned a global reputation for producing exceptional diamonds. Since opening in 2012, it has yielded some of the most significant stones of the 21st century, including the 1,758-carat Sewelô, the 2,488-carat Motswedi — the second-largest rough diamond ever discovered — and the 63-carat pink Boitumelo.

The discovery of this new bicolor diamond adds yet another chapter to Karowe’s legacy and strengthens the ongoing partnership between Lucara and HB Antwerp, which emphasizes traceability, transparency and value creation within Botswana’s diamond industry.

As the gem moves from rough to polished, the world’s attention will remain fixed on Antwerp — where technology and artistry will converge to unlock the full brilliance of one of nature’s most fascinating and mysterious creations.

Credits: Images courtesy of GIA. Gem photos by Tebogo Hambira, photomicrograph by Wanling Tan.

A discovery deep in the Andes Mountains is reshaping the future of global mining. The newly identified Vicuña Mineral Resource, straddling the border between Argentina’s San Juan Province and Chile’s Atacama Region, is being hailed as one of the most significant mineral finds in decades — and it could change the economic fortunes of both nations.



Geologists estimate the deposit holds an extraordinary combination of metals: 32 million ounces of gold, 659 million ounces of silver and 13 million tons of copper, with a total estimated value exceeding $337 billion. Jointly developed by Lundin Mining and BHP, the site includes the Filo del Sol and Josemaría projects — two sections of a single, vast mineral system that could make Argentina a world-class producer of copper and precious metals.



For decades, Chile has been the undisputed copper capital of the world, while Argentina has remained better known for its agricultural exports. That balance may soon shift. Experts say the Vicuña find could vault Argentina into the top tier of global metal producers within the next decade — diversifying its economy and generating tens of thousands of jobs.

This discovery also comes at a perfect time: global demand and pricing for gold, silver and copper are all rising. Copper is essential for electric vehicles, renewable energy systems and modern infrastructure, while gold and silver remain safe-haven investments amid global uncertainty. With clean-energy transitions accelerating worldwide, the Andes discovery positions both Argentina and Chile as key suppliers in the race for critical materials.

However, turning this mountainous potential resource into tradable commodities won’t be easy. The Vicuña deposits lie high in the remote Andes, where extreme altitude, limited infrastructure and harsh weather pose major logistical challenges. Building new access roads, power lines and processing plants will take years and billions in investment. Environmental concerns also loom large — particularly around water usage and protecting fragile alpine ecosystems.

To address these issues, Lundin Mining and BHP have pledged to employ advanced, sustainable mining practices. Early plans include real-time environmental monitoring, wastewater recycling, and community engagement programs aimed at sharing economic benefits with nearby villages and indigenous groups.

If all goes according to plan, the first phase of production could begin around 2030, ushering in a new era for South American mining. For Chile, it means consolidating its leadership in copper while expanding in gold and silver. For Argentina, it marks the dawn of a new economic chapter — one written in metal and forged in the heart of the Andes.

Credits: Andes image by WeHaKa, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Map by Google Maps.

When "The Glowing Rose" — a 10.08-carat Fancy Vivid Pink cushion-cut diamond valued at approximately $20 million — goes under the hammer at Sotheby’s Geneva on November 12, it will mark one of the most anticipated jewelry auctions of the year. The breathtaking gem, notable for its exceptional color and clarity, is only the third Vivid Pink, cushion-cut diamond larger than 10 carats to appear at auction in the past decade.



Color-saturated pink diamonds, particularly those graded “Fancy Vivid,” make up an infinitesimal sliver of the diamond world. Less than 0.15 % of all diamonds submitted to the Gemological Institute of America are graded as predominantly pink and, of those, very few ever attain the intensity and purity to be called Vivid.

Add to its résumé a very high VVS2 clarity grade and the fact it belongs to Type IIa — the purest chemical subgroup found in fewer than 2% of gem diamonds — and the stone becomes all the more exceptional.



Its provenance is equally compelling. The stone was cut from a 21-carat rough discovered in 2023 at the famed Lulo mine in Angola’s diamond-rich Lunda Norte region, a site operated by Lucapa and already renowned for producing rare large stones.

The cushion cut itself deserves special attention. Often favored in fancy colored diamonds, the shape displays rounded corners and facet geometry that can deepen and warm the stone’s tone. This very cut recently surged into public awareness when pop star Taylor Swift chose a cushion cut for her engagement ring. Sotheby’s noted that cushion shapes “best showcase the diamond’s color saturation and brilliance” in pink stones.



The gem is mounted in a bespoke presentation setting crafted by British heritage jeweler Boodles, known for its mastery of pink diamond jewelry. The ring design features baguette diamonds in a channel, a chevron contour and a white diamond band that appears to flow from the central gem itself.

In terms of auction context, The Glowing Rose enters an elite circle of pink diamonds. In 2022, the Williamson Pink Star (11.15 carats) fetched $57.7 million at Sotheby's Hong Kong, setting a record price per carat for any gemstone. In 2023, the Eternal Pink (10.57 carats) sold at Sotheby's New York for $34.8 million. Rarer still is the CTF Pink Star, a 59.60-ct Fancy Vivid pink that holds the world auction record for the highest price paid for any gemstone, at $71.2 million. It was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong in 2017.

Credits: Images courtesy of Sotheby's.

Welcome to Music Friday, when we feature songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, we revisit Ace of Base’s hauntingly beautiful 1995 ballad, “Experience Pearls.” The Swedish pop group — best known for ’90s megahits like “The Sign” and “All That She Wants” — trades its signature sunny reggae-pop sound for introspection and emotional depth in this jewel of a song.



At first listen, “Experience Pearls” feels like a love song about mending a broken heart. Vocalists Linn and Jenny Berggren tell the story of a woman so devoted that she vows to transform her lover’s tears into pearls.

Later in the song, the duo sing, "I’ll wear your pearls more precious than silver / I’ll wear your pearls so close to my skin." The lines symbolize a deep, almost sacred empathy — a willingness to carry another’s pain as her own.

One interpretation of the song suggests that “experience pearls” represent this emotional transference — the transformation of sorrow into beauty. Much like a pearl forms from an irritant within an oyster, love’s pain becomes something luminous and enduring.

Another interpretation, however, casts the song in a different light. Here, the protagonist isn’t absorbing her partner’s sorrow, but reflecting on what remains after love has faded.

The “pearls” are not literal tears or tokens of shared pain, but memories — small, shining lessons gathered from heartbreak. She can’t undo her mistakes, but she can treasure the understanding that came from them. In this sense, the pearls become symbols of wisdom: hard-won, deeply personal and ultimately beautiful.

Whichever way one reads the lyrics, the message remains uplifting — that pain, whether shared or endured, can be transformed into something precious.

“Experience Pearls” appeared as the 16th track on The Bridge, Ace of Base’s platinum-selling second album. Released in October 1995, The Bridge charted in 19 countries and sold more than five million copies worldwide, cementing the band’s place among pop’s most successful acts of the decade.

According to the band’s official site, the Ace of Base story started in the early 1990s when the three Berggren siblings (Jonas, Linn and Jenny) formed the techno band called Tech Noir. Next to their rehearsal room, Ulf Ekberg played in another band. Soon, Jonas and Ulf hit it off, started to write and produce together, and Ace of Base was formed.

After recording a demo tape of original songs, including the future blockbuster hit ”All That She Wants,” the band went to Stockholm where the members pitched all the major record companies. None showed any interest. The common critique was that their songs were “too obvious” and “too simple.”

Undaunted, the band’s next stop was Copenhagen, where executives at Mega Records immediately saw the band’s potential and loved their positive, uncomplicated and slightly reggae-tinged pop music.

Ace of Base’s very first single was ”Wheel Of Fortune,” followed by the major worldwide hits ”All That She Wants,” ”The Sign” and ”Don’t Turn Around.”

Today, Ace of Base continues to sparkle in the pop-culture memory. In late 2024, the band was inducted into the Swedish Music Hall of Fame and released a three-part documentary, Ace of Base: All That She Wants, chronicling their rise and legacy. Jenny Berggren remains active as a solo performer, bringing Ace of Base classics to audiences around the world.

Exactly three decades after its release, “Experience Pearls” still shimmers — reminding us that from every heartbreak, something beautiful can emerge.

Please check out the audio track of “Experience Pearls.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Experience Pearls”
Written by Jenny Berggren. Performed by Ace of Base.

Give me all your tears
Let me turn them into pearls

Let me turn all the tears
That you have cried into pearls
Hand them over to me
I’m gonna keep
Keep them for you

I want to hold you,
I want to kiss you
I want to mend what is broken.

Love me the way that you loved her, please
Cause now I’m giving it all.

And so I’ve made up my mind,
I’m gonna be yours this time
I’m gonna give what I’ve got,
And get your love in return.
And so I’ve made up my mind, I’m gonna be
Yours this time, I’m gonna teach you to trust
And learn how to burn

Experience pearls
Pearls of experience

Sand strikes up in your eyes
I will cover your face
I’ll plant your desert with roses,
And I’m gonna keep, keep them for you.

And so I’ve made up my mind
I’m gonna be yours this time
I’m gonna give what I’ve got,
And get your love in return.
And so I’ve made up my mind, I’m gonna be
Yours this time, I’m gonna teach you to trust
And learn how to burn

Experience pearls

I’ll wear your pearls more precious than silver
I’ll wear your pearls so close to my skin.
I’d tear myself apart just to get you,
I’d tear myself apart just to get you.

And so I’ve made up my mind

And so I’ve made up my mind
I’m gonna be yours this time
I’m gonna give what I’ve got,
And get your love in return.
And so I’ve made up my mind, I’m gonna be
Yours this time, I’m gonna teach you to trust
And learn how to burn

Experience pearls
Pearls of experience

Experience pearls
Pearls of experience



Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com / Cadinho Meireles.

Citizen scientists have spotted what looks like a pair of unimaginably immense glowing golden hoops suspended in space — a cosmic phenomenon so rare and beautiful that scientists are calling it one of the most extraordinary sights in the universe.



These mysterious structures, officially known as odd radio circles or ORCs, appear as enormous ring-shaped halos made of charged gas, glowing in radio light. The newly discovered example — actually two intersecting rings — is the most distant and most powerful ORC ever found. If you could see this phenomenon with the naked eye, it would resemble a pair of fiery dangling earrings floating nearly 7.5 billion light-years away.

Each ring is truly colossal, stretching about a million light-years across, or roughly 10 to 20 times the size of our Milky Way galaxy. Yet despite their scale, these cosmic “hoops” are incredibly faint and can only be detected using specialized radio telescopes.

What makes this discovery even more exciting is how it happened: through the efforts of everyday people. The double-ringed ORC, known by its astronomical name RAD J131346.9+500320, was first spotted by citizen scientists working with India’s RAD@home Astronomy Collaboratory. Volunteers comb through radio telescope data, flagging anything that looks unusual. Their sharp eyes caught this remarkable formation, later confirmed by Europe’s Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR), the world’s largest radio telescope of its kind.

Their findings were published earlier this month in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Scientists are still unsure exactly what causes ORCs to form. Some theories suggest they are enormous shockwaves triggered by explosive events at the centers of galaxies — perhaps outbursts from supermassive black holes. Others think they might be “echoes” from ancient jets of high-energy particles that once blasted out from those black holes, reigniting old clouds of gas to create glowing rings.

Whatever their origin, ORCs are among the most mysterious and visually captivating structures in the cosmos. Only a handful have been discovered since the first one appeared in 2019, making each new find a precious clue in understanding how galaxies — and the black holes at their hearts — evolve over billions of years.

For jewelry lovers, it’s hard not to draw the comparison: these dazzling radio rings are the ultimate celestial statement pieces. Suspended across unimaginable distances, their golden glow evokes the timeless allure of hoop earrings — except these “accessories” are crafted by the universe itself, on a scale that outshines anything found on Earth.

As one astronomer put it, these rings are “among the most bizarre and beautiful cosmic structures we’ve ever seen.” In the vast darkness of space, they remind us that even the universe has a flair for sparkle.

Credit: Image by RAD@home Astronomy Collaboratory (India) (CC BY 4.0).

A rare 6.95-carat fancy vivid purplish pink diamond ring is expected to be the star attraction at Phillips’ “The Geneva Jewels Auction: V” at the Hôtel President on November 10, 2025. With a pre-sale estimate of approximately $9 million, the breathtaking gem is poised to capture the attention of collectors worldwide.



Mounted in a sleek ring flanked by two triangular white diamonds, the center stone possesses VVS2 clarity and is classified as a Type IIa diamond — a distinction reserved for less than 2% of all natural diamonds. Type IIa stones are chemically pure, lacking measurable nitrogen or boron impurities, which contributes to their remarkable transparency and brightness. This purity, combined with its striking purplish pink hue, places the diamond among the world’s most coveted treasures.

Interest in pink diamonds has surged in recent years, particularly since the 2020 closure of Australia’s famed Argyle Mine — once the source of over 90% of the world’s pink diamonds. With Argyle’s production now part of history, natural pink diamonds have become exceedingly rare, fueling record-breaking prices at auction.

Among the most famous examples are the CTF Pink Star, a 59.6-carat fancy vivid pink diamond that sold for $71.2 million at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 2017 — still the highest price ever achieved for any gemstone. Following closely are the Williamson Pink Star (11.15 carats, $57.7 million, 2022) and the Winston Pink Legacy (18.96 carats, $50.37 million, 2018), each celebrated for its extraordinary saturation and rarity.

Phillips’ Geneva sale will also feature “The Vanderbilt Family Jewels,” a distinguished collection once owned by Gladys Moore Vanderbilt, the youngest daughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt II and Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt. The highlight of this historic ensemble is the Vanderbilt Sapphire — a 42.68-carat sugarloaf Kashmir sapphire and diamond brooch by Tiffany & Co., estimated between $1 million and $1.5 million.

In addition to these headline pieces, the auction will include exquisite creations by Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Bulgari and Graff. Before its Geneva sale, the 6.95-carat pink diamond ring will headline an international exhibition tour, with stops in New York, Singapore, Taipei and London — giving collectors a rare opportunity to preview one of nature’s most alluring masterpieces.

Credit: Image courtesy of Phillips.

After two fruitless days of digging, most visitors might have given up. But Dewy White and his wife, travelers from Paoli, IN, weren’t most visitors. Their determination — and a little divine inspiration — led to one of the year’s largest discoveries at Crater of Diamonds State Park: a 2.71-carat golden-brown diamond they fittingly named the “Hope Diamond.”



The couple first visited the Murfreesboro, AR, park in late September as part of what they called the “road trip of a lifetime.” They spent two long, dusty days sifting through the park’s 37.5-acre search field with no luck. Undeterred, they continued their journey but decided to stop back on their way home for another try.

That decision made all the difference. On October 2, in a shaded section of the park known as Canary Hill, White began dry sifting dirt through mesh screens he’d bought in town. The area had been recommended by another visitor — “a very nice gentleman,” he said — who seemed to know his way around the diamond field.



Late in the day, White spotted something glinting in his shovel before it even hit the screen.

“It looked like a metal piece of glass,” he said. “The minute I saw it, I knew.”

Shouting “Thank you, Jesus!” he rushed to the park’s identification table, where staff confirmed he’d found a genuine diamond — round, about the size of a pea, and weighing 2.71 carats.

Although the official report described the gem as white, photos show a beautiful golden-brown hue — a warm color that catches the light with a subtle sparkle.

White named it the “Hope Diamond,” not to be confused with the world-famous 45.52-carat deep-blue Hope Diamond housed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The Arkansas gem may be smaller and earthier, but for the Whites, it represents something far more personal: the reward of patience and faith. According to park officials, White chose the name "Hope Diamond," simply because he had hoped they would find one.

White’s “Hope Diamond” is the fourth-largest diamond registered at Crater of Diamonds this year. According to park staff, 414 diamonds have been logged in 2025 alone — an average of about 1.5 per day. Since diamonds were first discovered here by farmer John Huddleston in 1906, more than 75,000 have been unearthed.

Crater of Diamonds remains the only public diamond-bearing site in the world where visitors can keep what they find, a fact that draws thousands of hopeful treasure hunters each year. For White and his wife, their find was more than a gem — it was a sparkling symbol of persistence rewarded.

Credits: Images courtesy of Arkansas State Parks.

Welcome to Music Friday, when we feature songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, we rewind to 1984 and the shimmering synths of Wang Chung’s “Dance Hall Days,” a song that captures both the innocence and intensity of youthful love — crystallized in the hallucinatory image of amethyst and sapphire.



Frontman Jack Hues sings,"So take your baby by the wrist / And in her mouth an amethyst / And in her eyes two sapphires blue / And you need her and she needs you.”

The line has intrigued listeners for decades. During a 2006 interview on the "Just My Show" podcast, Hues explained that the song begins with a simple dance-hall romance — “Take your baby by the hand” — but by the final verse, “it’s all a bit more hallucinogenic… how things that start off simple get complex.”

That complexity is part of what makes “Dance Hall Days” such a gem of 1980s pop. The song’s lush production and dreamlike lyrics evoke the intoxicating mix of memory, desire and nostalgia. Hues’ use of gemstones adds layers of symbolism — amethyst representing spiritual clarity and transformation, and sapphire symbolizing wisdom, truth and emotional depth. Together, the stones suggest a mystical, almost ritualistic image: the woman becomes an idealized muse — a goddess-like figure, “adorned” with gems that capture the preciousness of the moment.

“Dance Hall Days” became a worldwide hit, charting in 12 countries and peaking at #16 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Its cinematic allure led to placements in a long list of films, including Bachelor Party, Pretty in Pink, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, and The Fighter.

More than four decades later, Wang Chung — founded by Jack Hues and Nick Feldman — continues to perform for loyal fans worldwide. In 2025, the band played to sold-out crowds on the "I Want My ’80s Tour" with Rick Springfield and John Waite, following a 2024 co-headlining run on the "Abducted by the ’80s Tour."

In May 2025, the group released Clear Light / Dark Matter – Greatest Hits & Near Misses, a two-disc collection of chart-toppers, deep cuts and rarities that celebrates their enduring appeal.

When Wang Chung took the stage at The Mountain Winery in Saratoga, CA, this past August, audiences sang along to “Dance Hall Days” as though time had stood still — proof that its crystalline blend of rhythm, memory and mystery still shines after four decades.

Check out the video of Wang Chung's Mountain Winery performance. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along...

“Dance Hall Days”
Written by Jack Hues. Performed by Wang Chung.

Take your baby by the hand
And make her do a high hand stand
And take your baby by the heel
And do the next thing that you feel

We were so in phase
In our dance hall days
We were cool on craze
When I, you, and everyone we knew
Could believe, do, and share in what was true
I said

Dance hall days, love

Take your baby by the hair
And pull her close and there, there, there
And take your baby by the ears
And play upon her darkest fears

We were so in phase
In our dance hall days
We were cool on craze
When I, you, and everyone we knew
Could believe, do, and share in what was true
I said

Dance hall days, love
Dance hall days
Dance hall days, love

Take your baby by the wrist
And in her mouth, an amethyst
And in her eyes, two sapphires blue
And you need her and she needs you
And you need her and she needs you
And you need her and she needs you
And you need her and she needs you
And you need her
And she needs you

We were so in phase
In our dance hall days
We were cool on craze
When I, you, and everyone we knew
Could believe, do, and share in what was true
I said

Dance hall days, love

Dance hall days, love
Dance hall days

Dance hall days, love
Dance hall days

Dance hall days, love
Dance hall days

Dance hall days, love



Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com.