What was the meaning of the song band of gold?

Answer 1

The 'band of gold' referred to is a wedding ring. It's a sad song about a woman who is persuaded to leave her mother by a cynical lover, who marries her but then quickly loses interest in her. On their honeymoon they sleep in seperate bedrooms and soon afterwards he leaves her, with only her ring to remind her of what had once seemed like a dream relationship but which quickly turned to dust. She is lamenting the loss and breakdown of what might have been.