Where true wealth is measured by what money cannot buy.
God’s Gold emerged from an idea Michael Doyle conceived while staying at the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, surrounded by extraordinary luxury and reflecting upon the nature of wealth and ownership.
The song developed further during the Nashville sessions of 2006, when Michael worked with acclaimed songwriter Dennis Morgan. Their two perspectives came together: material blessings on one side, and the greater riches of love, family, friendship, hope and faith on the other.
Recorded at Emerald Studios, Nashville, God’s Gold became one of the most polished recordings from the Nashville period and one of the songs most closely connected with the spiritual themes running through Sane Inside Insanity.
Song Information
| Status | Released |
| Written | 2006 |
| Definitive Recording | Nashville (2006) |
| Studio | Emerald Studios, Nashville |
| Producer | Harry Hinde |
| Writers | Michael Doyle and Dennis Morgan |
| Category | Original Song |
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About the Song
God’s Gold began with an idea Michael Doyle had while staying at the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, surrounded by an almost surreal display of luxury. It prompted a reflection on wealth, ownership and gratitude: if everything ultimately comes from God, perhaps material prosperity is not something we truly possess at all, but something temporarily entrusted to us.
When the song entered the Nashville writing process in 2006, acclaimed songwriter Dennis Morgan brought another dimension to the idea. Rather than focusing on material wealth, Morgan turned towards the riches that money cannot buy: love, family, children, friendship, hope and faith.
The two ideas complemented one another. Michael’s original concept considered the source of material blessings; Dennis helped broaden the song towards the things that remain beyond price. One recurring image is that of a child — the “little girl named Sarah” — representing the simple human treasures around which the song ultimately revolves.
The Nashville recording became one of the more distinctive productions from those sessions. The song leans towards a rhythmic, almost rumba-like groove, which produced one particularly memorable episode during Michael’s vocal coaching. To maintain the required rhythm, his coach repeatedly had him crouching and lowering his centre of gravity while singing. Nashville occasionally demanded more than merely standing in front of a microphone.
Today, God’s Gold sits naturally among the spiritual themes running through Sane Inside Insanity: gratitude, providence, stewardship and the enduring question of what, when everything else is stripped away, constitutes genuine wealth.
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Book References
God’s Gold appears throughout the Sane Inside Insanity trilogy. References to its composition, recording, meaning and influence can be found in the chapters listed below.
- Book I – Before Judgment
- Book II – The Trial
- Book III – Captivity and Return