Elijah Golden releases a classic, Dark End of the Street
By Alan Shipston for Country Music News International Magazine
The American classic, Dark End of the Street, is the lead single from the debut album, It’s About Time, by Elijah Golden. As the grandson of Oakridge Boys iconic founder, William Lee Golden, Elijah is third-generation artist, who blends blue-eyed soul, country roots and the timeless groove of the Muscle Shoals sound. With a voice that’s both raw and reflective, he brings a fresh yet familiar energy to Southern soul music, anchored in family, faith and the stories that shape us.
Most listeners will recognize the song as a standard soul recording first recorded by James Carr in 1967 and written by legendary songwriters Dan Penn and Chips Moman. It became his trademark song, reaching number 10 on Billboard’s R&B Chart and crossing over to number 77 on the Billboard Hot 100. This writer had the pleasure of remastering the James Carr version for Goldwax Records to be included in a greatest hits package. Other artists who covered Dark End of the Street include, Percy Sledge, Aretha Franklin, Gram Parsons, Flying Burrito Brothers, The Commitments, Dolly Parton, Ry Cooder, Linda Ronstadt and so many others.
Elijah Golden’s version is steeped in the tradition of the song with his voice blending the past with a modern approach. The slow soulful ballad begins with a clean tremolo electric guitar paying tribute to the original over top of a smoldering B3 rumbling through the chords. Golden uses his persuasive vocal to warmly revisit this wonderful piece of history,
At the dark end of the street
That’s where we always meet
Hiding in shadows where we don’t belong
Living in darkness to hide our wrong
You and me at the dark end
Of the street, you and me
This version of Dark End is up a semitone from the original key of G to Ab, but does stay true to the song with a half step key change from Ab to A. The arrangement ends with one more upward transposition to bring the final chorus to its high point. Harmonized choruses paint a beautiful sonic picture as the production never strays far from the intent of the songwriters and the special history of the song. This powerful duet with fellow third-generation artist Texas Martin, is accompanied by a cinematic music video shot in Gallatin, Tennessee. Produced by Chris Golden, the track is soaked in rich harmonies and emotional weight, echoing the classic Southern soul of artists like Percy Sledge, Dan Penn, and early Boz Scaggs.
Born into music royalty, Elijah Golden began recording music at the tender age of nine, and that early passion has only grown stronger. As the son of Chris Golden, the ICMA’s 2022 Entertainer of the Year, Elijah is a core member of the family band, William Lee Golden and the Goldens. In 2024, he made his official Grand Ole Opry debut, marking a milestone in a career that started in childhood. A true multi-instrumentalist, Elijah crafts songs that feel both lived-in and alive. His sound is as much Sunday morning as it is Saturday night, where country storytelling meets Southern soul swagger. Elijah Golden and Dark End of the Street have found an honest, soulful rendition steeped in the roots of American music.