Welcome to Music Friday, when we bring you great songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Canadian country star Dallas Smith compares his one-in-a-million romance to a rare and precious gemstone in his chart-topping single, “Rhinestone World.”
The central refrain, “Loving you is like finding a diamond in a rhinestone world,” captures the song’s emotional core. In a world full of flash and imitation, a genuine, lasting love is as rare and valuable as a diamond.
While rhinestones glitter brightly, they are mass-produced and inexpensive. A diamond, by contrast, symbolizes permanence, rarity and authenticity. Smith’s metaphor elevates his relationship above the shallow distractions of life, suggesting that true love is both precious and enduring.
Released in late 2018 as the second single from his EP The Fall and later featured on his 2020 album Timeless, “Rhinestone World” quickly resonated with fans, climbing to #1 on the Billboard Canada Country chart. Critics praised the song’s blend of country storytelling and rock energy, calling it a heartfelt tribute to unconditional love.
The official music video deepens the song’s meaning through striking visual contrasts. Scenes of a young couple laughing and exploring a thrift store burst with color and joy, while black-and-white footage of an older man wearing a diamond pendant offers a poignant counterpoint. The video weaves a narrative of devotion that grows stronger over time.
Dallas Smith, now 47, is one of Canada’s most decorated country artists, with a record-setting 12 number-one singles on the Canada Country chart. Named Entertainer of the Year by the Canadian Country Music Association three years in a row (2019–2021), he continues to connect with audiences through both intimate performances and arena tours. Smith will launch an unplugged tour across Canada this fall, beginning in Abbotsford, BC, in October.
Check out the official video of “Rhinestone World,” and listen closely — you may find yourself reflecting on the “diamonds” in your own life. The lyrics are below if you like to sing along…
“Rhinestone World”
Written Andrew DeRoberts, Josh Osborne and Rodney Clawson. Performed by Dallas Smith.
See the sun
Coming up
From the from seat of a greyhound bus
Felt the rain
On the faces
I was standing at the gates of Graceland
Searching for something
Searching for someone
Lost on the highway
A little dazed and confused
But the haze of the road dust
Comes into focus
Every time I look at you
You’re a little white church
On a corner in Mississippi
The front porch light that feels like home, girl
Look at you shine
Loving you is like finding
A diamond in a rhinestone world
You’re a red Corvette on a Carolina two lane
Lighter in the air to a damn good song, girl
Can’t believe you’re mine
Loving you is like finding
A diamond in a rhinestone world
Ohhh, you’re a diamond in a rhinestone world
Waking up
All alone
Means you might have just been chasing ghosts
And all the glitter fades fast
And a gold rush ain’t made to last
You’re a little white church
On a corner in Mississippi
A front porch light that feels like home, girl
Look at you shine
Loving you is like finding
A diamond in a rhinestone world
You’re a red Corvette on a Carolina two lane
Lighter in the air to a damn good song, girl
Can’t believe you’re mine
Loving you is like finding
A diamond in a rhinestone world
You’re a diamond in a rhinestone world
You’re a little white church
On a corner in Mississippi
A front porch light that feels like home, girl
Look at you shine
Loving you is like finding
A diamond in a rhinestone world
You’re a red Corvette on a Carolina two lane
Lighter in the air to a damn good song
Girl, can’t believe you’re mine
Loving you is like finding
A diamond in a rhinestone world
You’re a diamond in a rhinestone world
You’re a diamond in a rhinestone world
Credit: Photo by Enjoy151, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
