[2] Musician magazine finds the guitar work reminiscent of the Kinks earlier album Muswell Hillbillies.
[3] It was, according to Ray Davies, written about the birth of his and Pretenders front woman Chrissie Hynde's daughter, Natalie, in 1983.
[4] "Heart of Gold" was first released as the ninth track on State of Confusion (eighth on non-cassette versions of the album.)
It has since appeared on compilation albums such as Come Dancing with The Kinks[6] and Picture Book,[7] as well as the box set The Arista Years.
The song was cited as a highlight from State of Confusion by AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine, who also described it as "charming.