"Gold"
Single by Prince
from the album The Gold Experience
B-side
  • "Rock 'N' Roll Is Alive! (And It Lives in Minneapolis)"
  • "I Hate U" (Extended Remix) (CD)
ReleasedNovember 30, 1995
RecordedOctober 1993[1]
StudioPaisley Park, Chanhassen
GenrePop rock
Length4:43 (7" edit)
7:23 (album version)
LabelNPG, Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)Prince
Producer(s)Prince
Prince singles chronology
"I Hate U"
(1995)		 "Gold"
(1995)		 "Dinner with Delores"
(1996)
Music video
"Gold" on YouTube

"Gold" is a song by American musician Prince, his stage name at that time being an unpronounceable symbol, and was released as the third single from his seventeenth studio album, The Gold Experience (1995).[2] Obviously proud of the song, Prince touted it as the next "Purple Rain" to reporters before the album's release.

The B-side was "Rock 'n' Roll Is Alive (And It Lives in Minneapolis)", a response to the song "Rock and Roll Is Dead" by Lenny Kravitz. The song complements the rock-based "Gold" and features rousing guitar solos and live drumming as well as various studio tricks throughout the track. The chorus is a sample recorded from a live audience. Prince would later use the technique on several songs for The New Power Generation release Newpower Soul. Prince also made a special remix of the song called the "Tony Fly Mix" to be played on the local Minneapolis DJ's radio program. The remix remains unreleased.

A maxi single on CD and vinyl also included the extended remix of "I Hate U".

A limited edition gold CD single was released in the UK, housed in a gold jewel case. The track listing was the same as the standard CD single.

Chart performance

The song achieved little initial success in the US, with minor Mainstream radio play and no R&B/Hip-Hop or Rhythmic radio play, and weak sales. It peaked at number 88 and stayed on the Hot 100 for two weeks. The single was far more successful in the United Kingdom, where it reached number 10 and became Prince's last original top-ten hit there.

Critical reception

In an retrospective review, Andy Healy from Albumism stated that the song "is filled with uplift and hope despite the trials and tribulations it documents." He added, "It's The Artist's very own "Purple Rain" moment, if you will, with rousing chorus, powerful arrangement, soaring guitar solo and epic seven-plus-minute run time. It's also the track that fulfills a promise as it welcomes us to The Dawn."[3] Upon the release, Gil L. Robertson from Cash Box named "Gold" a "standout track" of the Gold Experience album.[4] Greg Kot from Chicago Tribune noted its "arena rock".[5]

James Masterton for Dotmusic declared it as "a classic single", saying, "For all his self-indulgence on records, when he wants to pull the ace from up his sleeve he does so in style and "Gold" is almost certainly destined to go down as a classic Prince record."[6] Alexis Petridis from The Guardian found that it "reiterates the anti-materialistic message of 1992's "Money Don't Matter 2 Night". It's not groundbreaking in the way Prince's singles once were, but it's exquisitely written."[7] Chuck Campbell from Knoxville News Sentinel viewed it as "familiar-sounding" and "religiously overtoned".[8]

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single, filmed at Paisley Park Studios on October 10, 1995[9] and directed by Prince himself.[10] It was later published on Prince's official YouTube channel in 2017, and had generated more than 6 million views as of July 2023.[11]

Charts

Chart performance for "Gold"
Chart (1995–1996) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[12] 94
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[13] 42
Europe (European Dance Radio)[14] 1
Germany (Official German Charts)[15] 58
Ireland (IRMA)[16] 23
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[17] 24
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[18] 25
Scotland (OCC)[19] 9
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[20] 19
UK Singles (OCC)[21] 10
US Billboard Hot 100 88
US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard) 92
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard) 39

References

  1. ↑ "Gold - Prince Vault".
  2. ↑ "Artist (Formerly Known As Prince), The - Gold at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
  3. ↑ Healy, Andy (September 25, 2020). "Prince's 'The Gold Experience' Turns 25: Anniversary Retrospective". Albumism. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  4. ↑ Robertson IV, Gil L. (October 14, 1995). "Urban" (PDF). Cash Box. p. 11. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  5. ↑ Kot, Greg (September 29, 1995). "Sonic Gold". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  6. ↑ Masterton, James (December 3, 1995). "Week Ending December 9th 1995". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  7. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (September 12, 2019). "Prince's 50 greatest singles – ranked!". The Guardian. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  8. ↑ Campbell, Chuck (October 6, 1995). "Lisa Loeb's 'Tails': Inauspicious Debut". Knoxville News Sentinel.
  9. ↑ "Video: Gold". Prince Vault.
  10. ↑ "Gold (1995) by Prince". IMDVb. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  11. ↑ "Prince - Gold (Official Music Video)". YouTube. October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  12. ↑ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 24 Dec 1995". Retrieved July 20, 2017 – via Imgur.com (original document published by ARIA). N.B. The HP column displays the highest peak reached.
  13. ↑ "The Symbol – Gold" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  14. ↑ "European Dance Radio Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. January 20, 1996. p. 16. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  15. ↑ "The Symbol – Gold" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  16. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Artist". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – prince" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  18. ↑ "The Symbol – Gold" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  20. ↑ "The Symbol – Gold". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Prince: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
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