Gold (Prince song)

"Gold"
"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);
Released	November 30, 1995
Recorded	Paisley Park Studios, October 1993
Genre	Pop rock
Length	4:43 (7" Edit) ; 7:23 (Album Version)
Label	NPG, Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	Prince
Producer(s)	Prince
Prince singles chronology
Prince (UK) singles chronology
Music video
	"Gold" on YouTube

"Gold" is a song by Prince, his stage name at that time being an unpronounceable symbol, from his 1995 album The Gold Experience.^[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.

Critical reception[]

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] Greg Kot from Chicago Tribune noted "the arena rock" of the song.^[4] Alexis Petridis from The Guardian wrote, "Gold 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."^[5]

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.

Charts[]

Chart (1995–96)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[6]	94
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[7]	42
Germany (Official German Charts)^[8]	58
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[9]	25
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[10]	19
UK Singles (OCC)^[11]	10
US Billboard Hot 100	88
US Billboard Hot R&B Singles	92
US Billboard Mainstream Top 40	39

References[]

^ http://princevault.com/index.php?title=Gold
^ "Artist (Formerly Known As Prince), The - Gold at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
^ Healy, Andy (September 25, 2020). "Prince's 'The Gold Experience' Turns 25: Anniversary Retrospective". Albumism. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
^ Kot, Greg (September 29, 1995). "Sonic Gold". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
^ Petridis, Alexis (September 12, 2019). "Prince's 50 greatest singles – ranked!". The Guardian. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
^ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 24 Dec 1995". Imgur.com (original document published by ARIA). Retrieved July 20, 2017. N.B. The HP column displays the highest peak reached.
^ "Ultratop.be – The Symbol – Gold" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – The Symbol – Gold" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
^ "Dutchcharts.nl – The Symbol – Gold" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
^ "Swedishcharts.com – The Symbol – Gold". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
^ "Prince: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 2, 2016.

External links[]

Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

[1] ttp://princevault.com/index.php?title=Gold

[2] "Artist (Formerly Known As Prince), The - Gold at Discogs". Discogs.com. 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] Kot, Greg (September 29, 1995). "Sonic Gold". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 16, 2020.

[5] Petridis, Alexis (September 12, 2019). "Prince's 50 greatest singles – ranked!". The Guardian. Retrieved November 16, 2020.

[6] "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 24 Dec 1995". Imgur.com (original document published by ARIA). Retrieved July 20, 2017. N.B. The HP column displays the highest peak reached.

[sc_Flanders_The_Symbol-7] "Ultratop.be – The Symbol – Gold" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 2, 2016.

[sc_Germany_The_Symbol-8] "Offiziellecharts.de – The Symbol – Gold" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved May 2, 2016.

[sc_Dutch100_The_Symbol-9] "Dutchcharts.nl – The Symbol – Gold" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 2, 2016.

[sc_Sweden_The_Symbol-10] "Swedishcharts.com – The Symbol – Gold". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 2, 2016.

[sc_UKsinglesbyname_Prince-11] "Prince: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 2, 2016.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

hide v t Prince singles
1970s	"Soft and Wet" "Just as Long as We're Together" "I Wanna Be Your Lover"
1980s	"Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" "Still Waiting" "Sexy Dancer" "Uptown" "Dirty Mind" "Do It All Night" "Gotta Stop (Messin' About)" "Controversy" "Let's Work" "Do Me, Baby" "1999" "Little Red Corvette" "Delirious" "Let's Pretend We're Married" "When Doves Cry" "Let's Go Crazy" "Purple Rain" "I Would Die 4 U" "Take Me with U" "Paisley Park" "Raspberry Beret" "Pop Life" "America" "Kiss" "Mountains" "Anotherloverholenyohead" "Girls & Boys" "Sign "O" the Times" "If I Was Your Girlfriend" "U Got the Look" "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" "Alphabet St." "Glam Slam" "I Wish U Heaven" "Batdance" "Partyman" "The Arms of Orion" "Scandalous!"
1990s	"The Future" "Thieves in the Temple" "New Power Generation" "Gett Off" "Cream" "Diamonds and Pearls" "Money Don't Matter 2 Night" "Insatiable" "Thunder" "Sexy MF" "My Name Is Prince" "7" "Damn U" "The Morning Papers" "Pink Cashmere" "Nothing Compares 2 U" "Peach" "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" "Letitgo" "Space" "Purple Medley" "I Hate U" "Gold" "Dinner with Delores" "Betcha by Golly Wow!" "The Holy River" "Somebody's Somebody" "The Truth" "Extraordinary" "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold"
2000s	"U Make My Sun Shine" (with Angie Stone) "When Will We B Paid?" (with Audio Stepchild) "Supercute" "The Work, pt. 1" "Days of Wild" "Musicology" "Cinnamon Girl" "Controversy (Live in Hawaii)" "S.S.T." "Te Amo Corazón" "Black Sweat" "Fury" "Guitar" "F.U.N.K."
2010s	"Breakfast Can Wait"
Promotional singles	"When You Were Mine" "Erotic City" "Nothing Compares 2 U" "Love Sign" (with Nona Gaye) "Somebody's Somebody" "The Rest of My Life" "5 Women" "It's About That Walk" "Man'O'War" "Call My Name" "The Song of the Heart"
Airplay-only songs	"International Lover"
Internet downloads	"Guitar (original "demo" version)"
EPs	The Beautiful Experience NYC 1999: The New Master
Other songs	"I Feel for You" "Private Joy" "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" "The Beautiful Ones" "Computer Blue" "Darling Nikki" "Baby I'm a Star" "Sometimes It Snows in April" "Adore" "Don't Talk 2 Strangers" "I Can't Make U Love Me" "La, La, La Means I Love U" "One of Us" "Everyday Is a Winding Road" "A Case of U"