i think its a great prince song...one that lifts my mood every time i hear it....and that guitar solo in the album version...come on...how can anyone not feel this song ?...i first heard it at the ultimate live experience tour when it hit glasgow back in march 1995....it sounded amazing then and still sounds as good to me...

it was a big hit in the uk reaching the top ten and staying on the charts for 10 weeks (prince's last top ten hit in the uk) ...it was also one of his biggest airplay hits in the uk...making number 2..it was all over the radio late in 95...so this idea it wasnt a big hit is nonsense...maybe in the usa it didnt take off but sometimes the greatest songs are not hits for whatever reason....purple rain single wasnt a hit in australia in 1984...it happens...for me...its a top 20 prince song...

The song feels like a missed opportunity; whether the hardcore here love it or not, the song had all the elements of a hit. Earnestly sung, somewhat thought-provoking lyrics, an above average guitar solo. I remember exactly where I was the first time I heard it on the radio and the DJ did say something about how it was going to be a big hit and that it reminded him of "Purple Rain". What killed it was a fairly average video and complete lack of promotion from WB who at that point were just wanting to be out of the Prince business. I DO NOT think "Dolphin" would have been a hit if released in its place. Gold Experience came out, had a first single (not counting TMBGITW) in "I Hate U that had no commercially released video and limited airplay (it sold well enough to place it in the Top 20 but it is hard to think of this as a Top 20 song) , and "Gold" was released with lukwarm momentum and no excitement from the company. "Gold Experience" should have had more hits and should have been bigger but it was levelled by Prince's impatience/frustration and Warner Brother's ultimatee disinterest.

[Edited 12/29/12 16:46pm]

errant said:

And the radio/single version cut out the guitar solo.

Just like the Purple Rain single.

It was a flop because of Prince's war with Warners.The promotional strategy for this album was a mess.Prince didn't even deliver the video for "I Hate U",which stopped that song from becoming a major hit.The "Gold" single received even less promotion.

We can come up with all sorts of excuses. But the bottom line is the track, however much effort was put into it, just didn't have any spark. The same thing can be said about the entire album. I don't like the album, but I can tell, and appreciate on a certain level the work that was put into it. It feels like work. It feels labored. And it wasn't that it was overly produced. It just lacks that certain something. Everything post 87 just lacks that certain something. Feels dumbed down.

Whether it was the lack of The Revolution, or he started doing drugs or just burned out, his music out of nowhere just suddenly and dramatically lost that certian je ne sais quoi. After 87 for me his music was like the equivalent of your witty, fun, interesting friend suddenly slurring his words, and you being suspect he may be high, drunk, ill, or just not being his usual self for whatever reason. But for me anyway, this track and most of his post 87 work just lack a certain intangible something that once seemed so effortless for him. But it has nothing to do with WB whatsoever.

[Edited 12/30/12 18:24pm]

robertgeorgeakabob said:

HonestMan13 said:

Because Americans think like this about music and that's why the radio stations spew crap all day long. Americans want to be seen as cool at the cost of their own personal tastes and individuality.

don't often agree with u but you're bang on!

america is too focused on rock heroes, in the uk we appreciate a touch of eccentricity and eclecticism. or at least we did as it seems the differences between american and uk tastes is diminishing year by year.

nothing wrong with cheese on toast. you just wouldn't wanna eat it every meal.

How does me not wanting to play a song in front of other people sacrificing indiviuality? There are songs you play in front of other people and songs you don't. That's like saying that just because you've hummed along to a Wiggles song you put on for you kid you should be humming the Wiggles to all your co-workers. Gold just doesn't seem like an appropriate radio song to me, especially compared to what I hear when I am unfortunate enough to hear the radio. And seriously, don't take my opinon as a statement on American music taste, especially when I'm just trying to explain my thoughts on the matter.

GottaLetitgo said:

"Gold Experience" should have had more hits and should have been bigger but it was levelled by Prince's impatience/frustration and Warner Brother's ultimatee disinterest.

Exactly.This album could have easily had four or five hit singles.I wish that Prince and Warners would have put aside their differences and gave this album the powerful,effective promotion that it deserved.

Bad timing, little promo. Considering this, the more wonderous question might be 'why did it do so well in the UK?'

that whole album was a big fu to wb by prince .. just a ton of rubbish on there and definately not intended to sell well beyond beautiful girl, which was it's own thing .. prince wanted it to tank and it did just that .. gold is kind of a lame song .. purple rain of the 90's is a joke .. gold cant touch purple rain by a long shot .. its paint by numbers prince and that whole record launched his lyrical down fall. lyrics drive pop songs and these lyrics are very kindergarden bookish. that's why

The song is simply not cool with the way it's produced. Certainly not for mid 1990's. Seemed obvious to me the moment I heard it back then. It's no Purple Rain, which would sound good even if it had been released as a song in the mid 90's.

NouveauDance said:

Bad timing, little promo. Considering this, the more wonderous question might be 'why did it do so well in the UK?'

Prince was far more popular in the UK in the early 92-94 period then in the USA. Flamboyant was fading out. Did Prince beat out MJ for best international solo artist in 1993? Prince won Best international male artist in 1995. It appears from Lovesexy through the GE, Prince was more popular in Europe than in the USA (With the exception of the D&P album-which was a hit).

kewlschool said:

NouveauDance said:

Bad timing, little promo. Considering this, the more wonderous question might be 'why did it do so well in the UK?'

Prince was far more popular in the UK in the early 92-94 period then in the USA. Flamboyant was fading out. Did Prince beat out MJ for best international solo artist in 1993? Prince won Best international male artist in 1995. It appears from Lovesexy through the GE, Prince was more popular in Europe than in the USA (With the exception of the D&P album-which was a hit).

I guess. The name change debacle was more of a giggle here than anything, I think we like loony popstars as long as they don't take it too seriously for too long, then it gets boring.

Gold though, I think it was out around Xmas time? I remember buying it then. Looking back Prince didn't do too badly singles-wise in the early 90s here, like you say.

I agree with what others have said in that Gold could've been a huge hit had everyone been behind it like D&P - all engines pumping, we could've seen 4 or 5 hit singles.

Nivivrus said:

robertgeorgeakabob said:

don't often agree with u but you're bang on!

america is too focused on rock heroes, in the uk we appreciate a touch of eccentricity and eclecticism. or at least we did as it seems the differences between american and uk tastes is diminishing year by year.

nothing wrong with cheese on toast. you just wouldn't wanna eat it every meal.

How does me not wanting to play a song in front of other people sacrificing indiviuality? There are songs you play in front of other people and songs you don't. That's like saying that just because you've hummed along to a Wiggles song you put on for you kid you should be humming the Wiggles to all your co-workers. Gold just doesn't seem like an appropriate radio song to me, especially compared to what I hear when I am unfortunate enough to hear the radio. And seriously, don't take my opinon as a statement on American music taste, especially when I'm just trying to explain my thoughts on the matter.

take a chill pill jill. here's a tune that might help calm u down. i've been humming it constantly at work and my co-workers absolutely love it.

http://youtu.be/woYuBhkIlK0

Just put it in context of other power ballad swansong type singles in that era (I only like the first and last on the list):

One by - U2

Everybody Hurts - REM

Don't Speak - No Doubt

Lithium - Nirvana

Gold sounds like it was mixed up for a very young audience (or innocent). It never had a chance in the US.

Purple Rain has that harsh edge to it, that deep texture that seems raw. Part of that might be because it's all worked from a live take complete with what sounds like mic feedback that sounds in key.

Gold is very sugary and soft in it's production (despite the nice wild electric guitar). I much prefer the the demo version that surfaced on bootleg. Those high notes on synth don't evoke any kind of emotion in me, they just ring false and cheesy.

I wish Prince would have put out a "dirty mix" of Gold. Or do a reworked version live now.

Gold as is would be a good theme song for some anime series title seqiuence with a little girl or animal with big eyes.

I'll always love Gold. An anthem for not only the end of an album, but the end of an era (I just love how his WB career began and ended 'a capella'). That said, if I'd only ever heard the single edit, I don't think I'd be as keen. In my opinion, the song just doesn't work properly without the slow-burn and the big payoff. But then again, yes: Europe.

It is a bit of a head-scratcher, ain't it?

I also have to agree with Imago's and ufoclub's comments about its sound not reflecting the changes happening to American music in the mid-90s. As much as I've grown to appreciate Gold, I don't see how its schmalzy vibe could ever have synched to the raw mood and attitude of what was popular in music then. Sure you can be out of synch in a blazing-new-paths kind of way, but I'm not sure Gold intrinsically could have done that.

Then again, I do remember seeing the TMBGITW video being played steadily on VH1, and I find that song to be as cheesy as Gold, if not cheesier. Maybe it's just an early case of people preferring Prince-the-Lover to Prince-the-Preacher?

With all due respect to those not enamored with the song's sound, I don't think that the song not being a hit had anything to do with hard edged sounds on pop radio in 1995. Kurt died in 1994 and grunge along with him (Pearl Jam being one of the few holdouts but they would never be as big again as they were during that 91-93 period).

Pop music in 1995 was careening toward blandness and safeness. Hootie and the Blowfish had the biggest album of the time period. Damosuzuki alluded to the hits of 1995 earlier; here were the number one songs of 95:

On Bended Knee (Boyz II Men)

Creep (TLC)

Take a Bow (Madonna)

This is How We Do It (Montell Jordan)

Have You Really Ever Loved a Woman (Bryan Adams)

Waterfalls (TLC)

Kiss From a Rose (Seal)

You are Not Alone (MJ)

Gangstas Paradise (Coolio)

Fantasy (Mariah Carey)

Exhale (Whitney Houston)

One Sweet Day (Boyz II Men)

Now I happen to like a lot of these songs but if Bryan Adams could have hit number 1 with that crappy song, Gold could and should have at least hit Top 40 if not for both Prince and WB abandoning the song.

[Edited 12/31/12 11:21am]

Prince just wasn't the shit back then--people were mad at him for the symbol bullshit and all the weirdness.

Because, in the end, the song is slightly better than even Purple Rain and should have been as big.

I did notice that the video was played a lot. The song is grand, really too bad.

Blame Warners.

ludwig said:

Because Prince was at war with Warner Bros back then, and the whole situation was a mess. Prince promoted the album long BEFORE it was released, and whet it came out he wasn't interested anymore. Anr as far as I know the video never was delivered to music channels.

I remember BET and VH1 played it a few times (outside of the L41A special).

GottaLetitgo said:

Pop music in 1995 was careening toward blandness and safeness. Hootie and the Blowfish had the biggest album of the time period. Damosuzuki alluded to the hits of 1995 earlier; here were the number one songs of 95:

On Bended Knee (Boyz II Men)

Creep (TLC)

Take a Bow (Madonna)

This is How We Do It (Montell Jordan)

Have You Really Ever Loved a Woman (Bryan Adams)

Waterfalls (TLC)

Kiss From a Rose (Seal)

You are Not Alone (MJ)

Gangstas Paradise (Coolio)

Fantasy (Mariah Carey)

Exhale (Whitney Houston)

One Sweet Day (Boyz II Men)

Now I happen to like a lot of these songs but if Bryan Adams could have hit number 1 with that crappy song, Gold could and should have at least hit Top 40 if not for both Prince and WB abandoning the song.

True, true... Wasn't that Bryan Adams song for a movie? Same thing with Seal's Kiss From a Rose, Coolio's Gangstas Paradise, Whitney Houston's Exhale...? They definitely promote those types of songs a lot.

in retrospect,"319" should have been the second single.Releasing two mellow singles in a row wasn't a smart move,especially from an album filled with alot of great uptempo tracks.

SoulAlive said:

in retrospect,"319" should have been the second single.Releasing two mellow singles in a row wasn't a smart move,especially from an album filled with alot of great uptempo tracks.

I always thought "319" was one of the weaker up tempo songs on the album. I would have prefered "Billy Jack Bitch" to be released as a single.

daPrettyman said:

SoulAlive said:

in retrospect,"319" should have been the second single.Releasing two mellow singles in a row wasn't a smart move,especially from an album filled with alot of great uptempo tracks.

I always thought "319" was one of the weaker up tempo songs on the album. I would have prefered "Billy Jack Bitch" to be released as a single.

"319" was the "Kiss" of the 90s it's classic Prince

LittleBear said:

GottaLetitgo said:

Pop music in 1995 was careening toward blandness and safeness. Hootie and the Blowfish had the biggest album of the time period. Damosuzuki alluded to the hits of 1995 earlier; here were the number one songs of 95:

On Bended Knee (Boyz II Men)

Creep (TLC)

Take a Bow (Madonna)

This is How We Do It (Montell Jordan)

Have You Really Ever Loved a Woman (Bryan Adams)

Waterfalls (TLC)

Kiss From a Rose (Seal)

You are Not Alone (MJ)

Gangstas Paradise (Coolio)

Fantasy (Mariah Carey)

Exhale (Whitney Houston)

One Sweet Day (Boyz II Men)

Now I happen to like a lot of these songs but if Bryan Adams could have hit number 1 with that crappy song, Gold could and should have at least hit Top 40 if not for both Prince and WB abandoning the song.

True, true... Wasn't that Bryan Adams song for a movie? Same thing with Seal's Kiss From a Rose, Coolio's Gangstas Paradise, Whitney Houston's Exhale...? They definitely promote those types of songs a lot.

Singles from movie albums get more marketing and air play do to more money behind the promotion (see Prince's Batman as an example.).

I love it!, personally i think it should've been a number 1, brilliant classic song!. Obviously it only appeals to some people though...the English blooded people.

Because the radio never played it (well not nation wide). The most Beautiful girl in the world got air play and it was a hit.

SoulAlive said:

in retrospect,"319" should have been the second single.Releasing two mellow singles in a row wasn't a smart move,especially from an album filled with alot of great uptempo tracks.

wasn't it intended as a single as some point though?

like a double a side release together with p control?

i seem to remember seeing a promo of that a long time ago.

there was a cool live version of 319 on one of the glam slam

releases from 93/94 iirc that was a bit longer and it just had

this guitar, bass and drum bit at the end that was very cool.

it sounded a bit more gritty and dirty.

like a lot of the gold experience, i think the dirty, rougher

cuts were sadly cut or over produced since it took so damn

long to get that album released. he had too much time to

keep piling on the cowbells and the cheesy effects.

IstenSzek said:

SoulAlive said:

in retrospect,"319" should have been the second single.Releasing two mellow singles in a row wasn't a smart move,especially from an album filled with alot of great uptempo tracks.

wasn't it intended as a single as some point though?

like a double a side release together with p control?

i seem to remember seeing a promo of that a long time ago.

there was a cool live version of 319 on one of the glam slam

releases from 93/94 iirc that was a bit longer and it just had

this guitar, bass and drum bit at the end that was very cool.

it sounded a bit more gritty and dirty.

like a lot of the gold experience, i think the dirty, rougher

cuts were sadly cut or over produced since it took so damn

long to get that album released. he had too much time to

keep piling on the cowbells and the cheesy effects.

I remember reading somewhere that "319" was being considered for the second single,but "Gold" was chosen instead.