Gold (John Stewart song)

"Gold" is a song written and recorded by John Stewart in 1979. It was the lead single and biggest hit among three Top 40 singles released from his LP, Bombs Away Dream Babies. The song was Stewart's first US Top 40 hit, as well as his first chart single in a decade (since "Armstrong" which peaked at #74 in 1969). Stevie Nicks is featured on backing vocals.^[1][2]

"Gold"
Single by John Stewart
from the album Bombs Away Dream Babies
B-side	"Comin' Out of Nowhere"
Released	May 1979 (U.S.)
Genre	Blues rock
Label	RSO Records
Songwriter(s)	John Stewart
Producer(s)	John Stewart
John Stewart singles chronology
"Armstrong" (1969) "Gold" (1979) "Midnight Wind" (1979)
Alternative cover

"Gold" became a top-five hit in the United States, Canada and Australia.^[3][4] It also charted in the UK and New Zealand although not as high.

A music video was released featuring Stewart performing the song in front of a band. Despite Stevie Nicks providing backing vocals, she does not appear in the video.

Background

Stewart wrote the song some time after he left the folk group Kingston Trio.^[5] The song is from the album Bombs Away Dream Babies, to which Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham contributed. (Although the guitar solo in "Gold" is similar in style to Buckingham's, it was actually played by Stewart.)^[6] The song has a smooth funk/pop rhythm.^[7]

The song takes a light-hearted but cynical view of the recording industry in Los Angeles; in time, Stewart would feel the same way about the song itself. He would eventually stop performing "Gold" in concert, calling it "vapid" and "empty" and meaning nothing to him, having done it for the money and to please his record company.^[8][9]

Personnel

• John Stewart – vocals, guitar
• Lindsey Buckingham – guitar
• Bryan Garofalo - bass
• Joey Carbone - keyboards
• Mike Botts - drums
• Stevie Nicks – additional vocals
• Mary Torrey – additional vocals

^[10]

Chart history

Weekly charts Chart (1979) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[11] 5 Canada RPM Top Singles[12] 4 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] 13 UK Singles (OCC)[14] 43 US Billboard Hot 100[15] 5 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[16] 42 US Cash Box Top 100[17] 6

Year-end charts Chart (1979) Rank Australia (Kent Music Report)[18] 38 Canada[19] 24 US Billboard Hot 100[20] 51 US Cash Box[21] 35

See also

• List of 1970s one-hit wonders in the United States

References

1. "7 Times Stevie Nicks Sang Backup in the '70s". Rhino. May 26, 2016.
2. Dean, Maury (2003). Rock and Roll: Gold Rush. Algora Publishing. p. 374. ISBN 978-0-87586-207-1.
3. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1979-09-15. Retrieved 2019-02-04.
4. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
5. LB Bowen (March 23, 2017). "Backstory: Solid Gold. John Stewart, Stevie Nicks & Lindsey Buckingham". OnStage Magazine.
6. "Lindsey Buckingham". Musician Magazine (33). June 1981.
7. Matthew Greenwald. "John Stewart: Gold". AllMusic.
8. interview from John Stewart Memorial concert, which took place May 3, 2008 at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California
9. "Singer-Songwriter John Stewart: 1939–2008". LA Weekly. February 6, 2008. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
10. "Bombs Away Dream Babies LP from Discogs". Discogs.
11. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
12. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1979-09-15. Retrieved 2019-02-04.
13. "John Stewart – Gold". Top 40 Singles.
14. "John Stewart: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
15. "John Stewart Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
16. "John Stewart Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
17. Cash Box Top 100 Singles, August 11, 1979
18. "Kent Music Report No 288 – 31 December 1979 > National Top 100 Singles for 1979". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 10 January 2023 – via Imgur.com.
19. "1979 Top 200 Singles". RPM. Vol. 32, no. 13. Library and Archives Canada. December 22, 1979. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
20. Musicoutfitters.com
21. "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 29, 1979". Archived from the original on July 13, 2014. Retrieved February 3, 2019.

External links

• Lyrics of this song