Gold (East 17 song) explained

Gold
Cover:	Goldeast17.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	East 17
Album:	Walthamstow
Released:	^[1]
Length:	4:20
Label:	London
Producer:	Ian Curnow Phil Harding
Prev Title:	House of Love
Prev Year:	1992
Next Title:	Deep
Next Year:	1993

"Gold" is a song by English boy band East 17, taken from the band's debut album, Walthamstow (1993). Written by Tony Mortimer, and produced by Ian Curnow and Phil Harding, it was released on 2 November 1992 by London Records as the second single from the album. The song was successful in only a few countries, peaking at number two in Sweden, number three in Finland, and number 28 in the UK. Outside Europe, it reached number one for four weeks in Israel. A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by Jaswinder Bancil, depicting the band performing the track whilst wearing angel wings.^[2]

Critical reception

Sharon Mawer from AllMusic felt the song could easily have been recorded by the Pet Shop Boys, "as the intro and chorus had their lush orchestration and smooth vocals, although the verses featured Tony Mortimer rapping about the futility of war and the need to live together in harmony on this planet."^[3] In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton wrote, "With their tracks having a harder dance feel to them unlike most teen bands their future looks set to follow soundalikes EMF. Watch this climb."^[4]

Alan Jones from Music Week gave the song three out of five, describing it as "energetic and slick pop, with the Walthamstow boys more in control of their own destiny."^[5] In his review of the Walthamstow album, Neil Spencer from The Observer found that "House of Love" and "Gold" "prove the more inane offerings from a mix of junior hip-hop and melodic pop".^[6] Mark Frith from Smash Hits also gave it three out of five, saying it's "quite good — memorable, light and poppy".^[7]

Track listings

• CD and cassette single^{[8] [9]}

1. "Gold" (7-inch Collar Size)
2. "Gold" (The Dark Bark mix)
3. "Gold" (Paws on the Floor mix)
4. "Gold" (The Rabid mix)

• 7-inch single^[10]

A. "Gold" (7-inch Collar Size)

B. "Gold" (The Soho demo)

• 12-inch single^[11]

A1. "Gold" (The Dark Bark mix)

A2. "Gold" (The Techno Bonio mix)

B1. "Gold" (Paws on the Floor mix)

B2. "Gold" (The Rabid mix)

Charts

Chart (1992–1993)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[12]	101
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[13]	36
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)^[14]	3
UK Dance (Music Week)^[15]	29

Notes and References

1. New Releases: Singles. Music Week. 21. 31 October 1992. 20 June 2021.
2. Web site: East 17 - Gold (Official Video). YouTube. 28 September 2017. 12 September 2021.
3. Web site: East 17 – Walthamstow. Mawer. Sharon. AllMusic. 4 November 2020.
4. Web site: Masterton. James. Week Ending November 14th 1992. Chart Watch UK. 9 November 1992. 12 September 2021. James Masterton.
5. Mainstream: Singles. Alan. Jones. Music Week. 22. 7 November 1992. 2 October 2020.
6. Spencer, Neil (21 February 1993). "Pop Releases". The Observer.
7. New Singles. Mark. Frith. Smash Hits. 54. 28 October 1992. 6 October 2020. Mark Frith.
8. Gold. East 17. 1992. UK & Australian CD single liner notes. London Records. LONCD 331, 869 943-2.
9. Gold. East 17. 1992. UK cassette single sleeve. London Records. LONCS 331, 869 943-4.
10. Gold. East 17. 1992. UK 7-inch single sleeve. London Records. LON 331, 869 942-7.
11. Gold. East 17. 1992. UK 12-inch single sleeve. London Records. LONX 331, 869 943-1.
12. Web site: Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 5 June 2015. Australian Recording Industry Association. Imgur. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150605213523/http://i.imgur.com/DkGCr8v.jpg. 5 June 2015. 1 June 2017.
13. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 10. 5. 43. 30 January 1993.
14. Book: Pennanen, Timo. 2006. Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972. 1st. Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. Helsinki. 978-951-1-21053-5. 263. Finnish.
15. Top 60 Dance Singles. Music Week. 26. 14 November 1992. 29 September 2020.