Gold Rush (song) explained

Gold Rush
Cover:Goldrushdcfc.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Death Cab for Cutie
Album:Thank You for Today
Genre:
Length:4:00
Label:Atlantic
Producer:Rich Costey
Chronology:Death Cab for Cutie
Prev Title:Million Dollar Loan
Prev Year:2016
Next Title:I Dreamt We Spoke Again
Next Year:2018

Gold Rush is a song by American indie pop band Death Cab for Cutie, released as the lead single for their ninth studio album, Thank You for Today, on June 13, 2018.

Origins and lyrics

"Gold Rush" originated as a demo that the band planned to discard, but was revisited at the suggestion of producer Rich Costey and combined with another demo.[1] The song was written by lead vocalist and guitarist Ben Gibbard as "a requiem for a skyline", inspired by the rapid changes to Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood, where Gibbard had lived for 20 years and some areas were "almost unrecognizable" due to the influx of workers for companies like Amazon.[2] [3]

Composition

The song makes use of a sample from "Mind Train", a song from Yoko Ono's 1971 album Fly.[4] The song is in the key of F major and has a BPM of 80. The title is mentioned 46 times throughout the song.

Music video

The music video for "Gold Rush", directed by Alex Southam, features Gibbard walking down a city street, observing passersby as their outfits change to a modern style. The video ends with Gibbard stopped by a swarm of people distracted by their smartphones.[5]

Media appearances

Death Cab for Cutie performed the song on the June 21, 2018, episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.[6] It appears on the EA Sports FIFA 19 video game.[7]

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (2018)Position
US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[9] 30
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[10] 44
US Rock Airplay Songs (Billboard)[11] 24

All-time charts

Notes and References

  1. News: Fields . Taylor . June 12, 2018 . Death Cab for Cutie Shares New Song "Gold Rush" . . June 14, 2018.
  2. News: Boilen . Bob . June 13, 2018 . Ben Gibbard Talks About Death Cab For Cutie's New Album And First Single, 'Gold Rush' . . . June 14, 2018.
  3. News: O'Malley . Maura . June 13, 2018 . Death Cab For Cutie Reveal Yoko Ono Sample on New Single 'Gold Rush' . . June 14, 2018.
  4. News: Pescovitz . David . June 13, 2018 . New song and video from Death Cab for Cutie: "Gold Rush" . . June 14, 2018.
  5. News: Griffin . Noemi . June 13, 2018 . Death Cab for Cutie Preview New Album with First Single "Gold Rush" . . June 14, 2018.
  6. Tornow . Sam . June 22, 2018 . Death Cab For Cutie Perform Bittersweet Single, 'Gold Rush,' On 'The Late Show' . Billboard . June 22, 2018.
  7. Web site: FIFA 19 Soundtrack, featuring Childish Gambino, Gorillaz, Logic, and More. Electronic Arts. August 31, 2018. July 17, 2021.
  8. Web site: CZ - Radio - Top 20 Modern Rock - Death Cab for Cutie. IFPI Czech Republic. January 5, 2023. Czech.
  9. Alternative Songs – Year-End 2018. Billboard. December 12, 2018.
  10. Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2018. Billboard. December 12, 2018.
  11. Rock Airplay Songs – Year-End 2018. Billboard. December 12, 2018.
  12. Greatest of All Time Adult Alternative Songs. Billboard. October 5, 2023.