Gold

Album

True (Spandau Ballet)

Label

Chrysalis Records

Genre

New wave

Composer(s)

Gary Kemp

Entered Chart

Nov 19, 1983

Peak Date

Jan 14, 1984

Released

5 August 1983 (UK) 1 November 1983 (US)

Recorded

October–December 1982

Catalog #

Chrysalis 4-42743

B-Side

(live version)

Band member Gary Kemp started writing this song as a spoof of James Bond theme songs, specifically Goldfinger. Gary Kemp recalled the writing of this song to The Mail on Sunday March 13, 2011: "I used to get my brother Martin to come in when I was writing songs to give an opinion, muck about on his bass to see if I was going in the right direction. He loved 'Gold' from the start so I knew that I was on to something. There's no formula to writing a song like that, but the title is key, there's no point writing a great melody and not knowing what the title is. It's so hard to put the title over a melody you've found – it's better to think: I have a great title, a great opening line, how do I make that into a song?" The band was made up of Tony Hadley (vocals), Gary Kemp (guitar), his brother Martin Kemp (bass), Steve Norman (guitar), and John Keeble (drums). Both Kemp brothers appeared in the film The Krays in 1990. Martin Kemp later acted in the BBC soap opera East Enders as Steve Owen. In 1998 Hadley, Norman and Keeble sued Gary Kemp, the chief songwriter, for a greater share of the royalties, but lost the case. "Gold" is the follow-up to "True," Spandau Ballet's biggest hit. The band is very popular in many parts of Europe, especially in their native England, but "True" and "Gold" are their only songs to make much impact in America, where they got a lot of airplay on MTV. The BBC used this song in their coverage of the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Thank you for coming home
Sorry that the chairs are all worn
I left them here I could have sworn
These are my salad days
Slowly being eaten away
Just another play for today
Oh, but I'm proud of you, but I'm proud of you
Nothing left to make me feel small
Luck has left me standing so tall

Gold (gold)
Always believe in your soul
You've got the power to know
You're indestructible
Always believe in, 'cause you are
Gold (gold)
Glad that you're bound to return
There's something I could have learned
You're indestructible (always believe in)

After the rush has gone
I hope you find a little more time
Remember we were partners in crime
It's only two years ago
The man with the suit and the face
You knew that he was there on the case
Now he's in love with you, he's in love with you
And love is like a high prison wall
And you could leave me standing so tall

Gold (gold)
Always believe in your soul
You've got the power to know
You're indestructible
Always believe in, 'cause you are
Gold (gold)
I'm glad that you're bound to return
Something I could have learned
You're indestructible (always believe in)

Love is like a high prison wall
And you could leave me standing so tall

Gold (gold)
Always believe in your soul
You've got the power to know
You're indestructible
Always believe in, 'cause you are
Gold (gold)
I'm glad that you're bound to return
Something I could have learned
You're indestructible, always believe in
(Gold)