GOLD
| GOLD | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by B'z | ||||
| Released | August 8, 2001 | |||
| Promotions | #1 (World Swimming Fukuoka 2001 Theme) | |||
| Length | 12:17 | |||
| Label | Rooms Records | |||
| Producer | Tak Matsumoto | |||
| B'z singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
GOLD is the thirty-second single by B'z, released on August 8, 2001. The single, a classic ballad, was in stark contrast to the high-energy of the band's previous single. Despite coming out within the band's GREEN era, the single was not collected on the album unlike with "ultra soul", which received an updated version for the release. When asked why, Koshi said that since the band already had another prominent ballad with "Everlasting" for the album, they did not feel that "GOLD" would be a good fit. However, the song was later collected on The Ballads ~Love & B'z~ in 2002, B'z The Best "Pleasure II" in 2005, and B'z The Best XXV 1999-2012 in 2013.
The song was originally performed on only one Japan tour, that being for B'z LIVE-GYM 2001 "ELEVEN" where it was added late in the tour and premiered live before it was officially released. It was also one of twenty songs performed in the band's first international performances during B'z LIVE-GYM in Taipei & Hong Kong 2001. Twelve years later, the song was revived as part of B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2013 -ENDLESS SUMMER- where it alternated with "Gekkou" in the hall tour, while in the dome portion of the tour it alternated with "ALONE" and "OCEAN". The first home video release featuring a performance of the song was on the Premium Live DVD included in the limited edition of B'z The Best "ULTRA Pleasure". Ten performances were showcased, with the footage for "GOLD" being the first glimpse of footage from the "ELEVEN" tour. Later, in 2013, the full show was released on DVD as B'z LIVE-GYM 2001 -ELEVEN-.
A special promotional video was filmed in and around Sapporo Dome during the band's touring schedule that featured members of the band's staff in the spotlight as they prepared and assembled the stage. B'z also performed "GOLD" on television twice in the year 2001. First on Music Station in August just a week prior to its official release, and again on the year's Music Station SUPER LIVE in December where they paired it with "ultra soul". Additionally, the song was also used as the theme to coverage of the Fukuoka World Swimming tournament in 2001.
The single debuted at the top of the Weekly Oricon Singles chart, where it spent ten weeks while becoming the band's twenty-eighth consecutive to take the top spot in its opening week. On its way to Double Platinum status, "GOLD" finished as the twenty-seventh highest selling single of the year 2001.
Track listing
- GOLD
- File:s32 01.ogg The composition and arrangement of the song rely heavily on strings, with support from horns throughout the instrumentation. The titular "GOLD" refers to the color of the sky at sunset.
- ultra soul ~Splash Style~
- File:s32 02.ogg A new, acoustic arrangement of the previous single, "ultra soul ~Splash Style~" became the second of many different versions for the popular song. The arrangement showcased here has not been played live, although most of the others have been in varying forms.
- Makka na Silk — Red Silk, まっかなシルク
- File:s32 03.ogg The song was dead stock leftover from the band's 2000 album, ELEVEN. In the song's interlude, the melody undergoes a significant shift into a blusey-tempered slow tempo. The song has never been found elsewhere or been played live.
Live appearances
Live Performances
- GOLD [34 SHOWS]
B'z LIVE-GYM 2001 "ELEVEN" [11/46 SHOWS]- B'z LIVE-GYM in Taipei & Hong Kong 2001 [4/4 SHOWS]
- B'z SHOWCASE 2013 -Pleasure75- [1/1 SHOWS]
- AEROSONIC [1/1 SHOWS]
- B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2013 -ENDLESS SUMMER- [16/30 SHOWS]
- B'z SHOWCASE 2020 -5 ERAS 8820- [1/5 SHOWS]
- ultra soul [418 SHOWS]
- B'z SHOWCASE "Kobushi wo Nigire" [1/1 SHOWS]
- B'z LIVE-GYM 2001 "ELEVEN" [46/46 SHOWS]
- B'z LIVE-GYM in Taipei & Hong Kong 2001 [4/4 SHOWS]
- B'z SHOWCASE "SAPPORO DEVIL" [1/1 SHOWS]
- 2002 FIFA World Cup International Day Concert [1/1 SHOWS]
- B'z LIVE-GYM 2002 "GREEN ~GO★FIGHT★WIN~" [18/18 SHOWS]
- B'z LIVE-GYM 2002 "Rock n' California Roll" [3/3 SHOWS]
- B'z SHOWCASE 2003 "IT'S SHOWCASE!!" [1/1 SHOWS]
- B'z LIVE-GYM The Final Pleasure "IT'S SHOWTIME!!" [23/23 SHOWS]
- B'z LIVE-GYM 2003 "BANZAI IN NORTH AMERICA" [7/7 SHOWS]
- B'z SHOWCASE 2003 "BIG MACHINE" [1/1 SHOWS]
- B'z LIVE-GYM 2003 "BIG MACHINE" [12/12 SHOWS]
- B'z SHOWCASE 2005 "Abashiri Extra Edition" [1/1 SHOWS]
- B'z LIVE-GYM 2005 "CIRCLE OF ROCK" [41/41 SHOWS]
- B'z SHOWCASE 2006 "Yokosuka MONSTER" [1/1 SHOWS]
- B'z LIVE-GYM 2006 "MONSTER'S GARAGE" [17/17 SHOWS]
- B'z SHOWCASE 2007 -19- [6/6 SHOWS]
- B'z SHOWCASE 2007 -B'z In Your Town- [3/7 SHOWS]
- SUMMER SONIC 07 [2/2 SHOWS]
- B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2008 -GLORY DAYS- [6/6 SHOWS]
- B'z SHOWCASE 2009 -B'z In Your Town- [8/8 SHOWS]
- SUMMER SONIC 09 [2/2 SHOWS]
- B'z LIVE-GYM 2010 "Ain't No Magic" [19/19 SHOWS]
- B'z LIVE-GYM 2011 -long time no see- [3/3 SHOWS]
- TV Asahi Dream Festival 2011 [1/1 SHOWS]
- Pepsi NEX presents B'z 1DAY LIVE [1/1 SHOWS]
- B'z LIVE-GYM 2011 -C'mon- [26/26 SHOWS]
- AEROSONIC [1/1 SHOWS]
- B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2013 -ENDLESS SUMMER- [17/30 SHOWS]
- B'z Special LIVE at EX THEATER ROPPONGI [1/1 SHOWS]
- B'z SHOWCASE 2015 -Shimonoseki Uchouten NIGHT- [1/1 SHOWS]
- B'z LIVE-GYM 2015 -EPIC NIGHT- [40/40 SHOWS]
- ROCKROCK 20th ANNIVERSARY LIVE "ROCK BEYOND ROCK" [1/1 SHOWS]
- B'z SHOWCASE 2015 -Shinagawa Uchouten NIGHT- [1/1 SHOWS]
- TV Asahi Dream Festival 2015 [1/1 SHOWS]
- B'z SHOWCASE 2017 -Hissatsu Hiokinin- [1/1 SHOWS]
- B'z SHOWCASE 2017 -B'z In Your Town- [11/11 SHOWS]
- ROCK IN JAPAN FESTIVAL 2017 [1/1 SHOWS]
- RISING SUN ROCK FESTIVAL 2017 in EZO [1/1 SHOWS]
- 7-Eleven presents B'z PREMIUM LIVE [2/2 SHOWS]
- B'z LIVE-GYM 2017-2018 "LIVE DINOSAUR" [18/18 SHOWS]
- FM802 ROCK FESTIVAL RADIO CRAZY 2017 [1/1 SHOWS]
- B'z SHOWCASE 2018 -The Wall Of Rock- [1/1 SHOWS]
- B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2018 -HINOTORI- [23/23 SHOWS]
- B'z PARTY Presents B'z Pleasure in Hawaii [1/1 SHOWS]
- B'z SHOWCASE 2019 -Makaitenshow- [1/1 SHOWS]
- B'z LIVE-GYM 2019 -Whole Lotta NEW LOVE- [36/36 SHOWS]
- SUMMER SONIC 2019 [2/2 SHOWS]
- B'z SHOWCASE 2020 -5 ERAS 8820- [1/5 SHOWS]
- Makka na Silk
Home Videos
- GOLD
- ultra soul
- LIVE-GYM 2002 "GREEN ~GO★FIGHT★WIN~"
- LIVE-GYM 2002 "Rock n' California Roll"
- LIVE-GYM Final Pleasure "IT'S SHOWTIME!!"
- LIVE-GYM 2003 "BANZAI IN NORTH AMERICA"
- Hidden Pleasure: LIVE-GYM 2005 "CIRCLE OF ROCK"
- Pleasure II Limited Edition: LIVE-GYM 2003 "BIG MACHINE"
- LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2008 -GLORY DAYS-
- LIVE-GYM 2010 "Ain't No Magic"
- SHOWCASE 2007 -19-
- LIVE-GYM 2011 -C'mon-
- LIVE-GYM 2011 -long time no see-
- LIVE-GYM 2005 -CIRCLE OF ROCK-
- LIVE-GYM 2001 -ELEVEN-
- LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2013 -ENDLESS SUMMER-
- LIVE-GYM 2015 -EPIC NIGHT-
- TV Asahi Dream Festival 2015
- DINOSAUR Limited Edition: ROCK IN JAPAN FESTIVAL 2017
- LIVE-GYM 2017-2018 "LIVE DINOSAUR"
- LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2018 -HINOTORI-
- LIVE-GYM 2019 -Whole Lotta NEW LOVE-
- SHOWCASE 2020 -5 ERAS 8820-
- Makka na Silk
Sales data
| No. | Cover | Single | Physical Copies Sold | Chart Positions | Certification | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIRST WEEK | LIFETIME | WEEK | MONTH | YEAR | ||||
| 32 | 
|
GOLD |
400,020+ |
562,000+ |
1 |
2 |
27 |
2x Platinum |
Personnel
B'z
- Tak Matsumoto: Guitar, Music Composition, Arrangement
- Koshi Inaba: Vocals, Lyric Composition, Arrangement
Support Members
- Hideo Yamaki: Drums (Track 1)
- Kaichi Kurose: Drums (Track 3)
- Koji "Kitaroh" Nakamura: Bass (Track 1)
- Masao Akashi: Bass (Track 3)
- Akira Onozuka: Acoustic Piano (Track 1)
- Shinozaki Strings: Strings (Track 1)
- TAMA MUSIC: Horns (Track 1)
Production
- Daisuke Ikeda: Strings & Horns Arrangement (Track 1)