The Golden Path (song)
{{Short description|2003 single by the Chemical Brothers}}
{{For|the concept from the fictional Dune universe|Golden Path (Dune)}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox song
| name = The Golden Path
| cover = The_Golden_Path.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = the Chemical Brothers featuring the Flaming Lips
| album = Singles 93–03
| B-side = Nude Night
| released = {{start date|2003|09|15|df=y}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 4:47
| label = {{hlist|Freestyle Dust|Virgin|Astralwerks}}
| writer = {{hlist|Tom Rowlands|Ed Simons|Wayne Michael Coyne|Steven Gregory Drozd}}
| producer = The Chemical Brothers
| chronology = The Chemical Brothers
| prev_title = Come with Us/The Test
| prev_year = 2002
| next_title = Get Yourself High
| next_year = 2003
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = The Flaming Lips
| type = single
| prev_title = Fight Test
| prev_year = 2003
| title = The Golden Path
| year = 2003
| next_title = The W.A.N.D. (The Will Always Negates Defeat)
| next_year = 2006
}}
{{External music video|{{YouTube|jTqwe57ObFo|"The Golden Path"}}
}}
}}
"The Golden Path" is a song recorded by English electronic music duo the Chemical Brothers, taken from their first greatest hits album, Singles 93–03. Featuring the Flaming Lips, the lead vocals were performed by Wayne Coyne with Steven Drozd performing backing vocals.{{cite web|url=http://flaminglips.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/267609717/m/1361091892|title=ASK KLIPH|access-date=25 June 2007|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070403074543/http://flaminglips.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/267609717/m/1361091892|archivedate=3 April 2007}} The song reached number 10 in Spain, number 17 in the United Kingdom, number 20 in Ireland, and number 32 in Italy.
Production
Coyne said: "I love that band; they are one of the greatest inventions of our day."{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/jun/29/artsfeatures.popandrock |title=Straight from the Lip |last=Raphael |first=Amy |date=29 June 2003 |access-date=9 October 2016 |work=The Guardian}} Coyne recalls about the recording process of his band's vocals: "We recorded our part very quickly, almost flippantly, like we'd get a second chance. Then Tom and Ed left a message within 20 minutes of receiving the tape. You could hear them jumping up and down in the background, shouting 'We're ecstatic.'"
Critical response
Choosing it as one of album's best tracks, John Bush from AllMusic said the song "delivers on most of its promise as a soundclash for two of neo-psychedelia's most interesting acts" while calling it "a cool, crisp song" with two surprises: its reminiscence of Echo & the Bunnymen and Drozd's vocal debut.{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/singles-93-03-mw0000316551 |title=The Chemical Brothers — Singles 93–03|last=Bush |first=John |publisher=AllMusic|access-date=8 October 2016}}
More critical was Michaelangelo Matos of Spin, cited the track as possible evidence for a Chemical Brothers "decline into middlebrow irrelevance."{{cite journal|last=Matos|first=Michaelangelo|title=The Chemical Brothers - Push the Button review|journal=Spin|date=February 2005|volume=21|issue=2|page=87|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LvowiBHKWgsC&pg=PA87|issn=0886-3032}}
Music video
The video was the first directorial work by American artist Chris Milk, involves a man (played by Fran Kranz) in a depressing grey office environment, dreaming of a more colorful world full of joy and dancing in the sunshine. It was shot at Los Angeles Center Studios.
The Chemical Brothers make a brief cameo appearance as conjoined twins commemorated on a wall of "employee of the month" plaques.
Track listings
CD single
- "The Golden Path" – 4:47
- "Nude Night" – 6:18
- "The Golden Path" {{small|(Ewan Pearson extended vocal)}} – 6:35
DVD single
- "The Golden Path" {{small|(music video)}}
- "The Golden Path" {{small|(edit)}}
- "Dexter's International Scribble mix"
- "The Golden Path" {{small|(Ewan's Rave Hell dub)}}
12-inch single
- "The Golden Path" – 4:47
- "Nude Night" – 6:18
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (2003) !Peak |
| {{single chart|Australiapandora|89|url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20031006140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20031007-0000/Issue710.pdf|urltitle=Issue 710|rowheader=true|access-date=1 October 2021}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} |
| {{single chart|Ireland|20|year=2003|week=38|rowheader=true|access-date=15 June 2019}} |
| scope="row"|Ireland Dance (IRMA){{cite web|url=https://www.chart-track.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p%2Fmusicvideo%2Fmusic%2Farchive%2Findex_test.jsp&ct=240004&arch=t&lyr=2003&year=2003&week=38|title=Top 10 Dance Singles, Week Ending 18 September 2003|publisher=GfK Chart-Track|access-date=15 June 2019}}{{dead link|date=May 2020|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
|1 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Italy|32|artist=The Chemical Brothers feat. The Flaming Lips|song=The Golden Path|rowheader=true|access-date=15 June 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Scotland|16|date=20030927|rowheader=true|access-date=15 June 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Spain|10|artist=The Chemical Brothers feat. The Flaming Lips|song=The Golden Path|rowheader=true|access-date=15 June 2019}} |
| {{single chart|UK|17|date=20030927|rowheader=true|access-date=15 June 2019}} |
| {{single chart|UKdance|2|date=20030927|rowheader=true|access-date=15 June 2019}} |
Release history
References
{{Reflist}}
{{The Chemical Brothers songs}}
{{The Flaming Lips}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Golden Path}}
Category:The Chemical Brothers songs
Category:The Flaming Lips songs
Category:Music videos directed by Chris Milk
Category:Songs written by Ed Simons
Category:Songs written by Steven Drozd
Category:Songs written by Tom Rowlands