"Gold Lion" is the first single by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs from their second album, Show Your Bones. Distinct in the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' discography, it features acoustic guitar and a more slowed-down pace in contrast to former works like "Bang!" and "Date with the Night." It was released on March 21, 2006, and became the band's second major hit after 2004's "Maps."
"Gold Lion" was named after the two Gold Lion awards won by the Adidas commercial Hello Tomorrow at the 2005 Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. Karen O had contributed vocals to ad's song composed by Sam "Squeak E. Clean" Spiegel, brother of Karen's then-boyfriend Spike Jonze who had directed the ad.
"Gold Lion" was featured in the 2006 edition of the NME Essential Bands compilation album. It was also featured in a 2007 advertisement spot for Yves Saint Laurent's "Elle" perfume. The ad, directed by Michael Haussman, features Canadian supermodel Coco Rocha. Additionally, the song was featured in the Grey's Anatomy episode 17 Seconds.
It has been noted by some music critics that "Gold Lion" sounds similar to "No New Tale To Tell" from 1980s alternative band Love and Rockets.
In 2010 the instrumentals of the song were used in a commercial for Apple Inc.'s iPad device.
Read more about Gold Lion: Track Listing, Music Video, Charts
Famous quotes containing the words gold and/or lion:
“Arrive in the afternoon, the late light slanting
In diluted gold bars across the boulevard brag
Of proud, seamed faces with mercy and murder hinting
here, there, interrupting, all deep and debonair,
The pink paint on the innocence of fear;
Walk in a gingerly manner up the hall.”
—Gwendolyn Brooks (b. 1917)
“Here in the centre stands the glass. Light
Is the lion that comes down to drink. There
And in that state, the glass is a pool.
Ruddy are his eyes and ruddy are his claws
When light comes down to wet his frothy jaws”
—Wallace Stevens (1879–1955)