"The Golden Path"
Single by the Chemical Brothers featuring the Flaming Lips
from the album Singles 93–03
B-side"Nude Night"
Released15 September 2003 (2003-09-15)
Length4:47
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Tom Rowlands
  • Ed Simons
  • Wayne Michael Coyne
  • Steven Gregory Drozd
Producer(s)The Chemical Brothers
The Chemical Brothers singles chronology
"Come with Us/The Test"
(2002) 		"The Golden Path"
(2003) 		"Get Yourself High"
(2003)
The Flaming Lips singles chronology
"Fight Test"
(2003) 		"The Golden Path"
(2003) 		"The W.A.N.D. (The Will Always Negates Defeat)"
(2003)

"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.[1] 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."[2] 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.'"[2]

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.[3]

More critical was Michaelangelo Matos of Spin, cited the track as possible evidence for a Chemical Brothers "decline into middlebrow irrelevance."[4]

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.

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

  1. "The Golden Path" – 4:47
  2. "Nude Night" – 6:18
  3. "The Golden Path" (Ewan Pearson extended vocal) – 6:35

DVD single

  1. "The Golden Path" (music video)
  2. "The Golden Path" (edit)
  3. "Dexter's International Scribble mix"
  4. "The Golden Path" (Ewan's Rave Hell dub)

12-inch single

  1. "The Golden Path" – 4:47
  2. "Nude Night" – 6:18

Charts

Chart (2003) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[5] 89
Ireland (IRMA)[6] 20
Ireland Dance (IRMA)[7] 1
Italy (FIMI)[8] 32
Scotland (OCC)[9] 16
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[10] 10
UK Singles (OCC)[11] 17
UK Dance (OCC)[12] 2

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom 15 September 2003 (2003-09-15)
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • DVD
[13]
Australia 22 September 2003 (2003-09-22) CD [14]

References

  1. ^ "ASK KLIPH". Archived from the original on 3 April 2007. Retrieved 25 June 2007.
  2. ^ a b Raphael, Amy (29 June 2003). "Straight from the Lip". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  3. ^ Bush, John. "The Chemical Brothers — Singles 93–03". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  4. ^ Matos, Michaelangelo (February 2005). "The Chemical Brothers - Push the Button review". Spin. 21 (2): 87. ISSN 0886-3032.
  5. ^ "Issue 710" ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Chart Track: Week 38, 2003". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  7. ^ "Top 10 Dance Singles, Week Ending 18 September 2003". GfK Chart-Track. Retrieved 15 June 2019.[dead link]
  8. ^ "The Chemical Brothers feat. The Flaming Lips – The Golden Path". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  9. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  10. ^ "The Chemical Brothers feat. The Flaming Lips – The Golden Path" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  11. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  12. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  13. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 13 September 2003. p. 29.
  14. ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 22nd September 2003" (PDF). ARIA. 22 September 2003. p. 26. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2003. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
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