Black and Gold by Sam Sparro

Album: Sam Sparro (2008)

Charted: 2

License This Song

lyrics

Songfacts®:

This debut UK chart single for Australia born and LA-based singer and songwriter Sam Sparro captured a moment of existential crisis. He recalled to The Guardian February 8, 2008: "I was feeling totally lost. I was making cappuccinos when I felt I should be onstage singing. That track came from looking up to the stars and seeing myself as a tiny speck in this infinite solar-system."
Sparro explained to MTV UK News that he didn't spend too much time writing this song: "I wrote it in 10 minutes. It just came to me one night when I was feeling lonely and wondering if God exists. I picked up a pen and the first draft of lyrics is what is on the radio!"
"Black and Gold" had a remarkable run on the UK Singles Chart, entering at #23 on March 29, 2008, and spending 47 non-consecutive weeks in the Top 100.
Adele performed an acoustic version for BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge in 2008. Katy Perry also covered it early in her career.
Coldplay sampled "Black and Gold" on "People Of The Pride," a track from their 2021 album Music of the Spheres.
"Black and Gold" featured in the TV show Chuck in the 2010 episode "Chuck Versus The Pink Slip" during a scene where Chuck knocks out his Prague captors.
The song was used in these movies:

Sheep & Wolves (2016)
Fame (2009)
Obsessed (2009)

Comments: 4

Lh96 from UkThis song was used in a TV show a while back as the opening credits.... I'm sure it was something supernatural? anyone got any ideas?
Ilana from Brooklyn, Nyi think that this song is about the evolution of the world but with a deeper meaning. like he says but your not really there and i dont wanna be either. i think he means that when they "evolved" he symbolizes that his loved one or wife or girlfriend or w.e changed or that there relationship changed and that "your not really there" means that the presence of the person is there but the actual person that he fell in love with isnt and by "and i dont want to be either" he means that he doesnt want to be here,he doesnt wanna be in the present he wants to go back to when they were in love and everything was romance and just love,but then again,it could just mean something completely different,but hey to each its own.
Analee from Branson, MoI think (regardless of what he says) it's a guy telling a girl about how his world came to revolve around him, and then how she let him go and his universe has nothing to revolve around.
Edward Pearce from Ashford, Kent, EnglandA brilliant debut single. My pick for the best pop song of the first half of 2008.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

We Are All Made Of StarsMoby

Moby says that "We Are All Made Of Stars" is scientifically accurate, since all matter originates from stardust.

TitaniumDavid Guetta

Sia Furler wrote "Titanium" and wanted to give the tune to Katy Perry. She turned it down, so David Guetta recorded it instead using Sia's original demo guide vocal. It became a big hit, especially in the UK, where it went to #1.

You Are Not AloneMichael Jackson

Michael Jackson's 1995 song "You Are Not Alone" was the first single in US history to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart at #1

Heart Of GlassBlondie

"Heart of Glass" was Blondie's first foray into disco, which turned off some fans. Debbie Harry said they did it because they "wanted to be uncool."

End Of The RoadBoyz II Men

"End Of The Road" by Boyz II Men comes off a bit thirsty, especially when we find out the girl cheated on him. The sketch show In Living Color parodied the song, with the group as "Boyz II Wimps."

Wild BoysDuran Duran

Duran Duran's "Wild Boys" is based on the book of the same name by William Burroughs.