Gold on the Ceiling

Album: El Camino (2011)
Charted: 57 94
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Singer and guitarist Dan Auerbach told American Songwriter magazine that he roped in three "local girls" to sing the gospel harmonies on this track about the illusionary nature of material success.
  • The song was used as the musical backdrop for the 2012 NCAA March Madness tournament during its transmission by the TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV networks.
  • Directed by Harmony Korine, the mastermind behind the cult movies Gummo and Kids, and shot on raggedy VHS tape, the song's music video turns the Black Keys duo into babies, strapped to giant versions of themselves.
  • The Black Keys went to legal war against the advertising agency representing Pizza Hut for ripping off this song in a TV commercial for the American restaurant chain's Cheesy Bites Pizza. The lawsuit is part of a trend, which finds artists crying foul over advertisers using tracks that sound very similar to their music.
  • The band titled the album El Camino, which is a car of the 1970s, but there's a Plymouth Grand Voyager minivan on the cover. They explained to Interview Magazine that they were basically trying to make the stupidest record cover of all time. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Bertrand - Paris, France

Comments: 3

  • Delin The Felon from San Diego, CaThat Fuzz though...
  • Mark from Toledo, OhThe cover art for the single of this song is an entrance of Rolling Acres Mall in Akron, Ohio, where the band is from.
  • Tom from Milton Keynes, United KingdomSong used Feb/March 2012 in the Cobra Indian lager ad on UK TV- set on a train going through India (presumably) and the association of the gold topped bottles and the gold lager are fairly obvious
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Ed Roland of Collective Soul

Ed Roland of Collective SoulSongwriter Interviews

The stories behind "Shine," "December," "The World I Know" and other Collective Soul hits.

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"They're Playing My Song

The Nails lead singer Marc Campbell talks about those 44 women he sings about over a stock Casio keyboard track. He's married to one of them now - you might be surprised which.

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star Riders

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star RidersSongwriter Interviews

Writing with Phil Lynott, Scott saw their ill-fated frontman move to a darker place in his life and lyrics.

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy Talent

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy TalentSongwriter Interviews

The frontman for one of Canada's most well-known punk rock bands talks about his Eddie Vedder encounter, Billy Talent's new album, and the importance of rock and roll.

Laura Nyro

Laura NyroSongwriting Legends

Laura Nyro talks about her complex, emotionally rich songwriting and how she supports women's culture through her art.

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)Songwriter Interviews

Mike Rutherford talks about the "Silent Running" storyline and "Land Of Confusion" in the age of Trump.