House of Gold (Twenty One Pilots song)
"House of Gold" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Twenty One Pilots | ||||
from the album Regional at Best and Vessel | ||||
Released | August 6, 2013 | |||
Recorded | 2011 | |||
Genre | ||||
Label | Fueled by Ramen | |||
Songwriter(s) | Tyler Joseph | |||
Producer(s) | Greg Wells | |||
Twenty One Pilots singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"House of Gold" on YouTube |
"House of Gold" is a song by American alternative duo
The song was released as a single from the debut album, impacting radio on August 6, 2013. The accompanying music video for "House of Gold" was directed by Warren Kommers and released on October 4, 2013. The video depicts Joseph and Josh Dun being severed in half while still managing to play their instruments.
"House of Gold" received generally favorable reviews from contemporary music critics. "House of Gold" has since been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Background
After expanding their audience with a series of videos directed by their friend
Using the
Composition
"House of Gold" is an
Lyrically, "House of Gold" is a lighthearted ode about Tyler Joseph's mother.[9][15][13] It serves as a folksy tribute, featuring a heartfelt statement of mother-son love.[4][8] "House of Gold" discusses generosity, and centers Joseph being willing to go great lengths in order to care for his mom.[19] Bearing a simple yet effective delivery, it pays homage to the patience and unbridled love of a parent.[7] The song expresses loving lyrics which take on a pessimistic yet positive viewpoint.[20] They play with poignant questions: "She asked me, 'Son, when I grow old, will you buy me a house of gold? / And when your father turns to stone, will you take care of me?"[8]
Release and promotion
"House of Gold" originally appeared as a bonus track on the band's sophomore record Regional at Best (2011).[8] It was among several songs taken from their previous EPs to be augmented, included and re-released in 2013 on the track-listing of their major-label debut studio album Vessel on the record label Fueled by Ramen.[3][1][8] "House of Gold" was released as a single from the duo's major-label debut album, impacting radio on August 6, 2013.[21]
Critical reception
"House of Gold" received generally favorable reviews from contemporary music critics. Rock Sound Magazine deemed "House of Gold" as the band's "latest banger."[2] Graham Clark from The Yorkshire Times remarked, "Things really get into gear with House of Gold, if you like the group Train, then this track will make sense. It has a nagging melody that sticks in your head all day. They will be playing this track in years to come at the bigger venues they are surely destined to play."[16] Comparing Joseph's vocal stylings to that of the band Bright Eyes, AllMusic's Fred Thomas described "House of Gold" as "uncharacteristically folky."[15] Sejal Popat of The Cut stated, "'House of Gold' offers a sweet acoustic respite from the emotionally raw tracks preceding it."[14] Jason Pettigrew for Alternative Press claimed, "This song is crucial to the band's creative resilience because it's more Grand Ole Opry than wild dance party. The boys’ dip into an Americana vibe that made industry wags think they had the next Mumford & Sons on their hands."[12] Kerrang! praised Tyler Joseph's songwriting, declaring, "One of the loveliest lyrics, on one of the loveliest songs, this one takes a pessimistic view and flips it into a positive, whilst also somehow remaining pessimistic. We have no idea how he managed that."[20] Likewise, Sam Law, from the same publication, summarized "House of Gold" saying, "A folky, ukulele-led tribute to Tyler's mother, it showcases their mastery of a far more traditional form of Americana as lyrics toy with the most poignant of questions: 'She asked me, 'Son, when I grow old, will you buy me a house of gold? / And when your father turns to stone, will you take care of me?' A heartfelt statement of mother-son love."[8] Sharing similar sentiments, Harper Beattie of Atwood Magazine wrote, "ukulele folk track 'House of Gold' is a lighthearted ode to Joseph's mother – persisting a theme of Joseph's entrenched family values... It was these elements, including the defiance of seemingly all rules of radio and mainstream aesthetics, that made Vessel a fan-favorite persisting among the Top 40 charts to this day."[9]
Commercial performance
The single became fairly successful on
Music video
The single's accompanying
A seemingly normal visual opener sets the background of a stunning sunrise over a field of farm equipment.[26] Tyler Joseph sings and strums his ukulele along to the song until it's eventually revealed that he is merely a severed torso. He is seen floating legless above the field and singing to a yellow house. Josh Dun, who also happens to just be a severed torso, crawls toward Joseph and up under a blue pickup truck. He does so in order to use its undercarriage to maintain the track's beat. The duo's legs are displayed to be off in other areas, respectively walking and playing drums on a tractor wheel bass drum.[26]
Reception
Rachel Campell for Alternative Press ranked the video for "House of Gold" as the best music video by Twenty One Pilots.[26] She stated, "The cinematography of this one is the most impressive of their music videos, but the bizarre yet intriguing storyline and usage of a green screen mutilation really make it stick out from the bunch."[26] Jason Pettigrew, from the same publication, described the music video for "House of Gold" saying, "The video is 200 kinds of amazing, though, like they had to undercut its whimsy with something shocking."[12]
Live performances
Twenty One Pilots performed "House of Gold" at
Covers
A once-off
Track listing
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "House of Gold" | 2:43 |
Personnel
- Tyler Joseph – vocals, ukulele, piano, keyboard, synthesizers, programming
- Josh Dun – drums, percussion, tambourine
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[32] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
Canada (Music Canada)[33] | Platinum | 80,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[34] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
United States (RIAA)[35] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label |
---|---|---|---|
Worldwide[3] | October 2, 2013 | Fueled by Ramen |
References
- ^ a b c Thomas, Fred. "Twenty One Pilots | Biography". allmusic.com. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
- ^ a b c "Twenty One Pilots - House Of Gold". Rock Sound Magazine. October 4, 2013. Archived from the original on July 6, 2015. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
- ^ a b c d "Twenty One Pilots Release House of Gold Music Video". AMH Network. October 2, 2013. Archived from the original on January 13, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
- ^ a b c Cox, Joseph. "Twenty One Pilots, "Vessel" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
- ^ a b James, Nicole. "Twenty One Pilots Perform "House of Gold," Discuss "Starting From the Bottom"". Fuse.tv. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
- ^ a b Twenty One Pilots (September 4, 2018). "Track-By-Track: Twenty One Pilots - Vessel". Rock Sound. Archived from the original on April 2, 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
- ^ a b "'Vessel': A Snapshot Of How A Phenomenon Was Born". Rock Sound. January 8, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g Law, Sam (April 24, 2020). "The 20 Greatest twenty one pilots Songs — Ranked". Kerrang!. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- ^ a b c Beattie, Harper (November 1, 2019). "Our Favorite Albums of the Decade: 2013". Atwood Magazine.
- ^ Fairfax New Zealand.
- ^ a b c d Joseph, Tyler. "Twenty One Pilots 'House of Gold' Sheet Music in C Major - Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
- ^ a b c Pettigrew, Jason (September 26, 2019). "Twenty One Pilots Songs Ranked In All Of Their Pop Majesty". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on September 30, 2019. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
- ^ a b Stevens, Joe. "Twenty One Pilots – Vessel". Retrieved April 29, 2019.
- ^ a b Popat, Sejal (March 2013). "Albums Reviews". The Cut. Vol. 6, no. 5. p. 29.
- ^ a b c Thomas, Fred. "Vessel - Twenty One Pilots: Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards: AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
- ^ a b Clark, Graham (September 5, 2013). "Yorkshire News: Album Review: Twenty One Pilots - Vessel". The Yorkshire Times. yorkshiretimes.co.uk. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
- ^ LeRoy, Dan (September 2, 2015). "The 10 best twenty one pilots songs". Alternative Press. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
- ^ a b Schiller, Rebecca (August 1, 2018). "Twenty One Pilots Music Videos From 2012 to Today: Watch Their Evolution". Billboard.
- ^ Darus, Alex (July 27, 2018). "Find Out Which Twenty One Pilots Song Matches Your Zodiac Sign". Alternative Press. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
- ^ a b "The 10 Best Twenty One Pilots Lyrics So Far". Kerrang!. July 23, 2018. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
- ^ "AllAccess.com Alternative eWeekly". AllAccess. July 30, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
- ^ Masley, Ed. "October concert guide: Garth Brooks, Madonna, Florence". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
- ^ Rutherford, Kevin (November 11, 2015). "Twenty One Pilots Soar to First Alternative Songs No. 1". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media.
- ^ White, Emily (May 21, 2015). "X Ambassadors' 'Renegades' Rises, Tallest Man on Earth Debuts on Rock Charts". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media.
- ^ "Search Results – House of Gold– Kanye West". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e Campbell, Rachel (February 24, 2016). "Twenty One Pilots Videos Ranked Worst to Best". Alternative Press.
- ^ a b Kreps, Daniel (October 24, 2016). "See Chris Martin, Beck Cover Springsteen, Pink Floyd at Charity Gig". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
- ^ "Twenty One Pilots Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
- ^ "Twenty One Pilots Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
- ^ "Twenty One Pilots Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
- ^ "Alternative Songs: Year End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2022 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Twenty One Pilots – House of Gold". Music Canada. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
- ^ "British single certifications – Twenty One Pilots – House of Gold". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
- ^ "American single certifications – Twenty One Pilots – House of Gold". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
External links
- "House of Gold music video (Original)" on YouTube
- "House of Gold" music video (Official) on YouTube
- "House of Gold" (Beyond the Video) on YouTube