Gold is the soaring, emotional climax of *The Gold Experience* — a symbol‑era epic that Prince often described as the true successor to Purple Rain. Paired with the fiery, hometown‑proud Rock ’N’ Roll Is Alive!, the single captures both his grand romanticism and his fierce musical defiance. Though it charted modestly in the US, its UK Top 10 success and the cult status of its B‑side have cemented Gold as one of the era’s most beloved releases.

The B‑side, “Rock ‘N’ Roll Is Alive! (And It Lives In Minneapolis),” was previously unreleased and generated notable press attention. Prince wrote and recorded it quickly as a direct response to Lenny Kravitz’s hit “Rock and Roll Is Dead,” reclaiming the genre’s vitality and tying it back to his hometown.