The Ecstasy of Gold
Encyclopedia
"The Ecstasy of Gold" is a musical composition by Ennio Morricone
, part of his score for the Sergio Leone
film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
. It is played while Tuco (Eli Wallach
) is frantically searching a graveyard for the grave that holds $200,000 in gold coins.
Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone, Grand Officer OMRI, , is an Italian composer and conductor, who wrote music to more than 500 motion pictures and television series, in a career lasting over 50 years. His scores have been included in over 20 award-winning films as well as several symphonic and choral pieces...
, part of his score for the Sergio Leone
Sergio Leone
Sergio Leone was an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter most associated with the "Spaghetti Western" genre.Leone's film-making style includes juxtaposing extreme close-up shots with lengthy long shots...
film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a 1966 Italian epic spaghetti western film directed by Sergio Leone, starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach in the title roles. The screenplay was written by Age & Scarpelli, Luciano Vincenzoni and Leone, based on a story by Vincenzoni and Leone...
. It is played while Tuco (Eli Wallach
Eli Wallach
Eli Herschel Wallach is an American film, television and stage actor, who gained fame in the late 1950s. For his performance in Baby Doll he won a BAFTA Award for Best Newcomer and a Golden Globe nomination. One of his most famous roles is that of Tuco in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...
) is frantically searching a graveyard for the grave that holds $200,000 in gold coins.
Other uses
- AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
thrash metalThrash metalThrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band MetallicaMetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
has used "The Ecstasy of Gold" as the introductory music for its concerts since 1983; it is included on the live symphonic album S&MS&M (album)-Video release:Metallica also filmed and released the concert in DVD and VHS with direction by Wayne Isham. The VHS set has only the concert video, while the double DVD set has 5.1 sound , 41 minute documentary about the concert, and two "No Leaf Clover" music videos: "Slice & Dice" version and the...
. An instrumental metal cover by Metallica (with minimal vocals by lead singer James HetfieldJames HetfieldJames Alan Hetfield is the rhythm guitarist, co-founder, main songwriter, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Metallica. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering a classified advertisement by drummer Lars Ulrich in the Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler,...
) appears on the 2007 Morricone tribute album We All Love Ennio MorriconeWe All Love Ennio MorriconeWe All Love Ennio Morricone is a 2007 tribute album honoring noted film composer Ennio Morricone. It features a diverse lineup of artists including Andrea Bocelli, Metallica, Bruce Springsteen, Roger Waters, and Celine Dion...
. This metal version was nominated for a Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
in the category of Best Rock Instrumental Performance. It was also used in the trailer for and appears in Guitar Hero: MetallicaGuitar Hero: MetallicaGuitar Hero: Metallica is a music video game developed by Neversoft and distributed by Activision. The game was released in North America on the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 on March 29, 2009 and on PlayStation 2 on April 14, 2009, with a European release in May 2009...
, in its original form as composed by Morricone; however, it is not a playable track. - The song is one of several used by Las VegasLas Vegas metropolitan areaThe Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
five-star luxury hotel/casino, The Bellagio, in their renowned water fountain show. - Seminal punk rock band The Ramones used "The Ecstasy of Gold" as closing theme during their live performances.
- Remixed by The Swimmer to create the song "Django" in 1997 for the Underground Beats (Volume 8) compilation.
- Famous cellist Yo-Yo MaYo-Yo MaYo-Yo Ma is an American cellist, virtuoso, and orchestral composer. He has received multiple Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Arts in 2001 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011...
recorded this song in his tribute album, Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone. - The opening scene of Jackass Number Two (2006), in which the cast is chased through a suburban neighborhood by bulls, is accompanied by this piece.
- It was used in a "6-Minute Recap" for the third season of the AMC television series Breaking BadBreaking BadBreaking Bad is an American television drama series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. Set and produced in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Breaking Bad is the story of Walter White , a struggling high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with advanced lung cancer at the beginning of the series...
. - Sampled by Jay-ZJay-ZShawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
in the song "Blueprint2" in his album by the same name released in 2002. - Used in a Nike commercial directed by David Fincher featuring Troy Polamalu and LaDainian Tomlinson.
- Used as the opening theme to the Opie & Anthony Show on SiriusXM.
- An arrangement of this piece is used in the soundtrack to the 1997 Wild West-themed PlaystationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
game Wild ArmsWild Armsis a role-playing game developed by software company Media.Vision and originally released in Japan in 1996 for the Sony PlayStation video game console and was later translated and released in North America in 1997 and Europe in 1998 by Sony Computer Entertainment...
. - Remixed by Mustard Pimp to create the song "Gold".
- Sampled in "Land Of the Gun" by Breeze Evahflowin featuring Immortal Technique
- Mirko CroCop used it as entrance music at UFC 128
- Remixed by Bandini for the Ennio Morricone Remixes 2 album released on February 10, 2004 by Compost Records.
- Used in the introduction sequence of the 2010 ActivisionActivisionActivision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
racing game, BlurBlur (video game)Blur is an arcade racing video game for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 developed by Bizarre Creations and published by Activision in North America and Europe...
. - Remixed by pop-punk/hardcore band Kid Liberty. Song is named "The Winds Of War".
- Sampled by Hip-Hop group Bone Thugs-n-HarmonyBone Thugs-n-HarmonyBone Thugs-N-Harmony is an American Hip-Hop/R'n'B band from Cleveland, Ohio formed in 1991. It originally consisted of rappers Layzie Bone, Flesh-n-Bone, Bizzy Bone, Krayzie Bone, and Wish Bone. Rapper Eazy-E of the group N.W.A signed Bone Thugs-N-Harmony to Ruthless Records in 1994, when Bone...
in the song "We Workin'"; A cut from their 2007 album Strength & LoyaltyStrength & Loyalty-Samples:- Unreleased songs :*"Bone Thugs Boys" *"Certified Thugs" *"Come With Me"...
. Produced by Three 6 MafiaThree 6 MafiaThree 6 Mafia are an Academy Award-winning, American rap group originating from Memphis, Tennessee. Formed in 1991 as Triple 6 Mafia, by DJ Paul, Juicy J, & Lord Infamous, the group at its most featured six members including; Crunchy Black, Gangsta Boo and Koopsta Knicca...
. - Portuguese football team Sporting CP has used "The Ecstasy of Gold" as the introductory music for its home matches for the season 2011/2012.