Music Friday: Vance Joy Reminisces How We Were 'Like Gold' in His 2017 Hit

Welcome to Music Friday when we often bring you fun singalongs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, we feature a nostalgic ballad from Aussie singer-songwriter Vance Joy. “Like Gold” tells the story of a perfect love, a painful breakup and the promise of a second chance.

As many authors and lyricists have done in the past, Joy uses “gold” to symbolize a life experience that is precious, pure and ideal.

He sings, “Closing my eyes, remember how we were like / Gold, when you see me / Hi, if you need me / Babe, that’s the way it was / That’s the history / Blue, how we used to roar / Like an open fire / That’s the way it was / But that’s history.”

“I wrote ‘Like Gold’ after coming off the road at the start of 2016,” Joy said. “It started with a simple melody I was humming and the idea of looking back at a relationship.”

He added in a 2018 interview with Aussie music site abc.net.au that the song is "about a love that you're kind of reflecting on and the fire's gone out but there [were] some really good times in there."

“Like Gold” was released in 2017 as the second single of Joy’s album, Nation of Two.

In reviewing "Like Gold," Baeblemusic.com wrote, “Joy literally brings joy to our ears with this new track. His unique ability to turn the pain of a past relationship into something hopeful gives this song the flavor we desperately crave.”

“The alternative-folk-meets-pop track hears him reminiscing on a failed relationship with painful imagery of having to let go but not being ready to,” wrote thomasbleach.com. “It’s going to emotionally connect with anyone who’s had to learn to let go in the past with a few touching lyrics that offer a rare sense of calm.”

Born James Keough in Melbourne, Australia, Joy took his stage name from a character in the 1981 Peter Carey novel, Bliss. The 36-year-old told Australian radio station Triple J, “The main character’s name is Harry Joy and his grandfather is Vance Joy. He’s the storyteller and a crazy old man. Plus, I thought it was a cool name.”

The strapping 6′ 4″ Joy was an Australian rules football player and pursued a law degree before trying his luck on the Melbourne open-mic scene at the end of the 2000s. His folk-pop single “Riptide” caught the attention of Atlantic Records, which signed him to a five-album deal in 2013.

His current tour includes a two-night engagement at New York's Radio City Music Hall. Other stops include San Diego, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Berkeley, CA; Salt Lake City, UT; Greenwood Village, CO; Chicago, IL; Nashville, TN; Colombia, MD; Toronto, Canada; and Wembley, UK.

BTW, Joy did find the ultimate Joy when he married his long-time girlfriend and Spanish art director, Selen Us, in June of 2023. They welcomed their first child, Gigi, in early 2024.

Please check out the video of Joy performing “Like Gold” at the Hallowed Halls in Portland, OR, in 2018. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Like Gold”
Written and performed by Vance Joy.

Time to let it go
It won’t let go of me
Hanging by a thread
Cutting the cord and then falling back in
The black cause if I don't
If I wait till it feels right
I’ll be waiting my whole life
Closing my eyes remember how we were like

Gold when you see me
High If you need me
Babe that's the way it was
That's the history
Blue how we used to roar
Like an open fire
That's the way it was
But that's history

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
That's the way it was
But that's history
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
That's the way it was
But that's history

I have a memory
You're visiting me at night
Climbing in my bed
You were so quiet that you never woke me
I love the way you could
See the good in everything
But, do we fuel the fire?
Closing my eyes, remember how we were like

Gold, when you see me
Hi, if you need me
Babe, that's the way it was
That's the history
Blue, how we used to roar
Like an open fire
That's the way it was
But that's history

Started with a word
Now, look at where we are
Everything we've done
It's there on our faces for anyone willing to
Read between the lines
Now, look at where we are
Everything we've done
It's there on our faces for anyone willing to

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
That's the way it was
But that's history
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
That's the way it was
But that's history

Well, I got a feeling
Darling, it's possible
'Cause love's got no ceiling
Now, that it's just so strong
And I got a feeling
Like everything is possible
I'm trying to change

Gold, when you see me
Hi, if you need me
Babe, that's the way it was
That's the history
Blue, how we used to roar
Like an open fire
That's the way it was
But that's history

Started with a word
Now, look at where we are
Everything we've done
It's there on our faces for anyone willing to
Read between the lines
Now, look at where we are
Everything we've done
Started out with just one

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh

Gold, when you see me
Hi, if you need me
Babe, that's the way it was
But that's history

Credit: Photo by Bruce from Sydney, Australia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.