The Ecstasy of Gold

"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.

* American metal band Metallica has used "The Ecstasy of Gold" as the introductory music for its concerts since 1983; it is included on the live symphonic album S&M. An instrumental metal cover by Metallica (with minimal vocals by lead singer James Hetfield) appears on the 2007 Morricone tribute album We All Love Ennio Morricone. This metal version was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Rock Instrumental Performance but lost to Bruce Springsteen's cover of Once Upon a Time in the West from the same album. It was also used in the trailer for and appears in Guitar Hero: Metallica, in its original form as composed by Morricone.
* Since moving to XM Satellite Radio in 2004, talk radio duo Opie and Anthony have used the original recording and various covers to open their live broadcasts, best-of compilations, and to end "The Walkover" bit.
* American punk rock band Ramones has used "The Ecstasy of Gold" as the introductory music for its concerts.
* Famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma 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 is used for the beat on Jay-Z's song entitled "Blueprint 2", on his album The Blueprint 2: The Gift and The Curse.

* The Game uses the "Blueprint 2" beat at the end of his diss track "300 Bars and Runnin'".
* Crooked I also uses "Blueprint 2" beat on the 21st edition of his Hip-Hop Weekly series entitled "Blueprint 2 Freestyle".

* It is sampled for a Breez Evahflowin track featuring Immortal Technique titled "Land of the Gun" on the album Stronghold Mixtape Vol. 2
* At T in the Park 2007, Kasabian, headlining the NME Stage on Sunday night, used "The Ecstasy of Gold" as their walk-on music. It was also used when they played the Edinburgh Hogmanay "Concert in the Park" for 2007/8 New Year.
* It was used by Independent professional wrestler Eddie Kingston as his entrance music early to mid 2007.
* Three 6 Mafia samples this on a beat they produced for Bone Thugs N Harmony called "We Workin".
* Football team Sparta Rotterdam plays a version of The Ecstasy of Gold at the start of every home match.