Nothing Else Matters
| "Nothing Else Matters" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| B-side | "For Whom the Bell Tolls (S&M Version)/ - Human" |
"Nothing Else Matters" is a song by heavy metal band Metallica. It was first released in 1991 on the self-titled Black Album. Many long-standing Metallica fans, who were used to the harsh lyrical nature of the first three Metallica ballads, did not appreciate the inclusion of a love song. It was one of the principal songs fans pointed to when accusing the band of "selling out." Regardless, the song is now very popular among Metallica fans and hit #11 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks Charts in 1992. It is still played frequently on the radio.
History
Singer and rhythm guitarist James Hetfield initially wrote it to a former girlfriend, but now he cannot remember why;[citation needed] some say it meant that "no matter how far" he was (since Metallica spent most of their time on tours), he was still "so close" with the heart. He considered it a very personal song and was not going to publish it, but once lead guitarist Kirk Hammett heard it he wanted it on Metallica. Now Metallica consider it a song dedicated to all their fans. It has become a staple of their live performances.
Its intro is an E minor arpeggio beginning with the open E, G, B and high E strings. It was first rumoured, and then confirmed[citation needed] by Hetfield on Classic Albums: The Black Album DVD, that he started composing it while he was on the phone with his girlfriend and only had one free hand. Also on the Classic Albums DVD, Hetfield admits that at that time in his career, girlfriends came and went and were a regular happening on the road.
This arpeggio is considered very simple to play, and as such many Metallica fans learn this song when they are first beginning to play guitar. However, the beginning of the song does sound like two guitars playing, so the easiest 'one' is easy, but in reality Hetfield plays one guitar and makes it sound like two (rhythm and lead), so played properly it is not that easy.
It is one of the few Metallica songs in which Hetfield, rather than Hammett, plays the guitar solo. Because of this, and the fact that Hetfield recorded all rhythm and most harmony tracks on the band's first five albums, it is also the only Metallica song that does not feature Hammett's playing (excluding Cliff Burton's bass solo (Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth).
The video was premiered on MTV on February 26, 1992. It was directed by Adam Dubin; it consists of parts of the "A year and a half..." video tape which was shot during the recordings of the Black Album.
Its orchestration was arranged by Michael Kamen conducting the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. A live version is found on the album S&M. This version was released as the single "Nothing Else Matters '99" with the B-sides of the S&M version of "For Whom The Bell Tolls" and "−Human" on January 4, 2000.
Unlike previous Metallica ballads such as Fade to Black, Welcome Home (Sanitarium) and One, Nothing Else Matters does not finish fast paced and does not have a fast paced solo.
There is also an acoustic version of "Nothing Else Matters" that Lars Ulrich calls an "elevator version" with Hetfield's guitar, Kamen's orchestrations, and Hetfield's voice only.
Covers
Because of the song's popularity (and ease of play, compared to Metallica's other material), it has been covered many times, by both artists within and outside the heavy metal genre. It was covered by:
- Apocalyptica (Inquisition Symphony)
- Die Krupps for The Blackest Album tribute albums
- Vienna Boys' Choir
- Iron Horse
- Gregorian (a troupe of Gregorian chanters)
- Lucie Silvas (a British pop singer/songwriter)
- LMP on their album A Century of Song.
- Bif Naked on the Superbeautifulmonster album
- The Angels of Venice
- Savatage
- Staind on MTV Icon
- Apoptygma Berzerk for the Paranoia single.
- The song was also covered in Italian by singer-songwriter Marco Masini, the song being titled "E chi se ne frega" (moderately vulgar Italian for "and who cares")
- Jon Oliva, Bob Balch (of Fu Manchu), Lemmy, and Gregg Bissonette for Metallica Assault: A Tribute to Metallica.
- Solarisis - tribute to Metallica.
- Marco Masini (as 'Chi Se Ne Frega), for the album 'Uscita Di Sicurezza' (Marco Masini's version covers only the instrumental part. The lyrics for "E chi se ne frega" make little to no sense in italian and it is not the italian traslation of Metallica's song)
- Bugotak band from Novosibirsk released a Buryat language version with some Buryat instruments
Track listing
UK single
- "Nothing Else Matters" (Hetfield/Ulrich) - 6.30
- "Enter Sandman (Live)" (Hetfield/Ulrich/Hammett) - 5.26
- "Harvester of Sorrow (Live)" (Hetfield/Ulrich) - 6.02
- "Nothing Else Matters (Demo)" (Hetfield/Ulrich) - 5.52
"Enter Sandman" recorded live on September 28, 1991 at Tushino Air Field, Moscow, Russia
"Harvester of Sorrow" recorded live on September 11, 1991 at the Liebenau, Graz, Austria
U.S. single
- "Nothing Else Matters" (Hetfield/Ulrich) - 6.30
- "Enter Sandman (Live)" (Hetfield/Ulrich/Hammett) - 5.26
"Enter Sandman" recorded live on September 28, 1991 at Tushino Air Field, Moscow, Russia
Nothing Else Matters '99
- "Nothing Else Matters" (Hetfield/Ulrich) - 6.53
- "For Whom The Bell Tolls" (Hetfield/Ulrich/Burton) - 4.53
- "- Human" (Hetfield/Ulrich) - 4.19
All tracks are taken from S&M album
