King Nothing
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| "King Nothing" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Single by Metallica | ||
| from the album Load | ||
| Released | 1996 | |
| Format | CD single | |
| Genre | Heavy Metal | |
| Length | 5: 28 | |
| Label | Elektra Records | |
| Metallica singles chronology | ||
| Until it Sleeps | King Nothing | Mama Said |
"King Nothing" is a song by Metallica in their 1996 album Load. It is about people who devote their whole lives to earning money until one day, they realize ("then it all crashes down") that all their money has gotten them nothing worthwhile. Instead, they've wasted their entire life in pursuit of money instead of being truly happy. (where's your crown, king nothing?)[citation needed]
This song is also believed by many to have been influenced by the Shakespearian Play King Lear,and is used as a teaching tool by some High School English teachers.
A second possible meaning is people spending all their efforts wishing ("Wish I might, Wish I may, You wish your life away") and not actually earning the things they desire. That you can spend your whole life waiting for something to come to you, when you have to put the effort in and go to it, and that anything received for nothing is worth what you've paid for it. That having a wish come true ("Careful what you wish, you just might get it") can be as much a curse as it can be a blessing.[citation needed] The song is an obvious change from Metallica's thrash metal style, switching into a more alternative metal style. However, this change was disliked by many fans who felt that Metallica didn't need to "express their diversity".[citation needed]
The song starts on a bass riff which develops into the main riff of the song. A single of "King Nothing" was released in the United States. It included a live version of the song "Ain't My Bitch", which is also on the album Load. A music video also accompanied the song, which is rare in comparison to most Metallica songs before 1988's "One" on the ...And Justice for All album. This song is another example of how Metallica has entered their "alternative rock" era.
At the end of the song, the words "off to never-never land" can be heard. This is a nod to one of Metallica's most famous songs, Enter Sandman, which also features these words. The song also features a similar structure.
When performed on 23 June 2000 in Seattle, a part of the song morphed into a sample of the main riff of Nirvana's "Come as You Are".
[edit] Track Listing
- King Nothing
- Ain't My Bitch (Live)
| Metallica |
| Members |
|---|
| James Hetfield - Kirk Hammett - Robert Trujillo - Lars Ulrich |
| Former members: Cliff Burton - Dave Mustaine - Ron McGovney - Jason Newsted |
| Discography |
| Albums and extended plays: No Life 'Til Leather - Kill 'Em All - Ride the Lightning - Master of Puppets - Garage Days Re-Revisited - ...And Justice for All - Metallica - Load - ReLoad - Garage Inc. - S&M - St. Anger - Some Kind of Monster - Ninth studio album |
| Videography |
| DVDs and videos: Cliff 'em All - 2 of One - A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica - Live Shit: Binge & Purge - Cunning Stunts - S&M - Classic Albums: Metallica - The Black Album - Some Kind of Monster - The Videos 1989-2004 |
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