Nothing Else Matters

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"Nothing Else Matters"

Single by Metallica
from the album Metallica
Released	1992
Format	CD single
Recorded	October 1990 - June 1991 One on One Recording Los Angeles, California
Genre	Power Ballad
Length	6:30
Label	Elektra Records
Writer(s)	Kirk Hammett James Hetfield Lars Ulrich
Producer(s)	James Hetfield Lars Ulrich Bob Rock
Chart positions
#34 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #11 U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks #6 UK Singles Chart
Metallica singles chronology
The Unforgiven (1991)	Nothing Else Matters (1992)	Wherever I May Roam (1992)

"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 thrash metal songs of the first four Metallica albums, did not appreciate the inclusion of a ballad. 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.

1 History
2 Covers
3 Track Listing
4 References
5 External links

[edit] History

Singer and rhythm guitarist James Hetfield initially wrote it to a girlfriend he once had, 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 the Black Album. 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.

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.

[edit] 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
Gregorian (a troupe of Gregorian chanters)
Lucie Silvas (a British pop singer/songwriter)
Bif Naked on the Superbeautifulmonster album
The Angels of Venice
Staind on MTV Icons
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' (the whole song is the italian traslation of Metallica's song)