The God That Failed (song)

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"The God that Failed"

Song by Metallica
from the album Metallica
Released	August 13, 1991
Recorded	October 1990 - June 1991 at One on One Recording, Los Angeles, California
Genre	Heavy Metal Hard Rock
Length	5:08
Label	Elektra Records
Producer(s)	Bob Rock, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich
Metallica track listing
"Enter Sandman" "Sad But True" "Holier Than Thou" "The Unforgiven" "Wherever I May Roam" "Don't Tread on Me" "Through the Never" "Nothing Else Matters" "Of Wolf and Man" "The God that Failed" "My Friend of Misery" "The Struggle Within"

The God that Failed is a song from Metallica's self-titled album. This was a controversial album written in 1991, because of the change in lyrics (from death and destruction, and the damage sometimes caused by alcohol, drugs, religion and war, to more personal topics).

The song was inspired by the death of James Hetfield's mother from cancer; she was a member of the Church of Christ, Scientist and therefore refused treatment. Another inspiration was from Hetfield's own experiences, not just his mother's, according to the Making of the Black Album DVD he felt alienated at school because he was left out of health classes, etc. because of his mother's religion. These are shown in the following lyrics:

"Trust you gave, a child to save" - His mother trusted that he would accept her faith. "Left you cold" - her dead "And him in grave" - Hetfield is speaking symbolically here; he is most likely talking about how it hurt his faith in God and/or about the effects on his social life from not being able to attend certain classes at school.

The song is occasionally played at Metallica's live shows.