Nothing Else Matters

"Nothing Else Matters" is a song by heavy metal band Metallica. It was first released in 1991 on the self-titled Black Album. The song reached #11 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks Charts in 1992.

1 History
2 Track listing
3 References
4 External links

History

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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 drummer Lars Ulrich heard it he wanted it on Metallica. Now Metallica considers it a song dedicated to all their fans and 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 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.

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). In response to a question asked by a fan in So What!, the magazine of Metallica's official fan club, Hetfield confirmed that he recorded every guitar track on the song.

The video was premiered on MTV on February 26, 1993. 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. MTV will however not air the video during day hours any more because it features nudity in the form of pin up posters that are taped up in the studio. The Single would hit the top 10 in the UK - reaching number 6.

For its appearance on S&M, its orchestration was arranged by Michael Kamen conducting the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. This live version is found on the S&M album. This version was also released as the single "Nothing Else Matters '99", which included the B-sides "−Human", and the S&M version of "For Whom The Bell Tolls", on January 4, 2000.

There is also an acoustic remix of "Nothing Else Matters" that is called the "elevator version" with no electric guitars, Kamen's orchestrations, and Hetfield's voice only; it appears as the B-Side to Sad But True.

Track listing

England/France

"Nothing Else Matters (Edit)" (James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich) - 6.30

U.S./England/Australia/France/Germany/Japan

"Nothing Else Matters" (Hetfield, Ulrich) - 6.30
"Enter Sandman (Live)" (Hammett, Hetfield, Ulrich) - 5.26

"Enter Sandman" recorded live on September 28, 1991 at Tushino Air Field, Moscow, Russia

One Australian version included a t-shirt.

England/Brazil/Germany/Mexico

"Nothing Else Matters" (James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich) - 6.30
"Enter Sandman (Live)" (Kirk Hammett, Hetfield, Ulrich) - 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

Italy

"Nothing Else Matters" (James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich) - 6.30
"Non me la danno mai" by Dario Vergassola

Jukebox promo with a song by an Italian artist on the B-side.

Live at Wembley Stadium

This single was named "Nothing Else Matters UK Tour Single" and was Released in Europe in 1992. It contained the three songs Metallica played at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert on April 20, 1992 at Wembley Stadium.

"Enter Sandman" (Hammett, Hetfield, Ulrich)
"Sad But True" (Hetfield, Ulrich)
"Nothing Else Matters" (Hetfield, Ulrich)

It was mixed the next day by Flemming Rasmussen and was one of the first pieces of Metallica Merchandise to feature James' "Scary Guy" logo.