punkemorocker April 3rd, 2006 02:17AM  

hmm, well I love this song, one of my favorite metallica songs, and not only becuase of the kick ass guitar, but it shows that people who you think look, or act tough, and really write something this emotionally involved, that's not wat the songs saying, I just wanted to make a note of that, but the song too me is pretty much about, well depressing things, about changning who you are, maybe to fit something your not, or not being able to ahve something u've set your life forand losing yourself, and getting futhur away form people you love, because your so worried about one thing, and you eventualyl start too die inside, adn there's nothign you can do, and your not sure, and you feel lost, so you might try to look for death, as a nice way out, and it looks as if the person in this song does die, and not necessarily ina physical sense, but more in an emotional sense

anonymous April 21st, 2006 02:26AM  

This song holds two meanings:

During a tour most of Metallica's Gear was stolen. This included James Hetfield's fist amplifier. Not only was this his favourite amp but held personal memories. After that Metallica, and most importantly Hetfield, were deciding weather or not to go on. Hetfield was feeling like he was at the end of his career.

If you notice there is a linedruring the song which basically says - summed up - the only person that I can save is me and it`s too late for that.

anonymous December 19th, 2006 05:47PM  

This song is about the thought of suicide, its never carried out in the song. It conveys the feeling of hopelessness, like there is no other option. It's more about feeling like killing yourself rather than actually doing it.

YourFan July 19th, 2007 05:02PM  

This song is about suicide.

Yeah, this song was written after almost all of Metallica's equipment was stolen, especially a rare amplifier that James's mom gave to him just before she died.

anonymous October 13th, 2008 12:43PM  

"James and either Lars or Jason was Obsessed with death and suicide. Fade to Black expressed their feelings, after their equip being stolen"

Jason wasn't in Metallica for another 2 or 3 years after this song was written, so the mention of him is irrelevant.

fastfordfocus December 16th, 2008 05:43PM  

This song is about having a split personality, or two seperate identities. Not necessarily because you are schizophrenic, but because you're torn between the life you were truly born to live and the life that you feel forced to live. Society puts so much pressure on a man to be good and pure and raise a family. Yet, modern man yearns to break his chains and run free. Deep inside, we all want to bring down a beast with our teeth and consume it's raw flesh as it dies. This conflict is a common unspoken theme in todays world. We all feel it, though most of us choose not to define it. Such is the dilemma of the voice of this song. He's losing his will to live because he can't be free and fulfill his destiny as an animal.

anonymous July 4th, 2009 02:58PM  

OKay I love this song. Not to sound like a pansy, but it is pretty beautiful. ok nevermind here's how it goes It could be about James Hetfield's stolen stage gear, which sent him into a deep depression, but that is not likely. most think that is the case, but it is not. In that case, the "suicide" in the song is James quitting Metallica. That is Wrong. I say that because he says "I have lost the Will To Live", "Death Greets me warm", and "Nothing Matters, no one else". This song is about a man (Portrayed By James) who is contemplating suicide, and then eventually does kill himself. That's why this song is so grim, because of the seriousness and sadness of the topic.

anonymous July 15th, 2009 07:58PM  

Could also be an interpretation of the bands future. when they lost their equipment, its not like they had a shitload of money to replace it. The band could have died in Jersey then and there. and, to point out, almost all of the songs on RTL are about death, just being killed in different manners

jonnypills321 August 8th, 2009 03:50AM  

fastfordfocus thats more the meaning of "the unforgiven" This is about a person thinking about suicide not wanting to but its the only choice out of his life. it starts off slow to show how the person feels then picks up and by the fading part of the solo hes dead well thats just my interpretation

anonymous November 10th, 2009 10:18AM  

This song is written about suicide and depression. Simple as that. LOL

JakobF November 16th, 2009 09:25PM  

I love mMtallica first of all. and I believe this song is about life how it can change who you are and how it can make you very miserable...what I mean by changing who you are is the line "I was me but now he's gone!" means he was "him" but what he went through changed him.