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About This Track
“To Live Is to Die” is a mostly instrumental composition by thrash metal band Metallica from their 1988 album …And Justice for All. Keeping up with the tradition of the band’s first three albums, the instrumental track comes late in the album and is lengthy. For over 2 decades, “To Live Is to Die” was the longest original studio recording to be released on an album by the band at 9:49, just a fraction of a second longer than “The Outlaw Torn” from Load clocking in at 9:48 and change (note that the original recording of this song is 10:48, but the last minute was cut in order to fit the album within the length limitations of CDs at the time).
Since the release of Death Magnetic, “Suicide & Redemption”, claims the title for longest Metallica song at 9:57, although this new track is still shorter than “The Outlaw Torn (Unencumbered by Manufacturing Restrictions Version)” (10:48) which was released on “The Memory Remains” single.
“To Live is to Die” contains a few lyrics near the end of the song, coming in at 7:35, that were written by Burton and are spoken by James Hetfield. The song was written as a tribute to the band’s bassist Cliff Burton, who was killed in a bus accident in 1986. The music consists of riffs Burton had written that had not been incorporated into songs prior to his death. The song title is a phrase that Burton was fond of.
Hetfield plays the second guitar solo during the slower mid-section of the song. “To Live Is to Die” is the last song Metallica released in which Burton has songwriting credit, and is the band’s only instrumental track with Jason Newsted playing bass.
Since the release of Death Magnetic, “Suicide & Redemption”, claims the title for longest Metallica song at 9:57, although this new track is still shorter than “The Outlaw Torn (Unencumbered by Manufacturing Restrictions Version)” (10:48) which was released on “The Memory Remains” single.
“To Live is to Die” contains a few lyrics near the end of the song, coming in at 7:35, that were written by Burton and are spoken by James Hetfield. The song was written as a tribute to the band’s bassist Cliff Burton, who was killed in a bus accident in 1986. The music consists of riffs Burton had written that had not been incorporated into songs prior to his death. The song title is a phrase that Burton was fond of.
Hetfield plays the second guitar solo during the slower mid-section of the song. “To Live Is to Die” is the last song Metallica released in which Burton has songwriting credit, and is the band’s only instrumental track with Jason Newsted playing bass.
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Albums featuring this track
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...And Justice for All
Metallica
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And Justice For All
Metallica Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $6.99
- 7digital Search
- iTunes $9.99
- Buy Album
- Amazon $13.83
- eBay Search
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The Metallica Collection
Metallica Buy- Download Album
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- 7digital $99.99
- iTunes $99.99
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- Amazon Search
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Best Ballads
Metallica Buy- Download Album
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Shouts
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CommanderGrief wrote:
The middle riff is definitely a beautiful thing.
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dasoverkill wrote:
oh ok I never knew it was a tribute song,hmmmm but doesn't inaudible mean there is none? and pretty sure this whole album was finished before Newstead even joined,I do know that 2 plays of this album got me from New Hampshire to New York with dyers eve not playing the 2nd time=hauling ass and thrashing!
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METALLlCA wrote:
Because this is a tribute to Cliff. There's bass played by Jason, though it's nearly inaudible.
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dasoverkill wrote:
uh there is no bass in this song--is that why so many are mentioning burton? great song btw
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greendalish wrote:
There's no one like Clifford Lee Burton, never has been and never will. Think of this song played by Cliff = mind blown.
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seevag wrote:
this solo is so fuckin amazing
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BeNgEE4 wrote:
Cliff!
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kidofthe90s wrote:
once I was listening to this intro, I was crying very much - it reminds me of Cliff so hard... why God takes from us the best musicians and leaves idiots such as Bieber?
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stellaf_ wrote:
RIP Cliff.
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Timsonourside wrote:
One of the best pieces of music ever created!![2]... Fav song off of AJFA at the very least! Never knew the band until this year and I regret it after all this time.
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ljmstrike wrote:
One of the best pieces of music ever created!!
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AITBW wrote:
Listenin' to it right now and damn... It really got my nerves. We miss you, Cliff.
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EternalSilence- wrote:
25 years ago today, a band called Metallica died with its awesome bass player called Cliff Burton. Both will be missed forevermore.
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Ramazon7 wrote:
25 years today... \m/ Cliff
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MetalN3rd wrote:
R.I.P CLIFF... 25 YEARS
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Sheik777 wrote:
That guitar riff in the middle... it''s so sad
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papua23 wrote:
amazing
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GolyJelen wrote:
Intro of this song is just awesome!
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Magnisphyricon wrote:
this song is petrifying me.
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191Bard895 wrote:
0:00 - 9:50: Metallica's finest moment. [4] ...And cliff burton was one of the greatest musicians ever. [2] You live in our souls' strings!
Track Stats
1,136,183 Scrobbles
218,235 Listeners
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Recent Activity
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