Sad but True
"Sad but True" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Metallica | ||||
from the album Metallica | ||||
B-side |
| |||
Released | February 8, 1993[1] | |||
Recorded | 1990–91 | |||
Studio | One on One (Los Angeles, California) | |||
Genre | Heavy metal | |||
Length | 5:24 | |||
Label | Elektra, Vertigo (UK) | |||
Composer(s) |
| |||
Lyricist(s) | James Hetfield | |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Metallica singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Sad but True" on YouTube | ||||
Audio sample | ||||
"Sad But True"
| ||||
"Sad but True" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released in February 1993 as the fifth and final single from their 1991 self-titled album. The music video for the single was released in October 1992.
Music
"Sad but True" is in D Standard tuning, however the song was originally written and demoed in E Standard. Bob Rock, who produced The Black Album, recalled to Musicradar.com: "We were in pre-production, which was uncomfortable because nobody had ever made them go through their songs in such a deliberate way before, and six songs in 'Sad But True' came along. Suddenly, I realized that every song, including this one, was in the key of E. I brought this to the band's attention, and they said, 'Well, isn't E the lowest note?' So I told them that on Mötley Crüe's Dr. Feelgood, which I produced and Metallica loved, the band had tuned down to D. Metallica then tuned down to D, and that's when the riff really became huge. It was this force that you just couldn't stop, no matter what."[2]
Rock, Hetfield, and Ulrich are all credited as producers, and Randy Staub and his assistant, Mike Tacci.[3]
Track listing
US single
- "Sad but True"
- "So What?"
International single part 1
- "Sad but True" – 5:27
- "So What?" – 3:09
- "Harvester of Sorrow" (live) – 6:41
International single part 2
- "Sad but True" – 5:27
- "Nothing Else Matters (Elevator Version)" – 6:31
- "Creeping Death" (live) – 8:01
- "Sad but True" (demo) – 4:53
UK picture single
- "Sad but True" – 5:26
- "Nothing Else Matters" (live) – 6:13
- "Sad but True" (live) – 6:12
UK and German 7-inch single
- "Sad but True" – 5:24
- "Nothing Else Matters" – 6:29
French single
- "Sad but True" – 5:27
- "Nothing Else Matters (Edit)" – 6:29
International 7-inch single
- "Sad but True"
- "Nothing Else Matters" (live)
- "Sad but True" (live)
Personnel
Personnel adapted from Metallica liner notes[4]
- Metallica
- James Hetfield – vocals, rhythm guitar
- Kirk Hammett – lead guitar
- Jason Newsted – bass
- Lars Ulrich – drums
- Additional Performer
- John Marshall – guitar on "Nothing Else Matters" (live)
Cover versions
In 2020, the Mongolian hunnu band The HU released a cover of the song translated entirely into Mongolian.[5]
The Metallica Blacklist, a compilation album released in 2021, features seven covers of the song, including a live version by Sam Fender and studio versions by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Mexican Institute of Sound, Royal Blood, St. Vincent, White Reaper and YB.
Samples
Kid Rock sampled the track for his song "American Bad Ass" from his 2000 album The History of Rock.
Charts
Chart (1992–1993) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[6] | 48 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] | 50 |
Denmark (IFPI)[8] | 3 |
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9] | 22 |
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[10] | 1 |
Germany (Official German Charts)[11] | 42 |
Ireland (IRMA)[12] | 13 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[13] | 17 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[14] | 10 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[15] | 42 |
Norway (VG-lista)[16] | 5 |
Portugal (AFP)[17] | 2 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[18] | 31 |
UK Singles (OCC)[19] | 20 |
US Billboard Hot 100[20] | 98 |
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[21] | 15 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[22] | 2× Platinum | 140,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
References
- ^ Metallica. "Sad but True". Archived from the original on April 10, 2011. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
- ^ "Sad But True by Metallica". Songfacts. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
- ^ Metallica - Sad But True, 1993, retrieved February 27, 2023
- ^ Metallica (liner notes). Metallica. Vertigo Records. 1991. 510 022-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Lewry, Fraser (December 4, 2020). "The Hu release spectacular Mongolian language cover of Metallica's Sad But True". Metal Hammer Magazine. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
- ^ "Metallica – Sad but True". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ^ "Metallica – Sad but True" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 13. March 27, 1993. p. 28. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
- ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 13. March 27, 1993. p. 27. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
- ^ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
- ^ "Metallica – Sad but True" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Sad but True". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Metallica" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
- ^ "Metallica – Sad but True" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
- ^ "Metallica – Sad but True". Top 40 Singles.
- ^ "Metallica – Sad but True". VG-lista.
- ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 15. April 10, 1993. p. 24. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
- ^ "Metallica – Sad but True". Singles Top 100.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
- ^ "Metallica Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
- ^ "Metallica Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
- v
- t
- e
- Kill 'Em All
- Ride the Lightning
- Master of Puppets
- ...And Justice for All
- Metallica
- Load
- Reload
- St. Anger
- Death Magnetic
- Hardwired... to Self-Destruct
- 72 Seasons
- S&M (with the San Francisco Symphony)
- The Big Four: Live from Sofia, Bulgaria (with Anthrax, Megadeth & Slayer)
- Lulu (with Lou Reed)
- S&M2 (with the San Francisco Symphony)
- Live Shit: Binge & Purge
- S&M
- Orgullo, Pasión, y Gloria: Tres Noches en la Ciudad de México
- Six Feet Down Under
- Six Feet Down Under Part II
- Live at Grimey's
- Freeze 'Em All
- Through the Never
- S&M2
- The Good, the Bad & the Live
- Live Shit: Binge & Purge
- Limited-Edition Vinyl Box Set
- The Metallica Collection
- "Whiplash"
- "Jump in the Fire"
- "Creeping Death"
- "Master of Puppets"
- "Harvester of Sorrow"
- "Eye of the Beholder"
- "One"
- "Enter Sandman"
- "The Unforgiven"
- "Nothing Else Matters"
- "Wherever I May Roam"
- "Sad but True"
- "Until It Sleeps"
- "Hero of the Day"
- "Mama Said"
- "King Nothing"
- "The Memory Remains"
- "The Unforgiven II"
- "Fuel"
- "Turn the Page"
- "Whiskey in the Jar"
- "Die, Die My Darling"
- "Nothing Else Matters '99" (with the San Francisco Symphony)
- "No Leaf Clover" (with the San Francisco Symphony)
- "I Disappear"
- "St. Anger"
- "Frantic"
- "The Unnamed Feeling"
- "Some Kind of Monster"
- "The Day That Never Comes"
- "My Apocalypse"
- "All Nightmare Long"
- "Broken, Beat & Scarred"
- "The View" (with Lou Reed)
- "Lords of Summer"
- "Hardwired"
- "Moth into Flame"
- "Atlas, Rise!"
- "Now That We're Dead"
- "Spit Out the Bone"
- "Lux Æterna"
- "Screaming Suicide"
- "If Darkness Had a Son"
- "72 Seasons"
- "Fade to Black"
- "For Whom the Bell Tolls"
- "...And Justice for All"
- "Don't Tread on Me"
- "Ain't My Bitch"
- "Bleeding Me"
- "Better than You"
- "Cyanide"
- "The Judas Kiss"
- "Seek & Destroy"
- "Am I Evil?"
- "Battery"
- "Disposable Heroes"
- "Orion"
- "Breadfan"
- "The God That Failed"
- "Astronomy"
- "Tuesday's Gone"
- "Last Caress/Green Hell"
- "Stone Cold Crazy"
- "So What?"
- "Overkill"
- "The Unforgiven III"
- "Inamorata"
- Cliff 'Em All
- 2 of One
- A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica
- Cunning Stunts
- S&M
- The Videos 1989–2004
- Français Pour une Nuit
- Orgullo, Pasión, y Gloria: Tres Noches en la Ciudad de México
- The Big Four: Live from Sofia, Bulgaria
- Quebec Magnetic
- Metallica: Through the Never
- S&M2
- Damage, Inc. Tour
- Damaged Justice
- Wherever We May Roam Tour
- Guns N' Roses/Metallica Stadium Tour
- Shit Hits the Sheds Tour
- Summer Sanitarium Tour
- Madly in Anger with the World Tour
- Sick of the Studio '07
- World Magnetic Tour
- 2012 European Black Album Tour
- Metallica By Request Tour
- Lords of Summer Tour
- WorldWired Tour
- 2021–2022 tours
- M72 World Tour
- Awards
- Discography
- Demos
- Songs recorded
- Apocalyptica
- Beatallica
- Big Mick
- Orion Music + More
- Echobrain
- Exodus
- Flotsam and Jetsam
- Megadeth
- Newsted
- Metallica v. Napster, Inc.
- A Tribute to the Four Horsemen
- Guitar Hero: Metallica
- songs
- Metallic Assault: A Tribute to Metallica
- Metallic Attack: The Ultimate Tribute
- Metallica: This Monster Lives
- Pianotarium
- Metallica: Some Kind of Monster
- For Those About to Rock
- Murder in the Front Row
- Murder of Morgan Dana Harrington
- Paradise Lost trilogy
- The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills
- Revelations
- Purgatory
- The Metallica Blacklist
- Portals
- Category