Bob Seger's song won over Metallica

Metallica has developed a distinctive sound over the course of their career, but the themes of their songs have changed over time. While James Hetfield was known for his powerful riffs and lyrics about war, fear, and rebellion, the band has also begun to show its more emotional side over time. One of the best examples came on the album “The Black” through their biggest hit “Nothing Else Matters,” a song that revealed a completely different Hetfield to the audience.

Later, they went one step further. On the album “Garage Inc.”, which featured covers of songs by other artists, Metallica also recorded “Turn the Page” by Bob Seger. At first glance, the choice of a song by an artist listened to by older generations seemed unusual for a metal band. However, it was Lars Ulrich who recognized that the story of a musician’s life on tour fit perfectly with the Metallica experience.

Hetfield loved the song as soon as he heard it, especially because of the lyrics, which he later said “spoke about them.” Metallica had lived on the road for years, in buses, hotels, and concert halls, so “Turn the Page” had a much more personal meaning for them than one might think at first glance.

Ulrich heard the song on the radio and suggested to Hetfield that they record it.

“Have you ever heard 'Turn the Page' by Bob Seger?” he asked. Hetfield replied that he actually really liked the song and that the lyrics were about them.

"We are travelers. It's one of those songs that we can really relate to. It turned out great," he recalled.

It turns out that Metallica made Seeger's ballad something entirely their own. Their version was given a recognizable dose of raw energy, while Kirk Hammett imitated the famous saxophone part from Seeger's concert version on guitar. It was this detail that gave the song a completely new dimension.