James Hetfield picks his favourite Elton John track: “One of the best songs ever written”
Music is a subjective art form, and, for the most part, that’s a quality we like to celebrate. But there are times when we miss that wild fandom, the sort that sees sports supporters brazenly thump their chests as a symbol of their allegiance. So, at times, it’s more fun to remove all subjectivity and affability, and chant the name of your favourite band in the face of rival fans. For Metallica fans, there is a clear identity to buy into, and music of a softer mentality can be appropriately mocked.
Their mosh pits aren’t for the faint of heart, and as their fans exit through the side of the field at a festival, welcoming a more colourful cohort of music lovers in their aftermath, there is perhaps a subtle feeling of superiority that they can go to a more feral place.
But surely, if history has taught us anything, it’s that the musicians who lead these armies of dedicated fans aren’t as one-dimensional. While they may be masters of one specific genre, their skills are cultivated from a varied catalogue of styles.
For Metallica, it is no different. Underneath the extravagant riffs and relentless rhythm sections are artists with softer and more rounded sensibilities. Hence, the fearless leader of the band expressed his love for Elton John in a 2004 interview with Rolling Stone, but, more specifically, lauded the melody of one of his most tender ballads. He said, “‘Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting’ was more my style, but few songs can top this melody from ‘Candle in the Wind’.”
The seminal track is perhaps one of the finest examples of John’s melody writing and ability to create a multi-layered soundscape with pared-back instrumentation. In short, it was Elton John at his very stripped-back best and, in many ways, the antithesis of Metallica. But Hetfield’s love for the track highlights a key part of songwriting: melody. While arrangement, performance and lyricism all play important roles, a song’s ability to connect is essentially nothing without a coherent melody running through it.
And while Metallica’s discography is wildly different to John’s, this thinking was at the heart of their music and something John himself appreciated. When the band appeared on The Howard Stern Show alongside John, the legendary songwriter was quick to reciprocate his appreciation of their melodic strength. While referencing their track ‘Nothing Else Matters’, he said, “Listen, this is one of the best songs ever written”.
He then went on to gush: “It’s a song that never gets old. And playing on this track, I just couldn’t wait. The chord structure, the melodies, the time changes, it’s got drama written all over it. Metallica are probably the crème de la crème of those kind of bands. You can’t really define them. They’re not a heavy metal band. They’re a musical band. Their songs aren’t just heavy metal. They’re beautiful songs. This is such a melodic song—it’s fucking great, actually.”
As John heaped praise on Hetfield’s band, he was seen wiping away tears. For underneath the self-assured and powerful frontman is simply another dedicated fan whose musical tastes have been crafted by Elton John’s melody writing.
