Metallica deliver forbidden cover of Tom Jones’ ‘Delilah’ at Principality in Cardiff despite song being banned
Metallica delighted their Welsh fans by performing a cover of the Tom Jones classic ‘Delilah’ over the weekend, despite it being banned by the Welsh Rugby Union in the stadium they were playing in.
The American rockers stormed the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on June 28th, but not without sending both a subtle nod and a dig to one of Wales’ most celebrated singers.
‘Delilah’ was typically a classic of the stadium’s stands, which is otherwise the home of Wales national rugby, until three years ago when it was banned from being officially played.
This was due to the fact that the song depicts the murder of a woman by her husband, with Welsh Rugby Union saying back in 2023, “The WRU condemns domestic violence of any kind”.
Tom Jones himself also dug his heels in at the time, later telling his crowd at Cardiff Castle, “You can’t stop us singing ‘Delilah’. Can you imagine… Who was the man who didn’t want us to sing ‘Delilah’?”
Subsequently, although fans have continued to sing the song in their own right while in the crowds for games, Metallica ripped up the rule book during their latest show to perform a blitzing cover of the tune.
As the band launched into the track with a decidedly edgier guitar riff than the original, it didn’t take long for the crowd to join in on the iconic wailing chorus of ‘Delilah’.
For Metallica, though, the moment marked the near-ending of the UK run of their M72 World Tour, with only a two-night extravaganza at the London Stadium, taking place over July 3rd and 5th, left to perform.
Before leaving Cardiff, however, the band made a massive £20,000 donation to the city’s foodbank, which will help to fund 9,000 meals as the charity said the money from the All Within My Hands foundation would “replenish [their] empty shelves”, according to BBC News.
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