Wherever I May Roam

"Wherever I May Roam"
Single by Metallica
from the album Metallica
B-side
ReleasedOctober 19, 1992[1]
RecordedApril 1991
StudioOne on One (Los Angeles)
GenreHeavy metal
Length6:44
LabelElektra
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)James Hetfield
Producer(s)
Metallica singles chronology
"Nothing Else Matters"
(1992) 		"Wherever I May Roam"
(1992) 		"Sad but True"
(1993)
Music video
"Wherever I May Roam" on YouTube

"Wherever I May Roam" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released in October 1992 as the fourth single from their eponymous fifth album, Metallica. It reached number 82 on the US Billboard Hot 100 peaked at number twenty-five on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, and peaked at number two in Denmark, Finland and Norway.

Music

All stringed instruments featured in this song, both guitars and basses, use standard tuning. The intro of the song is notable for its unusual instrumentation for the band: Asian instruments such as a gong and sitar, along with an overdubbed Warwick twelve-string bass.[2] This 12-string bass was only used for effect during the intro to emphasize several accented notes and then a standard tuned 4-string bass was used as the main bass instrument throughout the remainder of the recording.

The song is performed frequently during the band's live concerts, and was performed with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Michael Kamen) on the live S&M and its companion DVD, as well as the 2019 S&M2. When performed live, the band has always relied on their original sitar recording for the intro (the band enters on the first accented note to dramatic effect); however, for the S&M concerts guitarist Kirk Hammett utilized a Danelectro electric sitar for the intro before switching to his ESP electric guitar.

The music video featured clips from Metallica behind the scenes and in concert, during their Wherever We May Roam Tour. The video version of the song is edited omitting the first bridge and third chorus and the last line in the second chorus "Where I lay my head is home" edited to end off as the third chorus does on the studio version with the words "That's where" leading into Hammett's guitar solo of the second bridge.

The song opens in a typically American metal fashion: "And the road becomes my bride". It carries on in a display of American stoicism: "I have stripped [myself] of all but pride" continuing to express satisfaction and satiation despite the difficulties presented by his uncomfortable lifestyle choices. He rejects the uncomplimentary labels others place on rebels: "Rover wanderer, Nomad vagabond, Call me what you will". The song emphasizes the freedom offered by the narrator's lifestyle: "Free to speak my mind anywhere". The price of this freedom is giving up the comfort of a domestic abode.[3]

Demo

The song's demo was recorded in Lars Ulrich's home musical studio "Dungeon" on August 13, 1990.

Track listings

US single

  1. "Wherever I May Roam" – 6:42
  2. "Fade to Black" (live) – 7:43

International single

  1. "Wherever I May Roam" – 6:43
  2. "Fade to Black" (live) – 7:43
  3. "Wherever I May Roam" (demo) – 5:35

International digipak single

  1. "Wherever I May Roam" – 6:45
  2. "Last Caress" (live)/"Am I Evil?" (live)/"Battery" (live) – 11:59

Japanese EP

  1. "Wherever I May Roam" – 6:44
  2. "Fade to Black" (live) – 7:44
  3. "Last Caress" (live)/"Am I Evil?" (live)/"Battery" (live) – 11:59

Charts

Chart (1992–1993) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[4] 14
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[5] 35
Denmark (IFPI)[6] 2
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[7] 19
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[8][9] 2
France (SNEP)[10] 28
Germany (GfK)[11] 30
Ireland (IRMA)[12] 15
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[13] 22
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[14] 22
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[15] 8
Norway (VG-lista)[16] 2
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[17] 28
UK Singles (OCC)[18] 25
US Billboard Hot 100[19] 82
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[20] 25
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Top Triller US (Billboard)[21] 7

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[22] 2× Platinum 140,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ Metallica. "Wherever I May Roam". Archived from the original on 10 April 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  2. ^ Berti, Jim; Bowman, Durrell (2011). Rush and Philosophy: Heart and Mind United. pp. 189–190. ISBN 978-0812697162.
  3. ^ Irwin, William. The Meaning of Metallica: Ride the Lyrics. ECW Press. ISBN 9781773059198.
  4. ^ "Metallica – Wherever I May Roam". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  5. ^ "Metallica – Wherever I May Roam" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  6. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 49. December 5, 1992. p. 18. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  7. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 51/52. December 19, 1992. p. 44. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  8. ^ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  9. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 51/52. December 19, 1992. p. 43. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  10. ^ "Metallica – Wherever I May Roam" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  11. ^ "Metallica – Wherever I May Roam" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  12. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Wherever I May Roam". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  13. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 49, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  14. ^ "Metallica – Wherever I May Roam" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  15. ^ "Metallica – Wherever I May Roam". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  16. ^ "Metallica – Wherever I May Roam". VG-lista.
  17. ^ "Metallica – Wherever I May Roam". Singles Top 100.
  18. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  19. ^ "Metallica Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  20. ^ "Metallica Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  21. ^ "TOP TRILLER US". Billboard. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  22. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 8 March 2024.