Until It Sleeps

Until It Sleeps
Metallica
publication	May 21, 1996
length	4:30
Genre (s)	Hard rock , metal
text	J. Hetfield , L. Ulrich
music	Bob Rock , J. Hetfield, L. Ulrich
album	Load

Until It Sleeps ( "until it sleeps" ) is a song by the US metal band Metallica . The song is the first single from their sixth studio album Load and was released on May 21, 1996.

content

The song is told from the perspective of a lyrical self that grapples with its inner " demons " and diseases. It would like to wash itself clean and tear itself so that these disappear from its body. But it cannot defend itself and asks for assistance until the “demons” sleep. A source of inspiration for the text could be the illness of James Hetfield's father, who suffered from incurable cancer and died in 1996.

production

James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, both of whom are responsible for the lyrics, produced the song together with Canadian music producer Bob Rock .

Music video

In which to Until It Sleeps twisted music video led Samuel Bayer directed. It is very surreal and the figures shown are based on paintings by the Renaissance painter Hieronymus Bosch . For example, the man-eating monster from his painting The Garden of Earthly Delights and Adam and Eve from his work The Hay Wagon appear in it. Another theme of the video is Jesus before the crucifixion ( Ecce homo ). The band members can also be seen in the video.

At the MTV Video Music Awards 1996 , Until It Sleeps was recognized in the category Best Rock Video .

single

Versions

US single

1. Until It Sleeps - 4:30
2. Overkill - 4:08

International Single Part 1

1. Until It Sleeps - 4:30
2. 2 X 4 (live) - 6:06
3. FOBD (aka Until It Sleeps - early writing in progress version ) - 4:56

International Single Part 2

1. Until It Sleeps - 4:30
2. Kill / Ride Medley (live) - 10:19
3. Until It Sleeps (Herman Melville Mix) - 4:20

EP (Japan)

1. Until It Sleeps - 4:30
2. Until It Sleeps (Herman Melville Mix) - 4:20
3. Kill / Ride Medley (live) - 10:19
4. 2 X 4 (live) - 6:06
5. Overkill - 4:08
6. FOBD (aka Until It Sleeps - early writing in progress version ) - 4:56

Chart successes

Chart positions Explanation of the data

Singles

Until It Sleeps   DE 15th 06/03/1996 (14 weeks)   AT 12 06/09/1996 (12 weeks)   CH 22nd 06/09/1996 (9 weeks)   UK 5 06/01/1996 (5 weeks)   US 10 06/08/1996 (20 weeks)

Until It Sleeps entered the German single charts at number 15 on June 3, 1996 and stayed in the top 100 for 14 weeks. In the United States, the song was 10th and is still the highest-ranked title of the band in their home country. The single was particularly successful in Australia, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, where it reached the top of the charts.

Sales figures and awards

On August 6, 1996, the song was awarded a gold record for more than 500,000 sales in the United States .

At the American Music Awards 1996, Until It Sleeps won the award for Best Metal / Hard Rock Song .

Country / Region	Award	Sales
Awards for music sales (country / region, Award, Sales)
Australia (ARIA)	gold	35,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)	gold	5,000
Sweden (IFPI)	gold	25,000
United States (RIAA)	gold	500,000
All in all	4 × gold	565,000

Main article: Metallica / Music Sales Awards

Web links

• Lyrics with interpretations on genius.com (English)
• Lyrics translation on golyr.de
• Music video Until It Sleeps on youtube.com

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Lyrics
2. ↑ Until It Sleeps on teamrock.com
3. ↑ Chart positions: DE AT CH UK US
4. ↑ Chart tracking Until It Sleeps on officialcharts.de
5. ↑ International chart tracking Until It Sleeps
6. ^ Until It Sleeps US: Gold