Hero of the Day

Infobox Single
Name = Hero of the Day


Artist = Metallica
from Album = Load
B-side = (See below)
Released = September, 1996
Format = CD single
Recorded = May 1995 - February 1996
The Plant Studios
Sausalito, California
Genre = Hard rock
Length = 4:21
Label = Elektra Records
Writer = Kirk Hammett
James Hetfield
Lars Ulrich
Producer = Bob Rock
James Hetfield
Lars Ulrich
Chart position = * #60 (U.S. Hot 100)
* #1 (U.S. Mainstream Rock)
* #17 (U.K. Singles)
Last single = "Ain't My Bitch"
(1996)
This single = "Hero of the Day"
(1996)
Next single = "Mama Said"
(1996)

"Hero of the Day" is a song by Metallica on their 1996 album "Load". The song was first recorded on December 13 1995, and was the first song on "Load" to be recorded.Fact|date=September 2008 The song was also Metallica's second single release off of the album. A promotional video for the track was also filmed.

The demo for the song is entitled "Mouldy" due to the main riff of this song being on a demo tape for many years. The demo was recorded on December 8, 1994, one of the earliest demo recordings for the "Load" sessions.Fact|date=September 2008

The song was played live with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Michael Kamen), which is recorded on the album "S&M".

Music video

The music video for this song was directed by Anton Corbijn and features a drug-addled youth watching a television–every channel that features the band. In a Western-style place called "Load" with James Hetfield and Jason Newsted, a boxing match is seen taking place with Hetfield as coach, Newsted as the referee, and Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett as the fighters. After a drink called "Load" is advertised by Ulrich and Hetfield in matching suits, a game show called "Hero of the Day" is seen being played, hosted by Newsted with Hammett, Ulrich and Hetfield as contestants (which Hetfield eventually wins). Then, it cuts to the news with the anchorman played by Hammett and featuring a clip of Hetfield singing the lyrics to the song. At the end, the youth passes out and tiny robot creatures emerge from his ear. [http://www.mvdbase.com/video.php?id=18708]

Track listing

CD Single 1
#"Hero of the Day" (4:22)
#"Overkill" (4:07)
#"Damage Case" (3:53)
#"Hero of the Day (Outta B-sides mix)" (6:34)

CD Single 2
#"Hero of the Day"
#"Stone Dead Forever"
#"Too Late Too Late"
#"Mouldy" (Early demo version of "Hero of the Day")

CD Single 2
#"Hero of the Day"
#"Kill/Ride Medley (Live)"
#*"Ride the Lightning"
#*"No Remorse"
#*"Hit the Lights"
#*"The Four Horsemen"
#*"Phantom Lord"
#*"Fight Fire with Fire"

*Kill/Ride Medley: Recorded live August 26, 1995 at Castle Donnington, England.