The Unforgiven (song)

Infobox Single
Name = The Unforgiven


Artist = Metallica
from Album = Metallica
B-side = "Killing Time", "So What?", "The Unforgiven (Demo)"
Released = 1991
Format = CD single
Recorded = October 1990 - June 1991
One on One studios
Los Angeles, California
Genre = Heavy metal
Length = 6:27
Label = Elektra Records
Writer = James Hetfield
Lars Ulrich
Producer = Bob Rock
Last single = "Don't Tread on Me"
(1991)
This single = "The Unforgiven"
(1991)
Next single = "Nothing Else Matters"
(1992)

"The Unforgiven" is the third single from Metallica's self-titled album, Metallica (also known as "the Black Album"). Released in 1991, it is one of the slower songs on the album.

Drummer Lars Ulrich explained that the band wanted to try something new with the idea of a ballad - instead of the standard melodic verse and heavy chorus (as evidenced on their previous ballads "Fade to Black," "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)," and "One"), the band opted to reverse the dynamic, with heavy, distorted verses and a softer, melodic chorus, played with classical guitars.

The horn intro was essentially taken from a Western movie and then reversed so its source would be hidden, as Hetfield later explained on "". While Metallica has never disclosed what movie the horn was taken from, it is believed to be from a piece of music called "The Showdown," which was composed by Ennio Morricone for the 1965 Clint Eastwood "spaghetti western" film, "For a Few Dollars More".

"The Unforgiven" was played live as part of Metallica's "Nowhere Else to Roam" world tour which lasted from 1991–1993, in support of the Black Album. It was played again on the Madly in Anger with the World world tour in 2003–2004 and the Escape from the Studio '06 tour. It has most recently been played as part of the 2007 Sick of the Studio tour. Also, the song was the band's third Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #35. It had a music video directed by Matt Mahurin.

The live version of "Unforgiven" includes a second solo near the end of the song, something the original recording did not have.

The song has since spawned two sequels (both in name proper as well as thematically), in the form of "The Unforgiven II," from the album "ReLoad", and "The Unforgiven III" from the album "Death Magnetic".

Track listing

#"The Unforgiven"
#"Killing Time"
#"So What" (12" Only)
#"The Unforgiven" (Demo)