Original v. Cover: Fade To Black

[NSL]

Back when everyone considered Metallica good (compared to a portion of that now), Fade To Black was one of their anthems. Everyone knew it, everyone loved it, and radio banned it because they were ignorant, and thought it promoted suicide. To this day, it still gets heavy airplay, and so many people either sing it, or play air guitar with it. It has a wonderful mix of melody and metal, and Hetfield's vocals are done really well.

The Original:

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The Cover:

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Here's my quandary. I think Apocalyptica's music catches the emotion of the song better, but without the lyrics, it loses a lot of it's appeal. I'll listen to it any day of the week, but I still need to pick Metallica's as the better version. The lyrics and vocals make that song what it is, and for that, you need the music that they put to it. Apocalyptica gets a big ol' pat on the back though...

 

[RVDgurl]

I really dig Apocolyptica. I like their sound and what they are doing is completely unique. Again, this is my first time hearing their version of the song. It's done well, but it doesn't compare to the original version. I admit, I'm totally biased here as Metallica is my favorite band ever- but Fade to Black is one of their best pieces of work and Jesus himself couldn't do it any better than Metallica.

 

[X]

While Metallica's version is obviously epic, and I too enjoy Apocalyptica's version, neither of them are the best in my opinion. I'm a huge fan of the Lemonheads and Evan Dando in general, so I've always preferred his acoustic version of the song. He has a way of turning any song into a piece of beauty with his acoustic guitar. Truly one of the most underrated artists of the last 20 years in my opinion, I'll never understand how the Lemonheads weren't huge in the 90s.

The Lemonheads - Fade to Black
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[Mr. TM]

I was going to do this song, but none of the covers that you guys have done. My favourite cover is Disturbed live version that they did. The song means a lot to me, one of my, if not favourite Metallica version. I think Disturbed did a heck of a cover that is good on its own.

 

[CH David]

Like TM, I wouldn't have gone with the Apocolyptica version as the cover, as I personally prefer the Disturbed cover over any other cover. But I still can't go away from Metallica. The song is definitely one of my anthems and favorite songs, and I want it played at my wake or funeral when I eventually pass.

For me only Metallica's version can rule here. The actual meaning behind the lyrics from Hetfield, and the way he sings it, no matter how good the covers are, they just can't be replicated. The original just has that actual feeling behind it, and it tops for me, over any cover.

 

[stingerlegends]

I had never heard Dando's version before this, and I really like it, but I still prefer Metallica's edginess.