The Memory Remains#Charts

The song's demo was called "Memory" and was recorded in Lars Ulrich's home musical studio "Dungeon" on March 6, 1995, (take 1) and March 17, 1995 (take 2).

The band, with Marianne Faithfull, performed the song on the December 6, 1997, edition of Saturday Night Live. A live version was released as B-side to the single "The Unforgiven II". It was later performed with the San Francisco Symphony (conducted by Michael Kamen) for S&M and again for S&M2 (conducted by Edwin Outwater). Another live version was included on Orgullo, Pasión y Gloria. During the band's 30th anniversary celebration at the San Francisco's Fillmore in December 2011, Faithfull again joined Metallica on stage for "The Memory Remains".[https://blabbermouth.net/news/metallica-pays-tribute-to-marianne-faithfull Metallica pays tribute to Marianne Faithfull]

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Rock radio is already way hip to this smokin' jam from the band's new album, "Re-load". The time has come for popsters to climb aboard and join the fun. With its grinding, slow groove and winding melody, "The Memory Remains" has the traditional song structure and crisp production needed to attract listeners who don't usually indulge in such guitar-heavy fare. In fact, this song has the potential to draw a pile of new people into the band's

already massive legion of fans."{{cite magazine|author= Flick, Larry|author-link= Larry Flick|title= Reviews & Previews: Singles |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1997/Billboard-1997-11-29.pdf |magazine= Billboard |date= November 29, 1997 |page= 65 |access-date= December 4, 2020}}

The single was successful, reaching number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100, number three on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number 13 on the UK Singles Chart. It was Metallica's last appearance within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 until 2008's "The Day That Never Comes". The song was Faithfull's first top-40 single on the Hot 100 since 1965's "Summer Nights" as well as her last.

The music video, directed by Paul Andresen, features a surreal, anti-gravity concept. The band plays on a large, suspended platform making full and continuous rotations throughout the performance, like an enormous swing. The platform and band are actually stationary and the room, a giant constructed box, spins around it. Faithfull sings in a dark corridor and turns the crank of a street organ, the crank presumably attached to the rotating platform upon which the band plays. In some scenes paper money rains down, an allegorical reference. Throughout the music video, Jason Newsted fingerpicks his bass, despite almost exclusively playing with a pick throughout his career.

According to Encyclopedia Metallica, the video was shot at the Van Nuys Airport and cost $400,000, with the large platform costing over $100,000. The video premiered on MTV's Mattrock on November 15, 1997.

{{Track listing

| headline = CD single (ReLoad)

| title1 = The Memory Remains

| writer1 = {{hlist|James Hetfield|Lars Ulrich}}

| length1 = 4:38

| title2 = Fuel (work in progress with different lyrics)

| writer2 = {{hlist|Hetfield|Ulrich|Kirk Hammett}}

| length2 = 4:41

| title3 = Memory (Demo)

| writer3 = {{hlist|Hetfield|Ulrich}}

| length3 = 6:41

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = CD single (UK pt. 2)

| title1 = The Memory Remains

| writer1 = {{hlist|Hetfield|Ulrich}}

| length1 = 4:38

| title2 = The Outlaw Torn (Unencumbered by Manufacturing Restrictions Version)

| writer2 = {{hlist|Hetfield|Ulrich}}

| length2 = 10:48

| title3 = King Nothing (Tepid Mix)

| note3 =

| writer3 = {{hlist|Hetfield|Ulrich|Hammett}}

| length3 = 5:07

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = CD 2-track single (U.S. and Canada) and 7-inch single (Europe)

| title1 = The Memory Remains

| writer1 = {{hlist|Hetfield|Ulrich}}

| length1 = 4:38

| title2 = For Whom the Bell Tolls (Haven't Heard It Yet Mix)

| writer2 = {{hlist|Hetfield|Ulrich|Cliff Burton}}

| length2 = 4:39

}}

Metallica

• James Hetfield – vocals, rhythm guitar
• Kirk Hammett – lead guitar
• Jason Newsted – bass
• Lars Ulrich – drums

Additional performer

• Marianne Faithfull – additional vocals

Production

• "The Memory Remains", "Fuel for Fire", and "The Outlaw Torn" produced by Bob Rock with Hetfield and Ulrich
• "The Memory Remains" and "Fuel for Fire" mixed by Randy Staub
• "The Outlaw Torn" mixed by Mike Fraser
• "The Memory Remains" and "The Outlaw Torn" mastered by George Marino
• "King Nothing (Tepid Mix)" remixed by Sascha Konietzko
• "For Whom the Bell Tolls (Haven't Heard It Yet Mix)" remixed by DJ Spooky

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{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=1997|certyear=2024|access-date=April 16, 2024|refname="ARIA"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1997|certyear=2025|artist=Metallica|access-date=May 28, 2025|refname="RIAA"}}

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{{Reflist}}

{{Metallica}}

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