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Wherever I May Roam

{{Infobox song

| name = Wherever I May Roam

| cover = Metallica - Wherever I May Roam cover.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Metallica

| album = Metallica

| B-side = "Fade to Black" (live)

| released = October 19, 1992{{cite web|last=Metallica|title=Wherever I May Roam|url=http://www.metallica.com/releases/wherever-i-may-roam.asp|access-date=5 November 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110410135001/http://www.metallica.com/releases/wherever-i-may-roam.asp|archive-date=10 April 2011}}

| recorded = April 1991

| studio = One on One (Los Angeles)

| venue =

| genre = Heavy metal

| length = 6:44

| label = Elektra

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

| lyricist = James Hetfield

| producer = {{hlist|Bob Rock|James Hetfield|Lars Ulrich}}

| prev_title = Nothing Else Matters

| prev_year = 1992

| next_title = Sad but True

| next_year = 1993

| misc = {{External music video|1={{YouTube|id=dHUHxTiPFUU|title="Wherever I May Roam"}}}}

}}

"Wherever I May Roam" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released in October 1992 as the fourth single from their eponymous fifth album, Metallica. It reached number 82 on the US Billboard Hot 100 peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart and peaked at number two in Denmark, Finland and Norway.

Music

{{more citations needed section|date=January 2018}}

All stringed instruments featured in this song, both guitars and basses, use standard tuning. The intro of the song is notable for its unusual instrumentation for the band: Asian instruments such as a gong and sitar, along with an overdubbed Warwick twelve-string bass.{{cite book |first1=Jim |last1=Berti |first2=Durrell |last2=Bowman |year=2011 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jZab1JUfLlYC&dq=Metallica+Wherever+I+May+Roam+raga+rock&pg=PA189 |title=Rush and Philosophy: Heart and Mind United |pages=189–190 |isbn=978-0812697162}} This 12-string bass was only used for effect during the intro to emphasize several accented notes and then a standard tuned 4-string bass was used as the main bass instrument throughout the remainder of the recording.

The song is performed frequently during the band's live concerts, and was performed with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Michael Kamen) on the live S&M and its companion DVD, as well as the 2019 S&M2. When performed live, the band has always relied on their original sitar recording for the intro (the band enters on the first accented note to dramatic effect); however, for the S&M concerts guitarist Kirk Hammett utilized a Danelectro electric sitar for the intro before switching to his ESP electric guitar.

The music video featured clips from Metallica behind the scenes and in concert, during their Wherever We May Roam Tour. The video version of the song is edited omitting the first bridge and third chorus and the last line in the second chorus "Where I lay my head is home" edited to end off as the third chorus does on the studio version with the words "That's where" leading into Hammett's guitar solo of the second bridge.

The song opens in a typically American metal fashion: "And the road becomes my bride". It carries on in a display of American stoicism: "I have stripped [myself] of all but pride" continuing to express satisfaction and satiation despite the difficulties presented by his uncomfortable lifestyle choices. He rejects the uncomplimentary labels others place on rebels: "Rover, wanderer, nomad, vagabond, call me what you will". The song emphasizes the freedom offered by the narrator's lifestyle: "Free to speak my mind anywhere". The price of this freedom is giving up the comfort of a domestic abode.{{cite book |last=Irwin |first=William |title=The Meaning of Metallica: Ride the Lyrics |publisher=ECW Press |isbn=9781773059198 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sopSEAAAQBAJ}}

Demo

The song's demo was recorded in Lars Ulrich's home musical studio "Dungeon" on August 13, 1990.

Track listings

US single

  1. "Wherever I May Roam" – 6:42
  2. "Fade to Black" (live) – 7:43

International single

  1. "Wherever I May Roam" – 6:43
  2. "Fade to Black" (live) – 7:43
  3. "Wherever I May Roam" (demo) – 5:35

International digipak single

  1. "Wherever I May Roam" – 6:45
  2. "Last Caress" (live)/"Am I Evil?" (live)/"Battery" (live) – 11:59

Japanese EP

  1. "Wherever I May Roam" – 6:44
  2. "Fade to Black" (live) – 7:44
  3. "Last Caress" (live)/"Am I Evil?" (live)/"Battery" (live) – 11:59

Charts

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1992–1993)

!Peak
position

{{singlechart|Australia|14|artist=Metallica|song=Wherever I May Roam|rowheader=true}}
{{singlechart|Flanders|35|artist=Metallica|song=Wherever I May Roam|rowheader=true|access-date=April 9, 2020}}
scope="row"|Denmark (IFPI){{cite magazine|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1992/MM-1992-12-05.pdf|title=Top 10 Sales in Europe|magazine=Music & Media|volume=9|issue=49|page=18|date=December 5, 1992|access-date=April 9, 2020}}

|2

scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1992/MM-1992-12-19.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=9|issue=51/52|page=44|date=December 19, 1992|access-date=April 9, 2020}}

|19

scope="row"|Finland (Suomen virallinen lista){{cite book|first=Jake|last=Nyman|year=2005|title=Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja|edition=1st|publisher=Tammi|location=Helsinki|isbn=951-31-2503-3|language=fi}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1992/MM-1992-12-19.pdf|title=Top 10 Sales in Europe|magazine=Music & Media|volume=9|issue=51/52|page=43|date=December 19, 1992|access-date=April 19, 2020}}

|2

{{singlechart|France|28|artist=Metallica|song=Wherever I May Roam|rowheader=true|access-date=April 9, 2020}}
{{singlechart|Germany|30|artist=Metallica|song=Wherever I May Roam|songid=37684|rowheader=true|access-date=April 9, 2020}}
{{singlechart|Ireland2|15|song=Wherever I May Roam|rowheader=true|access-date=April 9, 2020}}
{{singlechart|Dutch40|22|year=1992|week=49|rowheader=true|access-date=April 9, 2020}}
{{singlechart|Dutch100|22|artist=Metallica|song=Wherever I May Roam|rowheader=true}}
{{singlechart|New Zealand|8|artist=Metallica|song=Wherever I May Roam|rowheader=true|access-date=April 9, 2020}}
{{singlechart|Norway|2|artist=Metallica|song=Wherever I May Roam|rowheader=true}}
{{singlechart|Sweden|28|artist=Metallica|song=Wherever I May Roam|rowheader=true}}
{{singlechart|UK|25|date=19921107|rowheader=true|access-date=April 9, 2020}}
{{singlechart|Billboardhot100|82|artist=Metallica|rowheader=true|access-date=April 9, 2020}}
{{singlechart|Billboardmainstreamrock|25|artist=Metallica|rowheader=true|access-date=April 9, 2020}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"| Chart (2021)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

scope="row"|Top Triller US (Billboard){{cite web |title=TOP TRILLER US |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/metallica/chart-history/rtt/ |website=Billboard |access-date=2 August 2023}}

| style="text-align:center;"|7

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=1992|certyear=2024|access-date=8 March 2024|refname="ARIA"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1992|certyear=2021|source=radioscope|access-date=30 December 2024|refname="RMNZ"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=1991|certyear=2025|artist=Metallica|access-date=May 28, 2025|refname="RIAA"}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|noshipments=true|nosales=true}}

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Metallica songs}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1991 songs

Category:1992 singles

Category:Metallica songs

Category:Songs written by James Hetfield

Category:Songs written by Lars Ulrich

Category:Music videos directed by Wayne Isham

Category:Elektra Records singles

Category:Song recordings produced by Bob Rock