1988 - September: Metallica “...And Justice For All”

What the Riff?!?

Metallica got its start back in 1981, but their 1988 album ...And Justice for All would be the one to bring them mainstream success. Today Metallica has an international celebrity status as a founding band of thrash metal, but at the time they were much less well known and considered inaccessible to mainstream listeners. The band also saw a lineup change for this album, as their previous bassist Cliff Burton had been killed in a bus accident while on tour in Sweden. Newcomer Jason Newsted would be the bassist to join Lars Ulrich on drums, Kirk Hammett on lead guitar, and front man and guitarist James Hettfield.

...And Justice for All was quite complex for a metal album, and a comparison to prog rock would not be out of line. The lyrics are also deeper than the typical metal faire, focusing on the theme of injustice through corruption, censorship, and of course, war. Musicianship had to be tight, as much of the work was fast, meriting the title "thrash metal." While overall critical reception was quite good, the bass for the entire album seemed downplayed. This is unfortunate, as the Newsted's bass work is very good. However, the drums are quite powerful.

The album was an unqualified commercial success, hitting number 2 on the Billboard 200, and charting for 83 weeks. Metallica received a Grammy nomination for the album in 1989, controversially losing out to Jethro Tull. Some of this commercial success is undoubtedly from a feel of competition the band experienced with the success of Guns 'N' Roses' "Appetite for Descruction." Lars Ulrich did not want Guns 'N' Roses to be perceived as "harder" than Metallica.

Metallica would go on to be one of the best recognized performers for decades to come, and are still touring to sold-out audiences today.

Friend of the show John Lynch joins us to bring this album.

...And Justice for All
This title track takes its title from the last four words from The Pledge of Allegiance. The song chronicles justice miscarried, with lyrics like "justice is lost, justice is raped, justice is gone. Pulling your streams, justice is done." Much of the album is political, but the lyrics center around freedom of speech, freedom from war, and, well, justice for all.

Blackened
A distinctive intro builds into this highly complex lead track from the album. It is a protest against environmental catastrophe and/or war. Musically it is straight out of prog rock, with multiple time changes and tempo alterations.

One
This well known song and video tells the tragedy of a man horribly wounded in war who is left with no connection to the outside world as he exists in pain and is kept alive by machines in a hospital ward. The video uses cuts from a 1971 film entitled "Johnny Got His Gun." The band bought the rights to the film rather than continually paying royalty fees.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Ornithology by Charlie Parker (from the motion picture Bird)
This biographical film was about Charlie "The Bird" Parker, directed by Clint Eastwood.

STAFF PICKS:

Smooth Up in Ya' by Bullet Boys
Wayne kicks off the staff picks with a hair metal glam metal band musically looking for a no-attachments one night stand. This song would not make the top 40, but would be seen on MTV's "Head Banger's Ball."

Love Bites by Def Leppard
Rob's staff pick is off the hugely successful album "Hysteria." This was Def Leppard's only number 1 single in America up until this time. Their producer, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, write this tune intending it as a country song. However, Def Leppard decided to record it as a rock song. Lange sings backing vocals on this track as well.

Time and Tide by Basia
Bruce's staff pick is a slower adult contemporary piece from Polish singer Barbara Stanislawa Trzetrzelewska, better known as Basia. The song is about her unfulfilled love for her songwriting collaborator Danny White during a time when they both were in relationships with others.

Simply Irresistible by Robert Palmer
John closes out the staff picks with a song heavily played in 1988. The video was well known - though simple - for its use of guitar-playing and dancing girls with short skirts and tightly pulled back hair. It was...well...simply irresistible! "She's so fine, there's not telling where the money went."

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Good Lovin' by Bobby McFerrin
Actually an anti-instrumental cover of The Rascals piece finishes off the episode, as McFerrin performs all vocals an instruments either with voice or slaps on his body.

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