The Outlaw Torn

Track 14 on Load

Producers

James said that this song is about “losing someone to death and longing to find a replacement that never comes”. It could be written about the band’s late bassist, Cliff… Read More

Jun. 4, 19961 viewer57.2K views

The Outlaw Torn Lyrics

[Instrumental Intro 00:00-01:20]

[Verse 1]
And now I wait my whole lifetime for you
And now I wait my whole lifetime for you
I ride the dirt, I ride the tide for you
I search the outside, search inside for you
To take back what you left me
I know I'll always burn to be
The one who seeks so I may find
And now I wait my whole lifetime

[Pre-Chorus]
I'm outlaw torn
I'm outlaw torn
And I'm torn

[Verse 2]
So on I wait my whole lifetime for you
So on I wait my whole lifetime for you
The more I search, the more my need for you
The more I bless, the more I bleed for you
You make me smash the clock and feel
I'd rather die behind the wheel
Time was never on my side
So on I wait my whole lifetime

See Metallica Live

Get tickets as low as $51

[Pre-Chorus]
I'm outlaw torn
I'm outlaw torn
I'm outlaw torn
And I'm torn

[Chorus]
(Hear me) And if I close my mind in fear
Please, pry it open
(See me) And if my face becomes sincere
Beware
(Hold me) And when I start to come undone
Stitch me together
(Save me) And when you see me strut
Remind me of what left this outlaw torn

[Instrumental Break 05:11-07:00]
[Guitar Solo: Kirk Hammett]

[Chorus]
(Hear me) And if I close my mind in fear
Please, pry it open
(See me) And if my face becomes sincere
Beware
(Hold me) And when I start to come undone
Stitch me together
(Save me) And when you see me strut
Remind me of what left this outlaw torn

[Instrumental Outro]
[Guitar Solo: James Hetfield]

Embed

About

James said that this song is about “losing someone to death and longing to find a replacement that never comes”. It could be written about the band’s late bassist, Cliff Burton, who died in a tour bus accident back in the 80s.

At 9:48, it is the longest song in the album and one of the longest songs Metallica has ever made.

Two versions of the song exist. One is the regular album cut that made it in the album, the other is the “Unencumbered by Manufacturing Restrictions version,” which is the full version without the fade out that couldn’t fit in the album due to CD restrictions. This version was released as a single.:

When we were doing the final sequencing of the ‘LOAD’ album, the record company told us that we couldn’t go a second past 78:59, or your CD’s wouldn’t play without potentially skipping. With our 14 songs, we were running about 30 seconds over, and something had to give, so the cool-ass jam at the end of ‘Outlaw’ got chopped.