The Memory Remains

Track 2 on Reload

Featuring

Producers

This song was ReLoad’s first single, released on November 11, 1997. It was very successful, hitting #28 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song features singer Marianne… Read More

Nov. 18, 19971 viewer75.7K views

The Memory Remains Lyrics

[Intro: James Hetfield]
Fortune, fame
Mirror vain
Gone insane
But the memory remains

[Verse 1: James Hetfield]
Heavy rings on fingers wave
Another star denies the grave
See the nowhere crowd, cry the nowhere cheers of honor

[Verse 2: James Hetfield]
Like twisted vines that grow
Hide and swallow mansions whole
Dim the light of an already faded primadonna

[Refrain: James Hetfield]
Fortune, fame
Mirror vain
Gone insane
Fortune, fame
Mirror vain
Gone insane
But the memory remains

[Verse 3: James Hetfield]
Heavy rings hold cigarettes
Up to lips that time forgets
While the Hollywood sun sets behind your back

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[Verse 4: James Hetfield]
And can't the band play on?
Just listen, they play my song
Ash to ash
Dust to dust
Fade to black

[Refrain: James Hetfield]
Fortune, fame
Mirror vain
Gone insane
Fortune, fame
Mirror vain
Gone insane
Dance little tin goddess

[Chorus: Marianne Faithfull]
Da da da, da da da, da da da da
Da da da da, da da da, da da da-ah da-ah da
Da da da da, da da da, da da da da
Da da da da, da da da, da da da-ah da-ah da

[Bridge: James Hetfield]
Drift away
Fade away
Little tin goddess
Ash to ash
Dust to dust
Fade to black

[Refrain: James Hetfield]
Fortune, fame
Mirror vain
Gone insane
Fortune, fame
Mirror vain
Gone insane
But the memory remains

[Bridge: James Hetfield]
Ash to ash (Ash to ash)
Dust to dust (Dust to dust)
Fade to black (Fade to black)
The memory remains

[Post-Chorus: James Hetfield]
Yeah
To this faded primadonna, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

[Guitar Solo]

[Pre-Chorus: James Hetfield]
Dance little tin goddess dance

[Chorus: Marianne Faithfull]
Da da da da, da da da, da da da da
Da da da da, da da, da da da-ah da-ah da
Da da da da, da da, da da da da
Da da da da, da da, da da da-ah da-ah da

[Outro: Marianne Faithfull]
Da da da da, da da da, da da da da
Da da da da, da da, da da-ah da-ah da
Da da da da, da da da, da da da da (Say yes)
Da da da da, da da da (Or at least say hello), da da da-ah da-ah da (Say yes)
Da da da da, da da da, da da da da (Or at least say hello)
Da da da da, da da da

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About

This song was ReLoad’s first single, released on November 11, 1997. It was very successful, hitting #28 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song features singer Marianne Faithfull doing some additional vocals.

The lyrics, admittedly inspired by Sunset Blvd., are about a former star who goes insane once her “15 minutes of fame” expire and she spends her entire life trying to reclaim that glory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDN4awrpPQQ&ab_channel=MetallicaTV