Metallica: The Memory Remains Meaning

Song Released: 1997

The Memory Remains Lyrics

Fortune, fame
Mirror vain
Gone insane
But the memory remains

Heavy rings on fingers wave
Another star denies the grave
See the nowhere crowd
Cry the nowhere cheers of honor

Like twisted vines that grow
Hide and swallow mansions...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   nick_gs

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   Aug 13th 2005 !⃝

   It's saying that however famous you get and however rich you are, it wont last forever and one day, there will be nothing left. Where it says the memory remains, it's saying that if anything of you of what you are and represent survives the sands of time, it will be just a memory.
2. anonymous

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   Sep 4th 2017 !⃝

   I believe this to be about cliff in a way, but also the band as a whole.
   When cliff burton was alive he had fame, he had fortune and was very loved, but when he died, obviously he lost the fame, but his memory still remains up to this day. His death made the band go insane abit, as they didn't treat Jason very well and they at some point hated eachother and suffered with drug and alcohol abuse.
   When the band brought out load and reload, people moaned and moaned, and James says "can't the band play on, just listen they play my song" they are simply asking for the hastle to stop, and just be allowed to play their songs.
   "Another star denies the grave", I don't know if this was their thoughts, but they probably didn't accept cliffs death , so they deny the grave.
   I could go on forever, but I'm not going to, I love this song, it is even more awesome live
3. anonymous

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   May 20th 2012 !⃝

   It means if you are someone with that not all everbody has someting will remain and that's the memory.
   
   Clear interpretation:
   
   It's saying that however famous you get and however rich you are, it wont last forever and one day, there will be nothing left. Where it says the memory remains, it's saying that if anything of you of what you are and represent survives the sands of time, it will be just a memory.
   
   This is the Memory Remains
4. anonymous

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   May 15th 2012 !⃝

   this song is a tribut to their awesome bassist Cliff Lee Burton that died at the age of 24.
   R.I.P. Cliff
5. masterofallgoons

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   Jan 6th 2010 !⃝

   This song is clearly based on of the greatest films of all time, Sunset Blvd. Every line in the song can relate in some way to the film, which is about a young screen writer and a washed up old actress who has essentially become completely insane. She lives in a delusional state, still convinced she is a big movie star, in a massive mansion; completely oblivious to the fact that her mansion is covered in ivy, she is in her 60s, she hasn't worked in years, and nobody attends when she throws parties.
   
   "I'm ready for my close up Mr. DeMille."
6. anonymous

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   Jun 2nd 2009 !⃝

   This song is a remix to for whom the bell tolls it says so in guitar hero metallica metallifacts

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
7. AFIfanNo1

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   Jan 27th 2009 !⃝

   Marianne Faithful was the lady in the video, is it her it's about?
8. anonymous

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   Jul 15th 2006 !⃝

   This guy has got it. An old hollywood star gone bad. I forget her name, but I know it is about one lady in particular. The weird voice at the end of the song is supposed to represent her in her old age and slight craziness. There is a book that Metallica put out a while back that gives the meanings to all of their songs through reload (I think, it might just be through load, though)
9. anonymous

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   Jun 12th 2006 !⃝

   It is about an old hollywood star!!!

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
10. skinbabe

    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
    • 5

    click a star to vote

    May 30th 2006 !⃝

    I'm not sure but I always thought that the song was about a famous person who is in denial that he/she isn't famous anymore or thinks they are famous but they're actually not, hence "faded pre madonna"... umm yer that's what I think... If you think differently, let me know.. Thanks...
    don't forget METALLICA ROX

Latest Articles

• 
  A new era for Millennial favorite, Linkin Park
• 
  Anime to watch for the soundtracks… and other reasons you’re undateable
• 
  Dolly, we need you
• 
  The Stranger Things Effect: How new media is drawing Gen Z and Alpha's attention to aging media
• 
  The most underrated soundtrack of the early 2000s
• 
  Buy the Soundtrack, Skip the Movie: Brainscan (1994)