All Within My Hands

Album: St. Anger (2003)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "All Within My Hands" is about bassist Jason Newsted's 2001 departure from Metallica. Newsted told the band he wanted them all to take a year off so they could all work on solo projects. He wanted time to develop a metal band named Echobrain. The other members voted against his proposal, so Newsted quit.

    Metallica frontman James Hetfield was the primary source of resistance to Newsted's proposal. He thought he was only looking out for the best interests of Metallica, but as time passed he came to see himself as overly controlling and authoritarian.

    "All Within My Hands" deals with Hetfield's feelings towards himself in forcing Newsted out.

    Newsted always maintained that he was happy with his decision and had no regrets. Hetfield has stated that Metallica did lose something essential when they lost Newsted and that he thinks some of their music would have been better with their old bassist onboard.
  • The song first appeared on St. Anger, Metallica's eighth studio album. It's the last track on the album and, at 8:48, the longest.

    Pushead (Brian Schroeder) did the album's cover. He'd worked with Metallica frequently and has also done art for Dr. Dre, the Misfits, Nike, and Thrasher. His work is found most prevalently in hardcore punk and heavy metal; he was the owner of the now-defunct Pusmort Records, which published work by hardcore bands in the '80s and '90s.
  • In February 2017, Metallica announced the beginning of their All Within My Hands charitable foundation. Through the foundation they distribute scholarships to "Metallica scholars," fund foodbanks, and do other good deeds like helping first responders and supporting organizations combatting wildfires.

    Renee Richardson, who was chosen to run the foundation and cohost Metallica's official podcast, The Metallica Report, told Songfacts: "I'm so glad they chose that song to name the foundation. I think it is a completely underrated song and I love it in all its forms."
  • Metallica has played this song just a handful of times in concert, memorably with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra in September 2019. This live version was released as a single from the album S&M2 on July 15, 2020. On September 5, 2020, it hit #1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Songs chart, making Metallica the only band ever to have a #1 on that chart in four different decades.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Pam Tillis

Pam TillisSongwriter Interviews

The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.

Rock Stars of Horror

Rock Stars of HorrorMusic Quiz

Rock Stars - especially those in the metal realm - are often enlisted for horror movies. See if you know can match the rocker to the role.

Frankie Valli

Frankie ValliSong Writing

An interview with Frankie Valli, who talks about why his songs - both solo and with The Four Seasons - have endured, and reflects on his time as Rusty Millio on The Sopranos.

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney Princesses

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney PrincessesSong Writing

From "Some Day My Prince Will Come" to "Let It Go" - how Disney princess songs (and the women who sing them) have evolved.

Kip Winger

Kip WingerSongwriter Interviews

The Winger frontman reveals the Led Zeppelin song he cribbed for "Seventeen," and explains how his passion for orchestra music informs his songwriting.

Stephen Christian of Anberlin

Stephen Christian of AnberlinSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer/lyricist for Anberlin breaks down "Impossible" and covers some tracks from their 2012 album Vital.