For Whom The Bell Tolls

Album: Destiny (1988)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The Cold War saw the construction of the Berlin Wall dividing a city and a nation; the Second World War had ended with the division of Germany into four Occupied Zones but the Wall was more that just a physical barrier, it was a psychological watershed between the Capitalist West and the Workers' Paradise. Perhaps 200 people were killed trying to cross the Wall, all from East to West.

    It was finally brought down by the German public in 1989. This song, which runs to 3 minutes 55 seconds, calls for the dismantling of the Wall and the reunification of Germany. A call which turned out to be eerily prophetic.
  • Inspiration for the title came from the 1943 film For Whom the Bell Tolls, starring Gary Cooper and
    Ingrid Bergman, and based on the 1940 Ernest Hemingway novel. The song is about the saying, which means that one person's death affects all of us in some way.

Comments: 3

  • Willie from Scottsdale, AzJason, you need to do some research, too. The line is from John Donne's "Meditation 17," written in the early 1600s. It is not a copyrighted phrase. Ernest Hemingway wrote a book of the same title about the Spanish Civil War.
  • Jason from Denver, CoHey Joel in Austin, Texas,
    You really need to do more research on this!
    There was a movie in the 1940's called "For whom the bell tolls". It starred Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman. Besides the Metallica song and the Saxon song are not the same song look up the lyrics for either band.
  • Joel from Austin, TxInteresting. Metallica has a song also called For Whom the Bell Tolls. I guess copyright issues were not at play for this one.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Prince

PrinceFact or Fiction

Prince is shrouded in mystery, making him an excellent candidate for Fact or Fiction. Is he really a Scientologist? Does he own an exotic animal?

Alan Merrill of The Arrows

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.

Van Dyke Parks

Van Dyke ParksSongwriter Interviews

U2, Carly Simon, Joanna Newsom, Brian Wilson and Fiona Apple have all gone to Van Dyke Parks to make their songs exceptional.

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside Story

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside StorySong Writing

The in-depth discussion about the making of Jesus Christ Superstar with Ted Neeley, who played Jesus in the 1973 film.

Amy Grant

Amy GrantSongwriter Interviews

The top Contemporary Christian artist of all time on song inspirations and what she learned from Johnny Carson.

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New York

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New YorkSong Writing

Can you be married in one country but not another? Only if you're part of a gay couple. One of the first famous singers to come out as a lesbian, Janis wrote a song about it.