Cliff Burton is one of the biggest names in the music world. He was the bassist of the famous American heavy metal band Metallica. And although most people just give importance to vocalists, guitarists, or drummers and often ignore the bassist, the truth is that Cliff Burton was someone very precious to the band because it was Burton responsible for the band’s early success.
Band members often talk about Burton and how he helped grow the band to prominence. Although the popular bassist was gone too soon, however, still he left a huge impact in the music world and on his band Metallica. Many fans want to know about Burton’s favorite song from Metallica so we are here to share the information.
Today in this handy article or blog we will talk about Cliff Burton’s favorite Metallica song. Luckily before Burton’s death, he gave an interview where he discussed his favorites from the band. Moreover, Burton’s father has also given talked about his favorite Metallica song.
Cliff Burton’s favorite Metallica song
Although Cliff Burton only got to play on three studio albums he was really legendary that changed the music industry and Metallica forever. As much as he played bass for the band he was also the person behind the lyrics. He helped the band to write masterpieces like Master of Puppets, Creeping Death, Fade to Black, and more.
Before his untimely death in 1986 Burton talked to the Thrash Metal magazine about the band’s new studio album Master of Puppets. Burton said, “I think, is the best Metallica song yet. The lyrics are getting a lot better. Everything is kind of growing a bit. It’s progressing.” Furthermore, Master of Puppets was also the last album Burton played on.
Back in 2019 Burton’s father Ray Burton was asked if he has any favorite song from Metallica and he said, “Yeah, ‘Orion’ was my favorite. When they go into the waltz tempo 3/4 time, just there’s something about it that I like and, you know, like, Cliff one time…” Furthermore, he also said that Cliff recorded part of Orion in their house.
“He had a little instrument and he would record one part of it and then turn around and record another to go along with that,” Ray explained.
This album was awarded six-time platinum certification by RIAA back in 2003 after six million copies were sold in the United States. After that Music Canada also awarded the album a six-time platinum certification. Additionally, it was the first metal song to be preserved in the National Recording Registry as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
As mentioned band members still talk about how great Cliff Burton was, back in 2016, Laris Ulrich, the drummer of the band talked to The Guardians about the last or final album Cliff worked on. He said, “I remember how brilliant he was at arranging harmonies and the melodic side of everything. He had to hang around a lot while we sorted out the drums and rhythm guitars. He was really, really bored. But when he came to record his parts he was out of this world.”
Moreover, Ulrich later said that when they were mixing the record they used to hang out with Rod Smallwood, Iron Maiden’s manager, and when Ulrich heard the “Welcome Home (Sanitarium)” song in the background, Smallwood said it was really cool. Ulrich said, “Rod said: That was really cool. Can I hear it again?’ It was as if God had spoken. I thought: ‘You know what? I think this is going to work out.”
Cliff Burton’s death
As mentioned Cliff Burton was a musical genius and in 2011 he was even polled as the greatest bassist of all time. Back in 1986, Metallica was in Sweden on their Damage Inc. tour. According to the band’s lead guitarist the band Burton and he drew cards to get to choose where they were sleeping and as Burton won he decided to sleep in the bunk.
And on September 17, the bus skidded and flipped, and since there were no safety restraints on the bunks Burton was hurled out the window and later bus fell on him. As the bus fell on him he died on the spot instantly. He was only 24 years old at the time of his death. As per the bus driver, there was black ice and the accident happened because the bus hit the ice.
However, according to James Hetfield, frontman and vocalist of the band, he went to look for the black ice but did not find one. Furthermore, he also said that he believe the accident happened because the driver was drunk. Later a local photographer Lennart Wennberg who was at the crash spot was also asked about the chances of the accident due to black ice to which he said “out of the question.”
He said that the road was really dry and the temperature was not freezing. Later the police also found no traces of the ice. However, later the driver was found not guilty and he was set free without any charges. Burton’s ashes were scattered at Maxwell Ranch. After his death, Jason Curtis Newsted took Burton’s place.
After his untimely death, Metallica wrote a tribute song in Burton’s name called “To Live Is to Die.” Later in 2009 he along with Metallica’s other band members was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and since Cliff could not receive it, his father Ray Burton went there on his behalf and joined Metallica in the ceremony. On January 15, 2020, Ray Burton died and went to join his son.
Everything must come to an end and although the music legend was gone too soon he will forever be remembered. His legacy still lives along with the music he created and his music will last forever which means he will also be remembered for infinity. Furthermore, as long as the band lives they will always be remembering him and there is no doubt that they will also continue keeping Burton’s legacy alive. Certainly, Burton was an absolute legend.
