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When a blind man is unforgiven
A stripped down acoustic cover of When a Blind Man Cries is included on a new live release from Metallica. It is an EP with recording of their performance at the MusiCares MAP Fund Benefit Concert at Club Nokia in Los Angeles on May 12, 2014. It also includes Rare Earth’s I Just Want to Celebrate, Beatles’ In My Life, and Ozzy Osbounes’s Diary of a Madman.
Covers of When a Blind Man Cries became a staple of Metallica charity performances in the past decade, appearing in the annual Bridge School Benefit in 2016, and All Within My Hands benefit show in 2018. A studio version was also released on Re-Machined: A Tribute to Deep Purple’s Machine Head in 2012, and the deluxe version of Metallica’s 2016 album Hardwired … to Self-Destruct.
Thanks to Ultimate Classic Rock and Gary Poronovich for the info.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Metallica is my favorite band who was not recording music in 1970. It’s been well documented how much they love and were influenced by Deep Purple. So no surprise that they decided to do a DP cover, but it’s fascinating that requested to do an unreleased outtake for the Re-Machinehead tribute and an acoustic version for charity concerts. I have to say that I really liked this whole set.
July 2nd, 2022 at 03:12Just goes to prove what a great singer Ian is! I couldn’t make it through the first verse.
July 2nd, 2022 at 08:17I’m neither a Metallica hater nor lover, I respect them for being the only metal band to leave the headbanger niche – people who are generally metal- or even hard rock-averse/non-committal go to Metallica gigs because they are social events. The band has also had some longevity, weathering highs and lows.
The cover versions they have done of Purple and Rainbow songs so far show that they have a deep appreciation of Purple realm music – within the inherent limits of Hetfield’s voice (which will always remind me of Eric Bloom’s in BÖC, albeit with a lot more bum notes!). Yes, he has become better as a singer; no, he will never be a good one.
But this unplugged version of WABMC leaves me underwhelmed, it really is only busker quality. Their electrified version of the song was much better and captured more of its essence, it was my favorite track on the Re-Machined album.
Still, it could have been much worse. At least they didn’t do the umpteenth Led Zep cover! C+ for trying.
July 2nd, 2022 at 08:41I know Metallica has an army of fans but I am not one of one them but I can sense that their fans won’t be too excited about this as it’s awful (I am sorry but truth hurts)
July 2nd, 2022 at 09:13No one has ever come near enough to the original version as it’s just so perfect but no one should give up on trying perfection.
Sorry if I hurt someone with my comments but it’s an opinion and it’s a free world.
Peace ✌️
We shouldn’t be too tough on a band where the drummer/great Dane
was once a gushing teenager marveling with his dad at an Mk III gig! : – ) He’s come a long way since then.
I’m currently listening to this here …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD6KlWZtMSk
which I always thought was a bit of a late sibling to WABMC. Makes me wonder if new pressings of Abandon still only have the mono version on it (but of course I also have the CD single with the stereo mix). Jon’s roaring Hammond engulfing the chorus is lovely – and it’s actually better heard on the mono mix, the stereo mix puts more focus on Steve’s guitar work.
A song I’d wish they’d reintroduce into the set (even while retaining WABMC), the Irish boy would do just fine here.
July 2nd, 2022 at 16:35Flash thought: It’s kinda like Oasis covering Slade, commendable to have been dug out, but none of the swagger of the original.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytYsGeraozA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIanhf8UkDc
Or the melancholy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWdwH6_Uzpc
July 2nd, 2022 at 16:54Hi! Metallica’s version of “When a blind Man cries” on the “re-machined”-album was ruined by Mr. Ulrich’s drums: too much fills. It’s a ballad, Lars…!!!
July 4th, 2022 at 11:03Have a nice Day!
The best track (for me) on the “re-machined”-album is “Lazy”. Arlan Schierbaum on keyboards nails it and Joe Bonamassa & Jimmy Barnes solid as ever. As for the rhythm section with drums & bass.
Have a nice Day!
July 4th, 2022 at 11:13Metallica have done some good covers – from what i read its about giving the fans and idea of what influenced them and I guess made them what they are today.
I dont think Metallica have anything to prove, its a bit of entertainment from one of the post successful bands of all time
July 4th, 2022 at 12:00Lars is not a dummer, he’s a percussive stylist. It’s part of the Metallica concept. Telling him to drum differently is like telling Jon or Don to turn their keyboards in DP down and play less solos.
July 4th, 2022 at 13:06All good – nice tribute to Deep Purple!
July 5th, 2022 at 01:11No band is as good as they are- let’s enjoy the respect given!!
Dreadful. Awful. Painful. Amateurish. Avoid.
July 5th, 2022 at 11:33Ouch, Freudian slip, I meant “dRummer”, not “dummer”!!!
July 5th, 2022 at 13:00#4, I respect the opinions of DP fans who don’t like Metallica, but since you aren’t a Metallica fan, you shouldn’t try to speak for them. Metallica and their fans have donated millions of dollars from these benefit performances for causes ranging from kids with cancer, to California wildfire relief, comminity colleges, and Ukrainian refugees. When I go to a Metallica concert I proudly a DP shirt because Metallica is their awesome grandchild. My only gripe with their version of WABMC is that, like Ritchie, I think the song was the only dud from DP MKII. But I am proud that they picked that song to raise money for kids with cancer.
July 5th, 2022 at 23:45Never understood what Ritchie had against that song, it has great harmonies and Gillan’s vocal melody is extremely tasteful – as is Ritchie’s solo. It’s a slow-burning classic. It was also a highlight at the Bonn Kunstrasen gig I just saw – went down really well with the crowd.
July 6th, 2022 at 01:24