Harvester of Sorrow
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| "Harvester of Sorrow" | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image:Metallica-Harvester-Of-Sorr-140462.jpg | |||||
| Single by Metallica from the album ...And Justice For All | |||||
| B-side | Breadfan The Prince | ||||
| Released | 1988 | ||||
| Format | CD single | ||||
| Recorded | January - May 1988 at "One On One" Studios in Los Angeles, California | ||||
| Genre | Thrash metal | ||||
| Length | 5:45 | ||||
| Label | Vertigo Records | ||||
| Writer | James Hetfield Lars Ulrich | ||||
| Producer | Metallica Flemming Rasmussen | ||||
| Metallica singles chronology | |||||
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"Harvester of Sorrow" is the sixth song from the Metallica album ...And Justice for All. Consistent with the whole album, the lyrics are harsh and serious. Various theories regarding the meaning of the lyrics have circulated among Metallica fans. Themes posted on message boards have included abortion, slavery and the idea of a "Harvester" as a symbolic figure pushing mankind to commit terrible deeds.
Another theory about this song is that Hetfield wrote this about his feelings for his father and how he felt his father's alcoholism tore his family apart.[citation needed]
It is also possible that this song was written in reference to the Ukrainian Famine/Genocide which is often referred to as the "Harvest of Sorrow" by academics (and was the title of Robert Conquest's classic book on the subject). Soviets took Ukrainian crops which caused them to starve. Lyrics that may refer to this include "I give / You take" and "Pure black looking clear / My work is done soon here / Try getting back to me / Get back which used to be". ('Black' may be a reference to the 'Black Earth' -- in Russian: 'Chernozyem' -- area that was and is the region's bread basket.)[citation needed]
They debuted this song live prior to the release of ...And Justice for All while on the summer Monsters of Rock Tour in 1988 with Van Halen, The Scorpions, Dokken and Kingdom Come.
The song is a fan favorite and a staple of the Metallica live set. Coming out of the dual melody solo between Hammett and Hetfield, there is a considerable pause which, during live shows, Hetfield takes time to audibly cough and spit before going into the line "All have said their prayers." During live performances there is an extended silence before the band returns to the song.
Marvel comics paid tribute to the song when they used the name for a fictional superweapon in the comic book event annihilation
"Harvester of Sorrow" plays over the PA at U.S. Cellular Field when Chicago White Sox slugger Paul Konerko comes to bat.
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