Metallica TO LIVE IS TO DIE: Cliff Burton's Last Song... That Is NOT 

Doesn't matter as long as its good and it has heart.

Maybe Cliff is on the songwriting credits cuz' he's the reason To Live Is To Die exists.

even if he didn’t it’s still a memorial 😔 R.I.P Clifford Lee Burton

Alternative title for the video: "who tf composed that masterpiece?"

LARS: "We always miss Cliff, but he is kind of on the record. The song 'To Live is To Die' is really based on a number of riffs Cliff wrote a couple of years ago. It's kind of cool to have something written by Cliff on the new album ... A lot of people might give us flak about this one just like they gave us flak for using Dave Mustaine's stuff, but the truth of the matter is, these riffs were just so huge and Metallica-sounding that we had to use them. We're certainly not trying to dwell on Cliff's death or anything like that - we're simply using the best ideas we had available, and this was one of them." From the book To Live is To Die by Joel McIver, pages 226-227 also, i had seen this quote in parts in magazines back in the day. About that riff on the 1982 demo....i don't know if there's any way to date that to any year in particular. Anyway, enjoyed this video like your others - Sick channel! James (aka creepingthrash)

Bass lesson and tabs done ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-I0-G9GmetjY.html Again, send me the proofs please. Give me a couple of days for subtitles. R.I.P. Cliff and your parents \m/ All the money from Total Cliff merch goes to OldBridgeMIlitia charity that supports the memory of the Burtons teespring.com/totalcliff_obm #totalcliff

10:37 ... his bass moves just as he says rest in peace Cliff

I honestly think To Live Is To Die was very much James's musical tribute or love letter to cliff. Many many times, James has credited Cliff for inspiring and introducing him to the complex musical ideas found in Orion etc. Now for this next part, I have little evidence other than an approximation on how James works. I believe James started with the Poem and the Arpeggiated interlude, and brought them to the studio, with the understanding between him and Lars that this would be Cliff's tribute. Lars likely does what he as always done, which is play the puppet master (ha ha), and arrange the song, suggesting ideas and moods at certain sections for James to craft. Jason was likely kept as far away as possible, especially for this song. Kirk I feel most likely just did what he typically does, gets a section, writes a solo. To Live is To Die doesn't appear to be a Cliff Burton creation as so many have said it is, but I would argue it is something more. It is testament from James, Lars and Kirk to the impact Cliff had on the band, musically. In the studio, Jason was either denied or just took initiative by not playing anything special. However, his live performances I think are his way of putting his slice of a tribute to cliff in this song. Awesome, thought provoking video! \m/

Big fan of the channel, however, this is my favourite song of Metallica's songs. I paid to do the meet and greet in Glasgow with Metallica and met James and asked him about the writing of this song seeing as it's my favourite and James said he and Cliff wrote it together.

I've always thought that crediting Cliff there was just as a way to send him off, or to acknowledge that what you hear in this song , the soft intro, guitar harmonies etc., they learned that from Cliff, and they're carrying on with the musical knowledge Cliff imparted on them. So that's what I thought about To Live Is To Die. EDIT: Crap, just noticed the typo at the end.

10:37 his bass moves :0

anyway, thats a deep and beautiful instrumental on a masterpiece album

I heard James say in an interview from the justice album that To Live is to Die based on a Cliff Burton riff that they were going to use for master. James said the song is based on the "hella heavy" riff that they jammed on with Cliff. But all of the riffs are from James' riff tapes. Also I do think that the interlude was written after, you can feel the pain when you listen to it. Still one of my favorite songs.

It was funny that in the interview about and justice for all anniversary they talk about every song but this one not even a question of the interviewer

The title of the song "To live is to die" and the poem present in the song came from him. The swingy bridge came really from Lars or James in 1982 as a leftover from Kill em All (before Cliff joined the band). And we need to have at least ONE riff written after his death as a homage to him. Lars: "...the song 'To Live is to Die' is based on a number of riffs he wrote a couple years ago..." from the book 'To Live is to Die' by Joel Mclover, pages 226-227. So there are either leftover riffs from Cliff in the song. We have a few options: The Main riff and it's variations, the galoping built up riff, the interlude, the intro and outro. Main riff: In the Revolver Magazine article about '10 things from And Justice for All album that you didn't know' there is a quote from James Heatfield saying: "That is when we were writing Master of Puppets- that was one of his extra riffs that we didn't have room for. It is heavy as fuck man, and then the built up. That is his too." Unfortunaly i cannot find the original source of the interview, i someone find it i would be greatfull. Anyways, if the main riff and the "built up" are his, we are left with the intro and the interlude. Intro: The intro appears in James riff tapes from 1986. There is two guitar players in acoustic, one of them with a very low tuned guitar in C#. Kirk revealed that Cliff would carry a down tuned acoustic guitar with him to write melodies and harmonies, so he is probably playing in the tape with James. Also, just because the riff is in James tapes, doesn't mean that he wrote it. Orion interlude and Blackned main riff are in his tapes, but they are not his riffs. So there is 50% chance it is Cliff's riff, and 50% chance it is James's riff. And there is also the possibility that they wrote it togueter. Like Lars and Cliff with the 'Ride the Lightining' intro. Interlude: Considering the similarities with 'One', the riff being in James riff tapes from 1988, and the necessity of at least one part of the song written as a homage. That is the only part i think could fill that role. So is probably James and Lars. But there could be something from him, like the bass volume swells, or the basic melody.

We all know it was written by Dave Mustaine.

Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett on the first part of the "To Live Is To Die" solo (Guitar Player, April 1989): "That's a very straight blues box. It was the very last solo I did on the album. It was recorded at 5:00 in the morning, just a few hours before we had to leave for the Monsters Of Rock tour. I just played off the top of my head. On the other solos I carefully figured out the most appropriate scales for the chord changes."

I think Cliff Burton wrote that : "All i cannot bear to witness any longer. Cannot the Kingdom of Salvation take me home?".

I personally think, this whole song is a hommage to every riff or harmony Cliff has given to the band. There are so many similarities to other harmonies and riffs as you stated (with evidence)... Sometimes, to me its an "anthology" (I hope I use the right word).. or an "compilation" of cliffs greatest Ideas but in a way to deal with his death. It's at the same time a hommage as well as a new Song to say "thank you" in a creative and thankful way.

Andriy, I think it's very safe to say that the middle chord progression is based on Cliff's tapes. - What the next instrument to come in ? Cello-like volume swells. - What is Cliff known for? Volume swells high up on the bass. - What's the time signature of the section? 3/4. Favorite of Cliff's. - What did Robert play live when the song was performed for the first time? Those volume swells.

I hope those tapes do come out someday. 27 recorded songs is simply not enough.

100% Correct. I’m in my mid 40’s so sadly am old enough to remember first hand these albums coming out. I also have been playing guitar since about 1987 so regularly have bought guitar magazines through Metallica’s biggest heyday. NOWHERE did I ever read or hear ANYTHING about Burton having written any music for AJFA particularly TLITD. I personally believe this is just a type of musical “Mandela Effect”. People saw his name written in the album sleeve with a writing credit for TLITD and over the years the story had just spread wider & wider that he had anything to do with the song’s composting other than the spoken verse.

Let's start finish my lyrics I'll start: When a man lies, he murders some part or the world

I swear I heard a clip from a Hetfield interview played on Metal Up Your Podcast that talked about the main riff being by Cliff. My memory might be playing a trick though...

That pic of Kirk at 4:22 is great. I believe that's an old ass KH-2 prototype. I remember reading something about this way back in the 90s. I have #032 from 1993, the first production year, and my inlays are rotated 90°CCW from the picture. It's a PHENOMENAL instrument, and it's got a super dark rosewood, which almost looks like ebony. Nothing ruins the look of a black guitar more than a light rosewood fretboard. It should have been ebony to start with though in my opinion.

I've long theorized they put Cliff's name on the song because they knew the album would be a commercial monster and wanted to ensure his parents (who they were very close with) would get some financial security by inheriting his royalties.

Rumor has it that Cliff wrote the slower classical part sometimes at rehearsals but the song never came to be at the time. Until later after his death when they probably dug up old demos or remembered those parts.

Andriy, I am constantly surprised how deep your Metallica knowledge goes! You’ve probably forgotten more about Metallica than I will ever know! The best videos!! 🤘

9:17 “Metallicyeeaah”

You can hear the intro on james’s riff tapes from 1986.

I always know that this song may not be a creation of Cliff, I only know that a part of the lyrics are from Cliff's notes. People say this is Cliff's last song because his words are there, maybe that is the confusion.

I heard somwhere that to live is to die's main riff is going to be a title track with name of damaged justice or something. Then idea changed after Burton died. But I cant find anything about it right now.

The 1st part of the spoken lyrics is actually from the 1981 film "Excalibur" and is spoken by the Merlin character. "When a man lies, he murders some part of the world."

To Live is To Die, just like a couple of other songs on AJFA, has earlier roots. It was mentioned in the video that the slow chuggy riff was from the 1982 McGovney rehersal tapes, which would make it one of the earliest Metallica ideas. The acoustic intro also dates from 1986. There is on the AJFA work in progress tapes, a couple of ones that have the date as 1986 including Dyer's Eve and the acoustic intro to, To Live is To Die. Hearing the mood of the intro and song in general, it could be assumed that James wrote it after the accident, however, it might have been earlier and Cliff possibly could've heard it. This would be open to interpretation, since we don't have the month of the recording, just the year, 1986.

For me, To Live is to Die is James' musical masterpiece. This is his pain laid bare, his mourning, his anger and his stoic drive to press on turned into music. It is his love for his writing partner, his musical inspiration and friend expressed in chords and notes. The simple arpeggio that is used as a refrain in the second part of the song is pure beauty and sorrow to me. James' solo after the interlude still reduces me to tears after countless listens. Vale Clifford Lee Burton

Thanks for those videos that you are doing. RIP CLIFF (1962-1986).

www.revolvermag.com/music/metallicas-and-justice-all-10-things-you-didnt-know - "8. The main riff to "To Live Is to Die" was written by Cliff Burton, as were half of its lyrics Justice was, of course, Metallica's first full-length since the shocking death of longtime member Cliff Burton, and the bassist's shadow loomed large, particularly on the (mostly) instrumental cut "To Live Is to Die." The song took its name from one of his favorite phrases and its main riff was his. "That was when we were writing Master of Puppets - that was one of his extra riffs we didn't have room for," Hetfield recalled. "It's heavy as fuck, man. Then the buildup, that's his, too." As for the spoken-word lyrics to the song, those are attributed to Burton in the album's liner notes, but he only actually penned half of them. The first couplet - "When a man lies, he murders some part of the world/These are the pale deaths which men miscall their lives" - was written by German poet Paul Gerhardt, while the second - "All this I cannot bear to witness any longer/Cannot the kingdom of salvation take me home?" - was Burton's. Indeed, the last line even appears on his gravestone. "

Have you considered that maybe the acoustic c part was written by cliff for the bass, and also the harmonies, like in Orion? But since he died, James had to play them on guitar and Kirk and James making the harmonies written by Cliff with a simple bassline to support them?

JUST MAKE A VERSION OF THE ORION INTERLUDE HARMONIES ALL ON BASS, I NEED IT IN MY LIFE

as +Semtex 2 said 4 months ago for the opening riff of To Live is To Die being Cliffs, i believe it is as listening to the riff tapes of James’ i heard the coughing of James in the background, and the Fight Fire with Fire intro is fairly similar to the song, I think that James 1) adapted the riff from Cliff and 2) used it as a tribute to him, as isn’t that what the song is about? now, that maybe why the band put Cliffs name in the songwriting credits, and that maybe why. if you listen to the riff tapes, then the demo from january of ‘88, then the final product that was on the record, there’s an odd change in the way the riff is structured, but that’s the way any other riff of there’s is in the first place. but all in all, i believe Cliff wrote the opening riff and i agree 100% with Semtex.

It's so similar to the fade to black verse riff. I think James had a perfect transition from fade and it just had like 1 note hammer pull off that made it different enough to slightly change the other chord. Unforgiven has the same notes as that too. That's why I think it was James. It's his go to chords. He always writes using variations of that A chord. Only second to the 2 4 E/B chords from one, fade to black, sanitarium, etc. When melodic or strumming, It's always an A that he starts from. Fade, unforgiven, live die, etc

cliff wrote the little part at the beginning and the end that the beating starts and ends you can find a riff tape of it

I think Cliff wrote the bass line on the interlude (studio version) and the guitar part was added on top of it

I don’t know if anyone noticed but at the end of the video before Andriy said rip cliff his bass moved slightly.

The song was dedicated to Cliff, whoever wrote the song did a pretty good job, the song was about cliff, and they made the song to remind us about cliff when we listen to it, sth like a tribute. This is my personal opinion. Anyways, thank you Andriy for all the videos keep the excelent work, I really appreciate it. RIP Cliff 🤘

I'm so glad you did this. It's a great song, and a great breakdown of it in your video. But, like you said.. Research just leads to more questions, and more questions. I would LOVE to know where Burton's tapes are, and why they're hidden from us.

I always thought the intro was cliff but damn, maybe they just put his name in the song cuz of the poem in it. Either way just proves how talented James is lol

...dictated by Lars and James, exept the first riff you hear on the album, the Blackened off-beat riff was Jason`s. :-) Might have been a little consolation for him.

Honestly this doesn’t surprise me. If Cliff had any unused riffs before he died, we probably won’t ever hear them. I don’t think the other members of Metallica would just take Cliff’s riff to use as their own after he died, but I could be wrong

Ah, my favorite song causing debate again... :D Read and watched tons on this and I always came to the conclusion that Cliff did have a demo of the middle/interlude part. There's a video on youtube which I wont link, but you can search for To live is to die cliff demo and you will find a video where this alleged demo is edited in the middle section. To me it does sound like Cliff, it does sound like something written by the same guy who wrote Anesthesia, and it does sound like Cliff's huge influence from classical music and how he tried to replicate it on bass. The idea that Jason played in that style is more of Jason having found Cliff as his inspiration, as well as him struggling to settle and be accepted in Metallica during those times, and the main reason behind that was the guys hating him for not being Cliff (as confirmed by himself, James and Kirk in many docs and interviews). On the demo tapes, yeah they surface here and there, but you never really know exactly when they were recorded, in what historical context. Also, demo tapes are probably 1% of a band's total rehearsal time together, where many ideas are tested, worked on, eliminated or shelved for future. Everything back then was recorded on tape, so its quite possible they tried the alleged Cliff riff, couldn't figure out a whole song and left it at that, and then James found a cassette tape years and years later, in some shoe box... On the discussions about who actually wrote what, and who was credited or the Metallica rule for crediting... yeah this song is a unique exception. Everything was thrown out the window because of how much those 3 guys loved Cliff and their way of dealing with the loss for years afterwards. Cliff could have wrote one note and they would have clunged to that... Bottom line, personally I believe the middle section melody is Cliff's, in a raw form. I think James took that and went on a mission to create a worthy tribute. He may have used old riff ideas he had, he wrote new stuff around it, he looked at previous parts written by Cliff and tried to write some stuff that Cliff would have written or would have liked. This is how I think the intro/outro came to be and is James 100% (the plucking is so his style). There's also a site that says James plays the soft solo in the middle section as well, which is one of my all time favorite solos of Metallica. It all adds up for me to Jame's dedication to writing the best tribute to his brother. And he's done a fuckin great job!

Between this, the latest Geo video, and the recent MetalliGeek, you are one first the past few days!!!

I always assumed that Cliff Burton wrote the spoke word part. And the rest of the song was the band's tribute to him written after he passed. Orion was the Cliff Burton masterpiece.

How about the lyrics, did Cliff write the lyrics?

If Metallica based TLITD off of some of his idea's, then they easily could have used that simple bass line during the interlude and then created the guitar parts around it. I'm sure Cliff wrote a lot of stuff that was on tape or that they heard in practice. They could have incorporated some of that into the piece or they could have rearranged that stuff to the point where it wasn't officially written by him but rather inspired by him. I hope someone asks James and Lars at some point precisely what parts of that song were written or inspired by Cliff.

Even if Cliff didnt right it but he is the reason why they made it and continued their journey

The cliff demo of the middle section is similar to what's on the album the rest is all hetfeild ,intro Harmony's chunk riffs , they probably just wanted to give his family a extra royalty ,I would assume after cliffs death ,his royalties would be collected by his parents ?? Burton wasent married ,hetfeild was fully capable of creating harmonies along with acoustic arrangements ,the intro to battery is epic !

I know this is late but could Cliff's part in To Live Is To Die is the Interlude where the swelling came in just like Damage Inc intro, since the bass was muted we only hear the guitar swelling part. I'm just saying

they gave him the songwriting credit as a sign of respect (sendoff to their friend) on a song that was dedicated to him. also, maybe they tried making a song that was also in cliff's style, so they gave him credit for inspiring the song.

your bass moves at the end when you say rest in peace to cliff

I think it was an issue of guitar world or metal edge or some other similar metallica heavy magazine back in the late 90s. But if I remember correctly, Kirk said he based alot of his volume swells on a short lick from some classical funeral requiem cliff would play around with alot when they were just messing around. Of course those magazines were infamous for paraphrasing and just flat out making shit up. I'll go with whatever you say man. I totally trust your research. And as always, i gotta say I love your channel. I'm glad you're still able to put out so much content with everything else you have to juggle. Keep up the incredible work.

i think the intro and the interlude might have been based on something cliff did. i feel like cliff wouldve played/written something like that.

Unrelated to the video; In your about page it says "sognwriting".

I can't remember where I read it, but I remember an interview where Jason states its based on some of Cliffs tapes. In the same quote he also comments on the "heavy" atmosphere in the studio when they were doing it, if that rings any bells for anyone?

To Live Is To Die does not exist without Cliff Burton. He was the hero we needed and deserved.

My fav video you have ever done. It takes balls of steel to challenge this song like you did.

It was pleasure for me to become your patreon. Your videos are truly awesome!

As always, another excellent video! I see no flaws in your logic and reasoning. And I learned something new about Metallica today which is really rare. Keep it up! 🖤🤘

This is one of the songs that made me pick up the guitar. Forever thankful.

Andriy Vasylenko: Aka as the Metallica History Vault

the lyric is cliff's. to this day, the acoustic intro baffles me...i can't tell how many guitar tracks are there on the record

You know, that middle section does remind me of my friend of misery

Nice to hear such juicy word "przejebać" :) frrrriend

On the AJFA booklet it is clearly stated that "All harmony, melody and acoustic guitars on all songs, and the 2nd solo in "to live is to die" by Hetfield. Since Hammet is not mentioned in the credits, that could mean that the other solo is by Burton? kinda tricky.

Не думаю, важно ли, есть ли там его идеи или же нет. Эта композиция, скорее, эпитафия Клиффу, в память о нём. Поэтому её с ним и связываем все мы. И спасибо за видео!

what about in the cd booklet it says all lyrics by Hetfield, except To Live is to Die by C. Burton

When a man lies, he murders some part of the world These are the pale deaths, which men misscall their lives. All this I cannot bear to witness any longer. Cannot the kingdom of salvation take me home? The best lyrics ever written by Metallica.

It was the last bass solo he played live. He finished it w the to live is to die bass melody.

Why are andriy and art of guitar bombarding us with Metallica videos?

I’ve just started to listen to this tune man was I missing out. Thanks for the breakdown.

I think he’s credited for the “I cannot bare to witness this any longer, cannot the kingdom of salvation take me home” verse. That’s my theory maybe

I remember when Justice came out, I was a big Metallica fan at the time: read every interview I could find, etc. etc. Now, I can't tell you exactly where I read it or got the idea, but I ALWAYS understood Cliff's direct contribution as the short spoken lyric phrase and NEVER as the actual music. Beyond clearly being the subject of homage/tribute, of course. I don't think that diminishes Cliff or the rest of the boys at all. I just think that's how it worked out.

Parts of To Live is to Die existed as far back as 1982. So even if he really didn’t write the bass part he likely had at least some input on some of the song.

Isn't an effort from all band members to replicate a musician's musical message the most beautiful way a tribute can be? I interpret this instrumental as a summary of early Metallica, with ALL of its elements there. I'm not offended by this at all, it will still give me goosebumps everytime.

It would be cool if any unreleased demo tapes from cliff would be released on that new vinyl club subscription that metallica are doing right now

If someone is going to meet any of the members in a meet and greed ask them about this

It's definitely weird that Jason would play only one part of the song without a pick. Cliff laid the demo track, man. Jason doesn't use his fingers, and that demo is fingers.

I used to have the theory that Cliff was the genius composer in the band, so when he died they used his notes to compose next great songs but eventually they finished Cliff's notes, so they had to compose Garage Inc and Saint Anger all alone :)

I think you are correct on this, Andriy. This is what I've always assumed was the case. James write the music, Lars helped arrange it, and the lyrics were Cliff with inspiration from that poem where it came from.

08:29 - hm... isn't midsection of Orion also with that progression?

I never thought he Cliff had anything to do with To Live Is To Die

Hi! I'm Hungarian. I picked up the bass because of you. I love your videos. Can I ask what pedal Do You use? If i have a big muff and a morley power wah fuzz, Can I get the Cliff Burton tone with that combination? Keep up the good work!!!)))

It was the spoken lyrics that was cliff that he had written down. That's why James did not put a melody to it and spoke the words.

As someone who was around when the album came out - and had been a Metallica fan since their first album \^/ - it was known from the start that Cliff's credit was for lyrics only.

I had always thought it wasn't Cliff's, just meant for Cliff as an homage to him

man, i love to live is to die, its such a good song

Damn, Andriy, I was just thinking about this song at work the other night. I was thinking what parts Cliff wrote. Maybe he was working on another instrumental and was using some older riffs that James, Kirk and him had kicking around? Or possibly James was just playing some parts Cliff had recorded on his riff tapes on his guitar? But, YEAH! - Where the hell are Cliff's demo/riff tapes?!?!?!

I remember listening to an interview Cliff did a week or so before his death. (So it says. It’s here on YT) he talked about getting ready to “write for the next album” but did say they haven’t started yet. Most likely is near his end due to talking about Japan being in their agenda in the near future. So like you said good chance he didn’t write TLITD. Either way awesome tune. Your cover of it from a few years ago is awesome. I love it. Edit: I remember reading that thing about the found demos. (I think the person who found them was a friend of his when they were kids) I wished they turned up. Double edit: 3:18 That’s bass lol

I read somwhere that according to James Cliff wrote the main riff, i will try to find the interview and link it

Hey Andriy, great video! Btw, why don't you play your electric bass anymore? Would like to see you playing in the future!

I don’t know which Riff belongs to Cliff but he did play guitar a lot, both Kirk and His sister have said so, apparently he had a white Les Paul he loved and played at rehearsals trading solos with Kirk and was teaching his sister to play guitar before he died. He also never played with a pick? so heavy/chug riffs are out of the question. Although he tended to detune his classical guitars for easier string bends so his riffs may have sounded heavier to his bandmates who were used to standard E. If I remember correctly Jason “wrote” his own bass parts for Justice and James hated the fact he copied his guitar parts so closely and wanted him to improvise and play different stuff like Cliff would’ve, he used to turn away from him during practice so he couldn’t see his hands. In 87-88 Jason started playing 5 strings live to be heard better though he could’ve used one on the actual record too. This info is from the Justice/Master retrospectives on Lars podcast and The Kingdom of Salvation documentary