#32a/b of 366: Nothing Else Matters, Phoebe Bridgers, Nothing Else Matters, Metallica

Phoebe is absolutely one of my favorites. There’s something about that melancholy voice of hers that just stops me cold. So imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon her cover of Metallica’s Nothing Else Matters.

Both of these performances are fantastic. Obviously the Metallica/James Hetfield version has their/his sinister sound to it. Phoebe’s a more ethereal version. Yet they both share that pang, right? I think the Bridgers version is faithful to the original. It’s part of what I love about music really. You can take one song and turn it on it’s head musically, yet still convey those same emotions as the original. Pretty magical, if you ask me.

“Never opened myself this way, life is ours, we live it our way, all these words I don’t just say, and nothing else matters, trust I seek and I find in you, every day for us something new, open mind for a different view, and nothing else matters”

The lyrics are very poetic for what I would normally expect from my brain’s understanding of Metallica. Really beautiful stuff. I also love those cascading strings that appear as we transition into the latter 1/3 of the song.

“So close, no matter how far, couldn’t be much more from the heart, forever trusting who we are, and nothing else matters”

Given how popular the song is on Spotify for Metallica (over 1-billion listens…they made like $100 from that!), I really think I need to dive into their stuff soon. I have a noobian level knowledge of their catalog. I was just never into the harder rock stuff growing up. Looking forward to dipping a toe in those waters for sure.

I hope you enjoy the juxtaposition of these two performances but also the commonality that exists between them! Wish society was more like that. Have a great day/afternoon/night whenever you’re reading this! Thanks again for going on this journey with me!