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"Disposable Heroes" is a song by American thrash metal band Metallica. It is the fifth track on their third studio album, Master of Puppets (1986). The title is taken from the book Fahrenheit 451. Current Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo said "Master of Puppets (has) got one of my favorite songs ever by Metallica, and that song is "Disposable Heroes". So any time I can hear that particular song, count me in."

Music and lyrics

"Disposable Heroes" features sections performed at 220 beats per minute, making it one of the most intense tracks on Master of Puppets. The guitar passage at the end of each verse was Hammett's imitation of the sort of music he found in war films. Drummer Lars Ulrich refers to it as an intense epic, stating, “'Disposable Heroes' is great; it’s seven to eight minutes of very intensive…and you gotta be on your toes when you play it or you’ll miss the next change."

"Disposable Heroes" is an anti-war song about a young soldier whose fate is controlled by his superiors. The lyrics fit well with the album's general theme of feeling helpless and imprisoned, and lack of control over one's own actions. In fact, the album cover, depicting a seemingly endless war cemetery, with each gravestone attached to the hands of the puppet master via a string (reference to title track), relates more closely to this song than to any other song from the album. The song also has a double meaning, with Hetfield taking the title and ideas from watching a football documentary about injured football players.

"Disposable Heroes" was first demoed in mid-1985, months before the recording and subsequent release of the album. In this early rendition, the song doesn't differ much from its final version, the only notable difference being the extra minute of length, due to the presence of another fast riff, which would later be omitted from "Disposable Heroes", to become part of "Damage, Inc.". Some other early versions of the song also featured on the Master of Puppets deluxe boxset.

Live

"Disposable Heroes" was debuted live on September 14, 1985, in St. Goarshausen, Germany, making it the first song from the album to be played live. The song is featured in the video album Orgullo, Pasión, y Gloria: Tres Noches en la Ciudad de México (2009) filmed in Mexico City, in which the song was played on the second of three nights at the Foro Sol. The band played the song during the 2013 Revolver Golden Gods awards ceremony.

"Disposable Heroes" has been played live acoustically a handful of times, all for fundraisers and charity performances. This version of the song features different riffs from the original version, but with the same lyrics. The first two times were for the Bridge School Benefit at the Shoreline Amphitheatre. The band also performed this rendition at the 2018 and 2020 All Within My Hands Foundation "Helping Hands Concert & Auction", with the first being acoustic, and the second being electric. "Here's a heavy song we did acoustic and we're doing it heavy in the acoustic version way," began James Hetfield, who then laughed, "So, I hope you're as confused as we are." Lars Ulrich then quipped, "This is really the fourth dimension, bro. Here we go, check this out."

Other appearances

Disposable Heroes is featured on Guitar Hero: Metallica, alongside 29 other Metallica songs, including 5 other songs from Master of Puppets.

The Swedish extreme metal band Ceremonial Oath recorded a cover for the song on the tribute album Metal Militia: A Tribute to Metallica. The entire Master of Puppets album was covered by Dream Theater as part of its world tour in 2002 and has been released as an official bootleg recording.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from Master of Puppets' liner notes.

References

1. "Master Of Puppets". Metallica.com. Metallica. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
2. Basner, Dave (March 3, 2017). "25 Things You Might Not Know About Metallica's 'Master Of Puppets'". IHeart. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
3. "ROBERT TRUJILLO Names His Favorite METALLICA Album". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
4. I-Rankin', Judge (July 1986). "Spins". Spin. 2 (4): 32. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
5. Wall, Mick (January 2006). "Master Piece". Guitar World: 52–61, 104–110. ISSN 1045-6295.
6. "Lars Ulrich-Metallica Interview" (PDF). Library of Congress. May 27, 2016. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
7. "13 METALLICA Songs That Deserve More Recognition". Loaded Radio. August 4, 2022. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
8. Lynch, Joe (March 16, 2022). "The 50 Best Album Covers of All Time". Billboard. Retrieved July 30, 2023. The gut-punch, anti-war imagery brings the lyrics of Master of Puppets gem "Disposable Heroes" to life and tips to the theme of manipulating the masses that runs throughout the record.
9. Bennett, J. "METALLICA'S 'MASTER OF PUPPETS': THE STORY BEHIND THE COVER ART". revolver. Revolver. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
10. Kirwan, Stuart. "Hypnotizing Power: The Story of Master Of Puppets". Youtube. Youtube. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
11. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on August 26, 2010. Retrieved September 21, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
12. "Metallica to Release a Deluxe Box Set of "Master of Puppets"". vintage vinyl news. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
13. La Gamba, Andrea (October 21, 2007). "Metallica - Disposable Heroes (Live 1985)". YouTube. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
14. "Disposable Heroes". Metallica.com. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
15. Hart, Josh (March 22, 2012). "Metallica Post 'Disposable Heroes' Video from 'Three Nights in Mexico City' DVD". Guitar World. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
16. "SEE METALLICA PERFORM CRUSHING "DISPOSABLE HEROES" AT GOLDEN GODS 2013". Revolver Mag. May 17, 2013. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
17. http://metlists.com/songs/disposableheroes.htm
18. "Watch: Metallica Perform Reimagined Version of "Disposable Heroes" at Charity Livestream Concert". MetalSucks.net. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
19. "Watch METALLICA Play Reimagined Version Of 'Disposable Heroes' During 'Live & Acoustic From HQ: Helping Hands Concert & Auction'". Blabbermouth. November 14, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
20. "This is Metallica's Disposable Heroes as you've never heard it before". Louder Sound. Metal Hammer. September 20, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
21. DiVita, Joe (November 16, 2020). "Metallica Debut Reimagined Version of 'Disposable Heroes' At Livestream Benefit Show". Loudwire. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
22. "Guitar Hero: Metallica". Metallica.com. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
23. "Various - Metal Militia". Retrieved August 23, 2010.
24. "Master of Puppets - Live in Barcelona 2002". Dream Theater. July 23, 2021. Archived from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
25. Master of Puppets (CD liner notes). Metallica. Elektra Records. 1986. 9-60439-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

• Metallica songs
• 1986 songs
• Songs written by James Hetfield
• Songs written by Lars Ulrich
• Songs written by Kirk Hammett
• Thrash metal songs
• Anti-war songs