Cover art for Escape by Metallica

Escape

Metallica
Track 6 on Ride the Lightning (Deluxe Edition) 

Producers

Flemming Rasmussen & Metallica
This song from the Metallica’s second album was one that largely went unnoticed. This is James Hetfield’s single most hated Metallica song, because the record company had… Read More 
Jul. 27, 19841 viewer73K views

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About

Genius Annotation

This song from the Metallica’s second album was one that largely went unnoticed.

This is James Hetfield’s single most hated Metallica song, because the record company had forced them to write something more radio friendly. They refused to ever play it live, until 2012 at Orion Music Festival, when they were playing the album in its entirety.

Because the lyrical content is based around themes of personal-freedom, inner-strength and resiliency, the hardcore band Hatebreed chose to release a (detuned) cover of it as the album closer on their fifth (self-titled) album..

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did Metallica say about "Escape"?
Genius Answer

It’s become this folklore that I hate “Escape.” It’s not true! It was the last song that was written for the Ride the Lightning sessions, and it was purposely kept a little shorter than the other songs. We thought of it in the spirit of Iron Maiden’s “Run to the Hill” or Judas Priest’s “Living After Midnight”—dare I use the words ‘radio songs’? So instead of turning it into an eight-minute “Seek and Destroy” type of thing, we kept it on the short side. Then it got a bad rap, and I don’t know why. I don’t have a particular problem with it, but it never became a live staple like the other songs on the record. It just goes to show that you’re better off not trying to do things on purpose.

—Lars Ulrich, Metal Hammer

Who produced “Escape” by Metallica?
When did Metallica release “Escape”?
Who wrote “Escape” by Metallica?
Ride the Lightning (Deluxe Edition) (2016)
  1. 1.
    Fight Fire with Fire
  2. 2.
    Ride the Lightning
  3. 3.
    For Whom the Bell Tolls
  4. 4.
    Fade to Black
  5. 5.
    Trapped Under Ice
  6. 6.
    Escape
  7. 7.
    Creeping Death
  8. 8.
    The Call of Ktulu
  9. 9.
    The Ecstasy of Gold
  10. 10.
    Fight Fire with Fire (Live at the Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA - Mar. 10th, 1985)
  11. 11.
    Ride the Lightning (Live at the Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA - Mar. 10th, 1985)
  12. 12.
    Phantom Lord (Live at the Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA - Mar. 10th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  13. 13.
    (Anesthesia)-Pulling Teeth (Live at the Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA - Mar. 10th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  14. 14.
    For Whom The Bell Tolls (Live at the Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA - Mar. 10th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  15. 15.
    No Remorse (Live at the Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA - Mar. 10th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  16. 16.
    Fade To Black (Live at the Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA - Mar. 10th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  17. 17.
    Seek & Destroy (Live at the Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA - Mar. 10th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  18. 18.
    Creeping Death (Live at the Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA - Mar. 10th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  19. 19.
    Am I Evil? (Live at the Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA - Mar. 10th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  20. 20.
    Motorbreath (Live at the Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA - Mar. 10th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  21. 21.
    Creeping Death (Creeping Death EP Version)
  22. 22.
    Am I Evil?
  23. 23.
    Blitzkrieg
  24. 24.
    Ride The LIghtning (Studio Demo) (Missing Lyrics)
  25. 25.
    When Hell Freezes Over (The Call Of Ktulu) [Studio Demo] (Missing Lyrics)
  26. 26.
    Creeping Death (Studio Demo) (Missing Lyrics)
  27. 27.
    Fight Fire With Fire (Studio Demo) (Missing Lyrics)
  28. 28.
    Ride the LIghtning (Garage Demo) (Missing Lyrics)
  29. 29.
    When Hell Freezes Over (The Call of Ktulu) [Garage Demo] (Missing Lyrics)
  30. 30.
    Fight Fire With Fire (Garage Demo) (Missing Lyrics)
  31. 31.
    Ride the Lightning (Boom Box Demo) (Missing Lyrics)
  32. 32.
    Blitzkrieg (Rhythm Track Rough Mix) (Missing Lyrics)
  33. 33.
    Am I Evil? (Rhythm Track Rough Mix) (Missing Lyrics)
  34. 34.
    Fight Fire with Fire (Live at Kabuki Theatre, San Francisco, CA - Mar. 15th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  35. 35.
    Ride the Lightning (Live at Kabuki Theatre, San Francisco, CA - Mar. 15th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  36. 36.
    Phantom Lord (Live at Kabuki Theatre, San Francisco, CA - Mar. 15th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  37. 37.
    The Four Horsemen (Live at Kabuki Theatre, San Francisco, CA - Mar. 15th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  38. 38.
    (Anesthesia)-Pulling Teeth (Live at Kabuki Theatre, San Francisco, CA - Mar. 15th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  39. 39.
    For Whom the Bell Tolls (Live at Kabuki Theatre, San Francisco, CA - Mar. 15th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  40. 40.
    No Remorse (Live at Kabuki Theatre, San Francisco, CA - Mar. 15th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  41. 41.
    Fade to Black (Live at Kabuki Theatre, San Francisco, CA - Mar. 15th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  42. 42.
    Creeping Death (Live at Kabuki Theatre, San Francisco, CA - Mar. 15th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  43. 43.
    Guitar Solo (Live at Kabuki Theatre, San Francisco, CA - Mar. 15th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  44. 44.
    Am I Evil? (Live at Kabuki Theatre, San Francisco, CA - Mar. 15th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  45. 45.
    Motorbreath (Live at Kabuki Theatre, San Francisco, CA - Mar. 15th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  46. 46.
    Phantom Lord (Live at the Lyceum Theatre, London, UK - Dec. 20th, 1984) (Missing Lyrics)
  47. 47.
    The Four Horsemen (Live at the Lyceum Theatre, London, UK - Dec. 20th, 1984) (Missing Lyrics)
  48. 48.
    (Anesthesia)-Pulling Teeth (Live at the Lyceum Theatre, London, UK - Dec. 20th, 1984) (Missing Lyrics)
  49. 49.
    For Whom the Bell Tolls (Live at the Lyceum Theatre, London, UK - Dec. 20th, 1984) (Missing Lyrics)
  50. 50.
    No Remorse (Live at the Lyceum Theatre, London, UK - Dec. 20th, 1984) (Missing Lyrics)
  51. 51.
    The Call of Ktulu (Live at the Lyceum Theatre, London, UK - Dec. 20th, 1984) (Missing Lyrics)
  52. 52.
    Seek & Destroy (Live at the Lyceum Theatre, London, UK - Dec. 20th, 1984) (Missing Lyrics)
  53. 53.
    Whiplash (Live at the Lyceum Theatre, London, UK - Dec. 20th, 1984) (Missing Lyrics)
  54. 54.
    Creeping Death (Live at the Lyceum Theatre, London, UK - Dec. 20th, 1984) (Missing Lyrics)
  55. 55.
    Guitar Solo (Live at the Lyceum Theatre, London, UK - Dec. 20th, 1984) (Missing Lyrics)
  56. 56.
    Metal Militia (Live at the Lyceum Theatre, London, UK - Dec. 20th, 1984) (Missing Lyrics)
  57. 57.
    Creeping Death (Live at Castle Donington, UK - Aug. 17th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  58. 58.
    Ride the Lightning (Live at Castle Donington, UK - Aug. 17th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  59. 59.
    For Whom the Bell Tolls (Live at Castle Donington, UK - Aug. 17th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  60. 60.
    The Four Horsemen (Live at Castle Donington, UK - Aug. 17th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  61. 61.
    Fade to Black (Live at Castle Donington, UK - Aug. 17th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  62. 62.
    Seek & Destroy (Live at Castle Donington, UK - Aug. 17th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  63. 63.
    Whiplash (Live at Castle Donington, UK - Aug. 17th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
  64. 64.
    Motorbreath (Live at Castle Donington, UK - Aug. 17th, 1985) (Missing Lyrics)
Credits
Producers
Writers
Lead Guitar
Mastering Engineer
Rhythm Guitar
Vocals
Bass
Engineer
Drums
Label
Video Production Assistant
Recorded At
Sweet Silence Studios, Copenhagen, Capital Region, Denmark
Released on
July 27, 1984
Escape Covers
View Escape samples
Tags
RockHeavy MetalThrash MetalMetal
Comments
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