"St. Anger"
Single by Metallica
from the album St. Anger
B-side
ReleasedJune 23, 2003 (2003-06-23)[1]
Recorded2002–2003
StudioMetallica's HQ, San Rafael, California
Genre
Length
  • 7:21 (album version)
  • 5:41 (radio edit)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Bob Rock
  • Metallica
Metallica singles chronology
"I Disappear"
(2000) 		"St. Anger"
(2003) 		"Frantic"
(2003)
Music video
"St. Anger" on YouTube

"St. Anger" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on June 23, 2003, as the lead single from their eighth studio album of the same name. It won Best Metal Performance at the 46th Grammy Awards and was also nominated for Best Rock Video at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, but lost to "Somewhere I Belong" by Linkin Park.[2][3]

This song provided the theme for WWE's SummerSlam 2003; the music video was also included in the pay-per-view DVD.

The lyric "Fuck it all and fuckin' no regrets, I hit the lights on these dark sets" may be a reference to two other Metallica songs, "Damage, Inc." (Master of Puppets) and "Hit the Lights" (Kill 'Em All).[4][5]

Music video

The "St. Anger" video, directed by The Malloys, was shot in San Quentin State Prison, California. The band played at various locations in the area to hundreds of enthusiastic inmates, except for the death chambers and the death row cells.[6] It is also the first Metallica video to feature bassist Robert Trujillo, who joined just prior to filming.[7]

The video begins with Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich starting the beat saying "En, to, tre, fire!" (taken from the live in studio performance of "The Unnamed Feeling") which translated from Danish means "One, two, three, four!" At the end of the video, a sentence appears on a black background, reading: "For all the souls impacted by San Quentin, your spirit will forever be a part of Metallica."

It won a 2003 Metal Edge Readers' Choice Award for Video of the Year.[8]

Track list

International Single Part 1
No.TitleLength
1."St. Anger"7:21
2."Commando" (Ramones cover)1:48
3."Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World" (Ramones cover)2:13
International Single Part 2
No.TitleLength
1."St. Anger"7:21
2."Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue" (Ramones cover)1:40
3."Cretin Hop" (Ramones cover)1:56
International 7" Vinyl Single
No.TitleLength
1."St. Anger"7:21
2."We're a Happy Family" (Ramones cover)2:20
Japanese EP
No.TitleLength
1."St. Anger"7:21
2."Commando" (Ramones cover)1:48
3."Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World" (Ramones cover)2:13
4."Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue" (Ramones cover)1:40
5."We're a Happy Family" (Ramones cover)2:20

Chart positions

Chart (2003) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[9] 15
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[10] 17
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[11] 43
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan) 24
Chile (Notimex)[12] 3
Croatia (HRT)[13] 7
Denmark (Tracklisten)[14] 4
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[15] 5
Germany (Official German Charts)[16] 15
Hungary (Single Top 40)[17] 5
Ireland (IRMA)[18] 12
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[19] 22
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[20] 38
Norway (VG-lista)[21] 6
Paraguay (Notimex)[22] 1
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[23] 4
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[24] 9
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[25] 28
UK Singles (OCC)[26] 9
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[27] 7
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[28] 17
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[29] 2
US Active Rock (Billboard)[30] 1
US Heritage Rock (Billboard)[31] 5

References

  1. ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting 23 June 2003: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. June 21, 2003. p. 23. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
  2. ^ Zahlaway, Jon (March 1, 2004). "Metallica still rolling out tour dates behind 'St. Anger'". LiveDaily. Retrieved May 12, 2008.
  3. ^ Kaufman, Gil (August 25, 2003). "The Rap On The Best Rock Video Nominees". MTV News. Retrieved May 12, 2008.
  4. ^ "Damage, Inc". Metallica. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  5. ^ "Hit the Lights". Metallica. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  6. ^ "Director BRENDAN MALLOY Discusses The METALLICA 'St. Anger' Music Video". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. July 31, 2003. Retrieved May 12, 2008.
  7. ^ "Metallica play at San Quentin Prison". contactmusic.com. June 5, 2003. Retrieved May 12, 2008.
  8. ^ Metal Edge, June 2004
  9. ^ "Metallica – St. Anger". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  10. ^ "Metallica – St. Anger" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  11. ^ "Metallica – St. Anger" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  12. ^ "Linkin Park Is Popular". El Siglo de Torreón. March 13, 2007. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  13. ^ "Top Lista Hrvatskog Radija". Croatian Radiotelevision. Archived from the original on August 10, 2003. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  14. ^ "Metallica – St. Anger". Tracklisten.
  15. ^ "Metallica: St. Anger" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.
  16. ^ "Metallica – St. Anger" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  17. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  18. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – St. Anger". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  19. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Metallica" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  20. ^ "Metallica – St. Anger". Top 40 Singles.
  21. ^ "Metallica – St. Anger". VG-lista.
  22. ^ "Linkin Park Is Popular". El Siglo de Torreón. March 13, 2007. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  23. ^ "Metallica – St. Anger" Canciones Top 50.
  24. ^ "Metallica – St. Anger". Singles Top 100.
  25. ^ "Metallica – St. Anger". Swiss Singles Chart.
  26. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  27. ^ "Metallica Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  28. ^ "Metallica Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  29. ^ "Metallica Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  30. ^ "Metallica Chart History (Active Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  31. ^ "Metallica Chart History (Heritage Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
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