This Metallica Song From 'Ride the Lightning' Was Only Played Live Once and Quickly Became One of Their Most Disliked

For every legendary artist, there must be at least one song from their catalog that they’re just not really into, and Metallica is certainly one of those artists. When their second album, Ride the Lightning, was released in 1984, the band had already forged a reputation as one of the most innovative and aggressive forces in thrash metal. The album itself is packed with classics like “Fight Fire With Fire,” “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” “Fade to Black,” and the title track, all of which showcase the ferocity that defines Metallica as a band and cements their status as pioneers of the genre. But among this thunderous lineup, there is one song that stands apart — and not in a good way: “Escape.” The track has rarely been embraced by Metallica, and they have performed it live only once, on June 23, 2012, at the Orion Music + More festival, when they played Ride the Lightning in full.

While the track, credited to James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, and Kirk Hammett, wasn’t exactly a stripped-down, acoustic-style song (and not the most panned song from the band), it also wasn’t quite up to par with Metallica’s usual sound. It was written under time pressure and label demands, which presumably made it a hastily crafted track. They were also asked to write in a studio for the first time, with "Escape" being one of those songs. It was a last-minute addition, probably an afterthought, and a considerably radio-friendly, less heavy track — far removed from the intensity that defined Metallica's early work. It was never really intended to be part of the album in the first place, and many fans at the time also criticized the band for leaning toward a more mainstream audience with the track, despite it not being released as a single. On the song's history, the Metallica frontman said:

"[Ride the Lightning] was the first time we wrote a song in the studio. I remember we had all the songs and Lars [Ulrich] said, 'They want us to record one more, they need one more for the album. I was like, 'You didn't tell me that...' So we had to write and it was really last-minute. So 'Escape' was one of those songs that was written in the studio."

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That dislike of “Escape," particularly from Hetfield, was ultimately reflected in the band’s actions, as they avoided playing it live for decades. It wasn’t performed until 2012, when they played the entire Ride the Lightning album in full — a move that seemed more like a tribute to the album itself than a genuine desire to revisit the song. During the performance, the crowd couldn’t help but chant in unison, recognizing the historic moment: Metallica was playing “Escape” live for the first time ever and likely for the last time as well.

"This is groundbreaking right here. This is historical for those of you who might know what's coming up next," Hetfield told the audience. "The song that we never wanted to play live ever is now on the setlist. We're not afraid, we just hope it is good. And we'll do our best. You can sing along if you want, all right? That might help."

Does James Hetfield Really Hate "Escape"?

Now, “hate” is such a strong word. But fans can’t help but wonder: do they dislike “Escape” so much that they only played it once? However, Hetfield debunked the rumor in 2022 that he outright hates the track. He explained: "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 Hills' 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."