''Cliff 'Em All'' is a compilation of video footage, and the first video album by the American heavy metal band

Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. It was formed in Los Angeles in 1981 by vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...

. It was released on November 17, 1987, as a tribute to Metallica's bassist

Cliff Burton Clifford Lee Burton (February 10, 1962 – September 27, 1986) was an American musician who served as the bassist for the thrash metal band Metallica from 1982 until his death in 1986. He is renowned for his musicianship and influence. Burton ...

, who died in a tour bus accident on September 27, 1986, at the age of 24, near

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Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

, during the European leg of their

Master of Puppets ''Master of Puppets'' is the third studio album by the American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Metallica, released on March 3, 1986, by Elektra Records. Recorded in Copenhagen, Denmark, at Sweet Silence Studios with producer Flemming Rasmu ...

world tour. Its title is derived from Metallica's debut album, ''

Kill 'Em All ''Kill 'Em All'' is the debut studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica, released on July 25, 1983, through the independent label Megaforce Records. After forming in 1981, Metallica began by playing shows in local clubs in Los A ...

''. The home video also features a performance with former guitarist

Dave Mustaine David Scott Mustaine (born September 13, 1961) is an American musician. He is best known as the co-founder, frontman, primary songwriter and sole consistent member of the thrash metal band Megadeth and for his time as the lead guitarist of Met ...

on March 19, 1983, shortly before his ousting from the band. The video is a retrospective on the three and a half years that Cliff Burton was in Metallica, presented as a collection of bootleg footage shot by fans, some professional filming and TV shots that were never used and some of his best bass solos, personal photos and live concerts. Photos and narrations by the band (

Lars Ulrich Lars Ulrich (; ; born 26 December 1963) is a Danish musician who is the drummer and a founding member of American heavy metal band Metallica. Along with James Hetfield, Ulrich has songwriting credits on almost all of the band's songs, and the ...

James Hetfield James Alan Hetfield (born August 3, 1963) is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, co-founder, and a primary songwriter of heavy metal band Metallica. He is mainly known for his raspy voice and intricate rhythm playi ...

and

Kirk Hammett Kirk Lee Hammett (born November 18, 1962) is an American musician who has been the lead guitarist of heavy metal band Metallica since 1983. Prior to joining Metallica, he co-formed the thrash metal band Exodus in 1979. In 2023, Hammett, along ...

drinking beer) are placed between songs, which focus on Burton before fading into a title card of a performance. The video ends with the melodic interlude of "Orion" as pictures of Burton are shown. With this video, the band tries to show the unique personality and style he had. While ostensibly the film focuses on Burton, it also has given fans a rare glimpse of Metallica's less-documented early career. This contrasts sharply with the 'Metallica business' represented in the feature film '' Metallica: Some Kind of Monster''. The back of the case reads "Well, we finally went and did what we always talked about not doing. Releasing a vid o Before you throw up in disgust, let us (except K.) tell you the idea behind this." The "K" is presumably short for Kirk, explaining why he is on the bottom of the cover.

Songs

Detroit, April 4, 1986 – "supporting Ozzy"
''Shot from the left of the stage. VG with closeups.'' *"

Creeping Death "Creeping Death" is a song by American thrash metal band Metallica. It was released on November 23, 1984, as the lead and only commercial single from their album ''Ride the Lightning'' (" Fade to Black" and "For Whom the Bell Tolls", from the sam ...

" (Hetfield/Ulrich/Burton/Hammett) – 6:18 *" Am I Evil?" (Harris/Tatler) – 4:15 *"Damage, Inc." (Hetfield/Ulrich/Burton/Hammett) – 5:10 Long Island, April 28, 1986 – "still drunk on Ozzy tour"
''Shot from ground level above heads, VG with closeups'' *"

" (Hetfield/Ulrich/Burton/Hammett) – 7:50 The Stone, San Francisco, March 19, 1983 – "Cliff's second gig"
''Shot just above ground level, VG with closeups'' *"(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth" (Burton) – 4:21 *" Whiplash" (Hetfield/Ulrich) – 4:07 Germany, September 14, 1985 – "Metal Hammer Fest headlining with Venom, Nazareth, beer!"
''Professionally shot video'' *"Cliff Solo" – 2:00 *" The Four Horsemen" (Hetfield/Ulrich/Mustaine) – 5:03 *" Fade to Black" (Hetfield/Ulrich/Burton/Hammett) – 6:55 *"

Seek & Destroy "Seek & Destroy" is a song by the American heavy metal band Metallica and the ninth track from their debut studio album, '' Kill 'Em All'' (1983). It was also featured on the demo '' No Life 'Til Leather''. It was the first song the band recor ...

" (Hetfield/Ulrich) – 6:34 Denmark, July 6, 1986 – "Roskilde Festival with

Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and later became the lead singer of the rock band Genesis (band), Genesis and had a successful solo career, ac ...

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...

Elvis Costello Declan Patrick MacManus (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, author and television host. According to ''Rolling Stone'', Costello "reinvigorated the literate, lyrical ...

and

Big Country Big Country are a Scottish Rock music, rock band formed in Dunfermline, Fife, in 1981. The height of the band's popularity was in the early to mid 1980s, although they have retained a cult following for many years since. The band's music inc ...

"
''Shot from ground level, with closeups'' *"Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" (Hetfield/Ulrich/Hammett) – 6:30 *"(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth" (Burton) – 3:10 Oakland, August 31, 1985 – "Day on the Green"
''Professionally shot video'' *"Cliff Solo"/"

For Whom the Bell Tolls ''For Whom the Bell Tolls'' is a novel by Ernest Hemingway published in 1940. It tells the story of Robert Jordan, a young American volunteer attached to a Republican guerrilla unit during the Spanish Civil War. As a dynamiter, he is assigned ...

" (Hetfield/Ulrich/Burton) – 4:51 Chicago, August 12, 1983 – "Supporting

Raven A raven is any of several large-bodied passerine bird species in the genus '' Corvus''. These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus. There is no consistent distinction between crows and ravens; the two names are assigne ...

on the 'Kill Em All for One' tour"
''Professionally shot video'' *"No Remorse" (Hetfield/Ulrich) – 6:59 *"Metal Militia" (Hetfield/Ulrich/Mustaine) – 6:33 "

Orion Orion may refer to: Common meanings * Orion (constellation), named after the mythical hunter * Orion (mythology), a hunter in Greek mythology Arts and media Fictional entities Characters and species * Orion (character), a DC Comics c ...

" (Burton/Hetfield/Ulrich) during end credits – 1:42

Personnel

: bass, backing vocals *

: rhythm guitar, harmonized and first solo on "Master of Puppets", harmonized solo on "Orion", lead vocals *

: drums *

: lead guitar *

: lead guitar on "Whiplash"

References

External links

*
Cliff 'Em All
' at Metallica's official website *
Cliff 'em All IMDb page
' {{Metallica Metallica video albums Documentary films about heavy metal music and musicians Albums with cover art by Pushead 1987 video albums Metallica live albums 1987 live albums Elektra Records video albums Music videos directed by Jeff Richter