10 Best Cover Versions of Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’
As our tattooed little brother of a website, Loudwire, pointed out, today marks the 20th anniversary of the release of Metallica's career-defining 'Black Album.' To celebrate, we're taking a video tour of 10 of the best cover versions of the album's first single, 'Enter Sandman.' The song marked the beginning of a simper approach to songwriting for Metallica, which might explain why artists from so many different genres of music were able to pull this nightmarish "lullaby" into their own worlds. So get ready for the 10 Best Cover Versions of Metallica's 'Enter Sandman':
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Bjorn Again
'Enter Sandman' by an ABBA Tribute BandBjorn Again is an Australian tribute band celebrating the Swedish disco-pop of ABBA (although at this stage, they're kinda like the Harlem Globetrotters, with various incarnations touring around the world at any given time under the same name.) ANYWAY.. for some reason they decided to stretch out at the 2009 Sonisphere festival, honoring Metallica's role as headliners with a pretty darn respectable version of 'Sandman.'
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Scott D. Davis
'Enter Sandman' on Solo PianoTurns out new age pianist Scott D. Davis is a bit of a closet metalhead, and he showed his true colors by releasing 'Pianotorium,' an album filled with Metallica covers, back in 2007. Guess what song kicks off the record?
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Pat Boone
'Enter Sandman,' Big Band Style!50's crooner Pat Boone took on an album's worth of metal classics, including of course, 'Enter Sandman,' in big, swinging, horn-charged jazz style on his 1997 album 'In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy.' Now you and your grandma can enjoy music together while she drives to the store, with the turn signal on the whole way...
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Mighty Mighty Bosstones
'Enter Sandman' Goes Ska-PunkBoston's enduringly popular Bosstones seem to have left their horn section, which served them so well on their cover of Kiss' 'Detroit Rock City,' behind for this version of 'Sandman,' which appears on their 1992 EP 'Where'd You Go?' But they keep things from being too straight ahead by throwing a line from Barry Manilow's 'Can't Smile Without You' into the mix.
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Apocalyptica
'Enter Sandman' with Cellos!They've since gone on to impressive success largely with their own original material, but Finland's Apocalyptica began life as a four-cello Metallica cover band. If you think that might get tired pretty quick, see if you're not signing right along with the rabid crowd on this live version of 'Enter Sandman':
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Youn Sun Nah
'Enter Sandman' by a Korean Jazz SingerFrench newspaper Le Monde describes Nah as "a UFO touching the universe of jazz with a magnificent voice and passionate originality." As this stark, dramatic reading of 'Enter Sandman' shows, she's clearly willing to push the boundaries of her chosen field.
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Richard Cheese
'Enter Sandman,' Modern Lounge VersionEqual doses of humor and nostalgia inform the music of Cheese and his band, Lounge Against the Machine. Here, he cleverly has a female chorus perform the wordless vocal hook from the Chordettes' 1954 smash 'Mr. Sandman,' while he handles James Hetfield's lyrics himself.
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Die Krupps
'Enter Sandman' Gets IndustrializedGerman industrial music pioneers Die Krupps were one of the first bands to mix metal guitars into their electronic-based music. So it makes perfect sense they'd be up for twisting and warping a whole record's worth of Metallica songs, including, guess what, 'Sandman,' for their 1992 EP 'Tribute to Metallica.'
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Ween
'Enter Sandman' By... Author's Choice!After all these trips through diverse musical genres, we thought it would be nice to get back to a straight-ahead rock version of 'Sandman,' so.. Enter Ween. If you think they're joking around at first, just wait until Dean rips into another one of his awesome guitar solos and see if you don't change your mind.
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Motorhead
'Enter Sandman' by Metallica's DaddyYou think we're dumb enough to give anybody else but Lemmy the nod for best cover of 'Enter Sandman?' Well, we're not! Motorhead churns out a slightly punkier, raspier-throated version of their disciples biggest hit, and we're sure Metallica loved it more than anybody else! Imagine having one of your heroes cover your song?