10 Rock Songs With Weird Instruments

By the time Metallica reached the mid 90's, their core fanbase had been thrown more than a few curveballs. With the band's self titled 1991 release straying from thrash, the band went a step further on Load and Reload, leaving many fans to accuse the band of selling out.

Then again, "Low Man's Lyric" is the furthest thing from a hit song formula as Metallica could have possibly gotten. While the band had been known for quiet acoustic guitars for their ballad material, the main sonic presence in this song is a hurdy-gurdy, which looks and sounds like a rolling fiddle. To say that this felt out of place on a Metallica record was a definite understatement given the band's track record of writing sonic metal assaults that melted your face off.

However, the song is incredibly inventive, with James Hetfield riding the rhythm of the tune much like a country singer would. The lyrics detail a homeless man's journey back to his family, with him trying to feel compassion but ultimately wanting to submit to narcotic habits. Thanks to the hurdy-gurdy's more circular sound, the track goes from being a treasonous act from the metal gods to one of the most mournful songs the band would ever create.