Metallica have released a number of music videos over the years but perhaps their most famous effort was also the first one they ever made, the video for One. The song One won a Grammy Award and appeared on the …And Justice For All album. It was released in 1989 and was also the band’s first top 40 single.

One is a long song, lasting 7 minutes 24 seconds and it kicks off with a spectacular steadily rising battle montage before the guitar kicks in. Written by Hetfield and Ulrich the song is based on a 1939 novel called Johnny Got His Gun about an unfortunate soldier in World War I who loses all his limbs and his senses, leaving him as a torso with no ability to communicate with the outside world, trapped within his own mind.

The video used footage from the 1971 film adaptation of Johnny Got His Gun and Metallica bought the rights to it so they could use it in their video. The video also featured footage of Metallica performing in a warehouse rendered in black and white to fit the movie footage. The video was directed by Bill Pope and Michael Salomon and it is a powerfully affecting piece of work which was named one of the best rock videos of all time. It cleverly weaves dialogue and scenes from the movie with Metallica showing off their skills.

It was filmed in Long Beach California back in 1988 and premiered on MTV on January 22nd 1989. It is well worth watching so if you have never seen it then check out the Metallica Website where you can watch the entire video for free.