The Memory Remains (feat. Marianne Faithfull)

I've always had a theory that this song was about Guns N' Roses, specifically ripping on Axl Rose, because James doesn't like Axl....especially considering Axl stood Metallica up the day James burned...and "The Memory Remains" refers to that memory

Fortune, fame Mirror vain Gone insane But the memory remains

** Pretty much sums Axl up to a T...GN'R went to hell because Axl overtook the band and believed that he was the whole band

Heavy rings on fingers wave Another star denies the grave See the nowhere crowd Cry the nowhere tears of honor

** The rings could refer to Axl's excessive jewelry, and the star denying the grave would be Hetfield because he some how managed to not die from the stage mishap...at the time when the song was written, GN'R was already split up and had their "nowhere crowd", also referring to Axl as the faded prima donna (a pun against him as a female...there's even a backstage video of Hetfield referring to Axl as scrawny and girly)

Heavy rings hold cigarettes Up to lips that time forgets While the Hollywood sun sets Behind your back

** Again, this should be pretty obvious given Axl's cigarette habits and then reason Axl gave for standing Metallica up the night Hetfield burned was because his voice (due to his heavy cigarette smoking)...Hollywood is where GN'R took off and were at one time called "Hollywood Rose"

And can't the band play on Just listen, they play my song Ash to ash Dust to dust Fade to black

** This is what really strikes me..."and can't the band play on?" Hetfield asks...a riot occured that night GN'R refused to "play on"....Metallica couldn't play on because Hetfield burned (ash to ash, dust to dust), during the song Fade to Black (what a coincidence)

Dance little tin goddess

** Could be another female pun against Axl...and we've probably all seen him doing his weird dances and sways on stage as he performs