Cemetery Gates (Pantera song)

"Cemetery Gates"
Song

For the Smiths song "Cemetry Gates", see the album The Queen Is Dead

"Cemetery Gates" is a song by heavy metal band Pantera. The song is the fifth track from Cowboys from Hell, the band's fifth album and second with lead singer Phil Anselmo (though the band considers it their first "true" album, officially ignoring their earlier independent releases). "Cemetery Gates" showcases Anselmo's vocal ability and range, concluding with screaming high notes answered by Dimebag Darrell on guitar in a trade off.

Theme

The lyrics lament the death of a female relative or friend and the prospect of dying or committing suicide and rejoining her in the afterlife. Phil Anselmo stated in an interview in 1991 that this song was written about his good friends that had committed suicide.

Release and reception

"Cemetery Gates" was the second single released by the band off their Cowboys from Hell album. It received a large amount of air-play by rock stations, and has become one of Pantera's most popular songs. It reached #18 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks. Guitar World magazine readers voted the song's solo the 35th greatest of all-time, which was Dimebag's 2nd highest ranking solo (after "Floods"). The song was nominated for Best Metal Performance at the 40th Grammy Awards in 1998.

Alternative Versions

A shorter version of "Cemetery Gates", without its acoustic beginning, was released into a music video. A shortened, five minute and forty-seven second version without the conclusion was included on the soundtrack of the 1995 film Tales from the Crypt Presents Demon Knight. Pantera's live album, Official Live: 101 Proof, includes a six and a half minute rendition of the song.

Covers

After Dimebag's death, the song was performed by Dream Theater as a tribute during Gigantour. The band was joined on stage by Russell Allen of Symphony X for the first verse, Burton C. Bell of Fear Factory for the second verse and Dave Mustaine of Megadeth for the ending solo. The song was also covered by Between the Buried and Me on their album The Anatomy Of. Another cover version by Evile appears in the Metal Hammer Tribute to Dimebag Darell album and a re-issue of their Infected Nations album. A cover of the song was also released as downloadable content for Rock Revolution. And wikipedia can fuck off