The history of the legendary band Megadeth could well have ended back in 1993, when its founder and leader Dave Mustaine almost went to the next world after swallowing Valium over a hefty dose of alcohol. But the doctors managed to pump him out, after which the musician spent several weeks in a rehabilitation center.
With this event, Megadeth fans associate the birth of the song A Tout le Monde (“To the whole world”) from the album Youthanasia (1994).
Story and Meaning of A Tout Monde
A lot of fans of the group, journalists and critics are sure that it is about suicide. The words of the composition A Tout Monde suggest similar thoughts even to those who are not familiar with Mustaine’s biography and do not know anything about his attempt to commit suicide.
However, Dave Mustaine himself denies this. Here’s what he said in an interview explaining what A Tout Monde is about:
This is not a song about suicide. She is…. about people whose loved one dies, and they had an unsuccessful conversation at the last meeting, and now they regret that they cannot say anything more to them. So this is an opportunity for the dead to say something before they leave. And these were my ideas of what I would like to say to people if I had, for example, three seconds of life for this before I die.
I would say to the whole world, to all my friends, that I love you all, and now I must go. These are the last words I will say and they will set me free. I shouldn’t say that I regret anything. I don’t have to say that I will miss you or wait for you. You know, I’ll just say that I loved you all: good, bad, indifferent – I loved you all.
Share in the comments your versions of the main idea of the song A Tout Monde.
Release and achievements
The single A Tout le Monde was released in February 1995. Soon a video clip was filmed, which MTV refused to air, seeing the song as propaganda for suicide. They agreed to broadcast it only after comments appeared in the video, urging viewers to give up possible thoughts of suicide and seek help from specialists.
Watch the online video clip of A Tout Monde by Megadeth.
But that wasn’t the end of the song’s troubles for Megadeth. In September 2006, Kimvir Gill opened fire on students at Dawson College. Before that, he mentioned the song A Tout le Monde in his VampireFreaks.com account.
Naturally, a hail of all kinds of accusations fell upon the group. It was only after Dave Mustaine made public statements that the killer was unworthy of being considered a Megadeth fan, he explained the true meaning of the song A Tout le Monde and said that the group had never called for violence.
In 2007, the song was re-recorded and re-released as À Tout le Monde (Set Me Free). This version was sung as a duet with Cristina Scabbia. You can watch the music video below.
Interesting Facts
- Gravis (a dash above the letter) appeared in the title of A Tout le Monde only in the 2007 version. It didn’t exist in the original.
- The phrase in French from the song Dave posted on his website when he informed fans about the breakup of Megadeth.
A Tout le Monde Lyrics by Megadeth
Don’t remember where I was
I realized life was a game
The more seriously I took things
The harder the rules became
I had no idea what it’d cost
My life passed before my eyes
I found out how little I accomplished
All my plans denied
So as you read this know my friends
I’d love to stay with you all
Please smile when you think of me
My body’s gone that’s all
A tout le monde
A tout mes amis
Je vous aim
Je dois partier
These are the last words
I’ll ever speak
And they’ll set me free
If my heart was still alive
I know it would surely break
And my memories left with you
There’s nothing more to say
Moving on is a simple thing
What it leaves behind is hard
You know the sleeping feel no more pain
And the living are scarred
A Tout le Monde Lyrics Alternative
I don’t remember where I’ve been
I realized that life was a game
The more seriously I looked at everything,
The more difficult the rules became
I had no idea what it would cost me
All life passed before my eyes
I realized how little I did
Abandoning your plans
Reading this, know, my friends,
I would like to stay with you
Please smile when you think of me
My body is gone, this is the end
To the whole world
To all my friends
I love you,
I must go
These are the last words
that I will ever say
And they will set me free
If my heart was still alive
I know it would surely break
Memories of me will remain with you
Nothing else to download
Easy to move forward
But what remains is hard
You know, those who are gone forever don’t feel pain anymore
And the living are scarred
