Metallica Played Banned Tom Jones Hit During Show at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium

Metallica have forever played by their own set of rules, and their Sunday night (June 28) show at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales was no exception. As they’ve done throughout their nearly four-year M72 world tour, bassist Robert Trujillo and guitarist Kirk Hammett paid tribute to a local hero during their nightly “doodle” segment in the set, with Sunday’s honor going to Welsh legend Tom Jones.

The only problem is the song they chose, Jones’ iconic 1968 Billboard Hot 100 No. 15 hit “Delilah,” has been banned from being performed by choirs in the stadium during rugby matches over the song’s violent lyrics for several years. The NME reported that the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has forbidden the song from being performed at the venue since 2023 due to the lyrics — written by Barry Mason — from the perspective of a man who kills wife after seeing her with another man.

In announcing the ban three years ago, the WRU said they “condemn domestic violence of any kind,” explaining, “We have previously sought advice from subject matter experts on the issue of censoring the song and we are respectfully aware that it is problematic and upsetting to some supporters because of its subject matter.” Jones rubbished the decision during one of his shows at Cardiff Castle in July 2023, telling the audience, “You can’t stop us singing ‘Delilah.’ They may stop the choir from singing it, but they haven’t stopped the crowd. Keep on singing it — and I’ll keep on singing it too.”

Trujillo took the lead vocal during the performance at band’s first show in Wales in three decades, with the crowd joining in on the chorus, singing, “Why, why, why, Delilah?/ So before they come to break down the door/ Forgive me, Delilah, I just couldn’t take any more.” Previous Doodle segments have included covers of Rammstein in Berlin, ABBA in Sweden, A-ha in Norway, the Pogues in Dublin and the Proclaimers in Glasgow.

Following the Principality Stadium show, Metallica donated more than $26,000 to the Cardiff Foodbank through their All Within My Hands foundation. The food bank posted about the donation on Instagram, writing that the donation will help the organization replenish their warehouse and support around 1,000 people with the equivalent of 9,000 meals.

Metallica will set up shop at London Stadium for a pair of shows on Friday (July 3) and Sunday (July 5) before taking the rest of the summer off in advance of the Oct. 1 kick-off of their 24-date Life Burns Faster Sphere residency in Las Vegas.