Dave Mustaine Sets Record Straight About Megadeth Song

12-11-2023

Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine has shared the inspiration behind one the band's most controversial and misunderstood songs, "A Tour le Monde," from their 1994 "Youthanasia."

The height of the misunderstanding over the lyrics to the song that translate to "to everyone, to all my friends, I love you, I must go," came in 2006 when a gunman in Canada referenced the song.

Mustaine spoke to Spin about what the track actually means and what inspired it. He shared, "It was basically about a dream I had where... My mom had died suddenly, and it was very shocking. And in my dream, my mom was able to come back to earth and say one thing only. And that one thing was, 'I love you.'

"And I thought that would be great if I was able when I go to heaven to come back and say one thing to the people who I love - I would want to say, 'I love you.' I wouldn't want to say, like, 'Don't touch that' - you know, something stupid. I would rather it be something meaningful."

He went on to address the controversy, "Unfortunately, in Canada, there was some controversy around the song, but I handled it. I said I was not going to let that guy try and take my song away from the people I wrote it for. And that thing kind of went away - trying to blame us for that.

"It was much like the Judas Priest thing that happened a long time ago. But I think the song's a beautiful song, and people love it."