How Deep Purple's 10-Minute Epic 'Child in Time' Inspired Young Lars Ulrich

Olivia KlimekSun, September 6, 2026 at 3:02 AM UTC

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Fifty-six years ago, rock pioneers Deep Purple released “Child in Time,” an epic 10-minute track that inspired a young Metallica star long before his legendary career began.

Released on June 3, 1970, as a key track on their fourth studio album, Deep Purple in Rock, “Child in Time” was quickly recognized by rock fans as a monumental work. Although it was never issued as a commercial single, the track found success among an underground audience, earning significant critical acclaim from rock fanatics.

“Child in Time” was co-written by all five members of Deep Purple’s iconic Mark II lineup, including Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord and Ian Paice. Spanning a staggering 10 minutes and 18 seconds, it stands as one of the longest and most ambitious compositions in their discography.

Glenn Hughes, Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Paice, Jon Lord and David Coverdale of Deep Purple pose for a portrait in 1973.Chris Walter/WireImage

The song utilizes a unique blend of hard rock, blues and psychedelic elements, building from a quiet, organ-led atmosphere into an explosive vocal climax. The stunning track stands as a quintessential hard-rock masterpiece, pairing a haunting melody with dramatic, high-intensity moments that leave listeners entranced—even inspiring some of the world’s rock icons.

In an interview on the Music And We podcast, Metallica drummer and co-founder Lars Ulrich revealed that “Child in Time” was one of the most transformative tracks he heard growing up. At just nine years old, Ulrich was captivated by how the song conveyed a story through its dramatic instrumentals:

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“And so when I think back to those very formative years, the Deep Purple song ‘Child in Time’, which I first heard on the Made in Japan album… it sort of had an epic feel and a different kind of feel than some of the other songs, and had these dynamics and felt more like a journey,” Ulrich recalled. “And so that felt like a journey, like a story. When you were listening to that song, that was a sort of an experience that kept evolving as you were listening to it.”

After seeing the band live with his dad in Denmark, Ulrich realized the song evolved with every performance, molding to whatever mood the players were in. The life the band brought to the track during each show caused him to fall even harder for the genre: “Deep Purple’s ‘Child In Time’ was the first time I was exposed to music that lived and breathed depending on what mood the players were in. And that has left a mark on me.”

Nearly six decades since its release, “Child in Time” continues to leave a lasting mark on music history. In the digital era, the track has maintained a strong presence among younger rock fans, accumulating over 119 million streams on Spotify.

Related: 1970 Country Song, Written in 25 Minutes at a Canadian Beach, Is Still a Powerful Hit 56 Years Later

This story was originally published by Parade on Sep 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”