so there weren't any dark corners to hide in. All these local guys were looking at us like, "What are these guys? Is that a woman or a man?" – just like in the song. ... That was one incident, but there were so many others on the road that led Seger to write that song. Seger said of the song: While on tour in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on November 16, 2006, promoting his 16th studio album Face the Promise, Seger said he wrote the song in a hotel room in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Instrumentation Both Seger's studio and live versions of "Turn the Page" feature a Mellotron and a saxophone part played by founding Silver Bullet member Alto Reed. Tom Weschler allegedly helped inspire Reed to create the opening melody. During recording, Weschler told Reed: "Alto, think about it like this: You're in New York City, on the Bowery. It's 3 a.m. You're under a streetlamp. There's a light mist coming down. You're all by yourself. Show me what that sounds like." With that, Reed played the opening melody to "Turn the Page". Personnel on live recording Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Seger's 1994 Greatest Hits compilation. Bob Seger – lead vocals, electric piano The Silver Bullet Band Drew Abbott – guitar Chris Campbell – bass Charlie Allen Martin – drums Alto Reed – saxophone Robyn Robbins – Mellotron Reception Classic Rock History critic Janey Roberts rated it as Seger's 3rd best song, saying that it "featured one of the most memorable saxophone lines in rock and roll history" and that "'The same old cliches, is that a woman or a man?' is easily one of his most haunting lyrics." Certifications Jon English cover Australian singer Jon English released a version of the song in 1974 as the lead single from his second studio album, It's All a Game. The song peaked at number 20 on the Kent Music Report. Metallica cover American heavy metal band Metallica released a version of the song as the first single from their 1998 Garage Inc. album. The song reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for 11 consecutive weeks, the highest number of weeks Metallica has ever spent at the top until tied with Lux Aeterna in 2022; the song also reached number 2 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100. Drummer Lars Ulrich had heard