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Enter Sandman - Metallica

Hey all. Back for another lyrics analysis. I wanted to do this one since a long long time, but my laziness got the best of me. Anyway, I heard this song when I was still new to the whole metal thing and when I read the lyrics I felt it was scary. It is actually. Read on.

Yeah so the thing with this song is that it actually makes a lot of sense. It has a meaning, a purpose, a story, everything. Ahh, back in the days, James Hetfield was writing great lyrics. Anyway here's my take on the song.


I love the way the lyrics kicks in. It really does great justice to the great intro this song has. The above lines are pretty simple. Its talking about a kid that is about to go to sleep. Saying his prayers like all kid should do. I really like the part where James goes "Keep you free from sin till the sandman he comes". The words are so true. Many parents tell these kind of stuff to their kids to shut them up.


This is the pre chorus and the chorus. I remember when I was a kid I used to sleep like that. One eye open and gripping my pillow... Haven't we all. To me the chorus is where the kid in the song is actually getting sleepy and diving into a dream. Like the kid is so scared, but he still falls asleep. Cause he's tired.


I love this part. "Heavy thoughts tonight and they arent of snow white". That line is so funny. That's the part of the song where the kid is having nightmares. Yeah being a kid and not understanding anything makes you prone to getting scared at night. I like to think of this song as a protest. As a protest against parents traumatising their kids with stupid fake sandman stories. Now stop it!

The next part of the song is the same pre chorus followed by the chorus. Then comes this part. But before that, there is an awesome solo. Its not the hardest solo to play (among the easiest on thier self-titled album). I really like that solo because its in the spirit of the song. Its very true to the song. Its not like something that has been plugged in. Feels more like it has been built from within. Anyway listen to the song again and take note of that.


This part comes after the solo. And its really catchy. Catchy because there is a small kid talking in the background. Saying his prayers. Funny thing about the prayer is that its actually

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep;
Should I die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.
Source: wikipedia

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