Enter Sandman

Song Meaning of Enter Sandman by Metallica, and what it is about

"Enter Sandman" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica and is the opening track and lead single from their self-titled fifth album, released in 1991.

The music was written by Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. Vocalist and rhythm guitarist Hetfield wrote the lyrics, which deal with the concept of a child's nightmares.

Enter Sandman was the first song Metallica had written for their 1991 eponymous album.

Metallica's songwriting at that time was done mainly by rhythm guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, after they gathered tapes of song ideas and concepts from the other members of the band, lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Jason Newsted.

Ulrich's house in Berkeley, California, was used for this purpose.

"Enter Sandman" evolved from a guitar riff that Hammett wrote, after being inspired by Soundgarden's 1989 album Louder Than Love.

Originally, the riff was two bars in length, but Ulrich suggested the first bar be played three times and the second bar only be repeated every fourth time.

The instrumental parts of the song were quickly finished, but Hetfield did not come up with vocal melodies and lyrics for a long time.

The song was among the album's last to have lyrics, and the lyrics featured in the song are not the original; Hetfield felt that "Enter Sandman" sounded "catchy and kind of commercial" and so to counterbalance the sound, he wrote lyrics about "destroying the perfect family; a huge horrible secret in a family" that included references to crib death.

For the first time in Metallica's history, however, Ulrich and producer Bob Rock told Hetfield that they felt he could write better lyrics.

Nevertheless, according to Ulrich, the song was the "foundation, the guide to the whole record" even before it had lyrics.

"Enter Sandman" had what Hetfield described as a "wall of guitars"— three rhythm guitar tracks of the same riff played by himself to create a "wall of sound".

According to engineer Randy Staub, close to 50 takes of the drums were recorded because Ulrich did not record the song in its entirety, but rather recorded each section of the song separately.

Because it was difficult to get in one take the "intensity" that the band wanted, numerous takes were selected and edited together.

Staub mentioned that the production team spent much time getting the best sound from each part of the room and used several combinations of 40 to 50 microphones in recording the drums and guitars to simulate the sound of a live concert.

Enter Sandman lyrics by Metallica

Say your prayers, little one

Don't forget, my son

To include everyone

I tuck you in, warm within

Keep you free from sin

Till the Sandman he comes

Sleep with one eye open

Gripping your pillow tight

Exit light

Enter night

Take my hand

We're off to Never—, Neverland

Something's wrong, shut the light

Heavy thoughts tonight

And they aren't of Snow White

Dreams of war, dreams of liars

Dreams of dragon's fire

And of things that will bite

Sleep with one eye open

Gripping your pillow tight

Exit light

Enter night

Take my hand

We're off to Never—, Neverland

Now I lay me down to sleep

Pray the Lord my soul to keep

If I die before I wake

Pray the Lord my soul to take

Hush little baby, don't say a word

And never mind that noise you heard

It's just the beasts under your bed

In your closet, in your head

Exit light

Enter night

Grain of sand

Exit light

Enter night

Take my hand

We're off to Never—, Neverland

We're off to Never—, Neverland

Take my hand

We're off to Never—, Neverland

Take my hand

We're off to Never—, Neverland

We're off to Never—, Neverland

We're off to Never—, Neverland

We're off to Never—, Neverland