
"Enter Sandman" – Metallica
Release Date: July 29, 1991
Album: Metallica (commonly called The Black Album)
Genre: Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Written by: James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett
Length: 5:31
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Song Summary & Meaning
"Enter Sandman" is a dark and haunting metal anthem about childhood fears and the loss of innocence. The lyrics follow a sinister lullaby theme, turning the bedtime ritual into a nightmare:
“Exit light, enter night / Take my hand / We’re off to never-never land…”
Originally, Hetfield intended it to address Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), but the band shifted it toward a broader concept of fear and the unknown, making it more universally unsettling.