Wikipedia

Enter Sandman

1991 single by Metallica

"Enter Sandman" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica. It's the opening track and lead single from their self-titled fifth album. The music was written by Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. Vocalist and guitarist Hetfield wrote the lyrics which deal with the concept of a child's nightmares.

"Enter Sandman"
Single by Metallica
from the album Metallica
B-side
ReleasedJuly 29, 1991[1]
RecordedJune 16, 1991
StudioOne on One (Los Angeles)
Genre
Length5:31
LabelElektra
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)James Hetfield
Producer(s)
Metallica singles chronology
"One"
(1989) 		"Enter Sandman"
(1991) 		"The Unforgiven"
(1991)
Music video
"Enter Sandman" on YouTube

Background

change

When they were writing the song, Hetfield at first had "disrupt the perfect family" which he wrote about sudden infant death syndrome. He wanted this instead of "off to never never land". He also wanted the sandman to kill the baby but said that it was too corny. In an interview with Uncut, Hetfield said:

"I wanted more of the mental thing where this kid gets manipulated by what adults say. And you know when you wake up with that shit in your eye? That's supposedly been put in there by the sandman to make you dream. So the guy in the song tells this little kid that and he kinda freaks. He can't sleep after that and it works the opposite way. Instead of a soothing thing, the table's turned."[4]

In the song, Hetfield sings the bedtime prayer "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep".

Legacy

change

The song was able to make it to #10 on the Mainstream Rock, #16 on the Billboard Hot 100, and RPM's Canada Top Singles charts.[5][6][7]

Both the physical and mastertone releases were certified Gold and the digital release was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[8]

It was nominated for Best Rock Song at the 34th Grammy Awards but lost to Sting's "The Soul Cages".[9]

Music video

change

A music video for the song was released. It was directed by Wayne Isham. In the video, a child is in bed having nightmares while sleeping. In his nightmares, he is drowning, jumps off a building, gets covered in snakes and is chased by a semi truck. R. G. Armstrong plays the old man in the video.[10]

Track listings

change

US single

  1. "Enter Sandman" – 5:37
  2. "Stone Cold Crazy" – 2:19

International CD single

  1. "Enter Sandman" – 5:37
  2. "Stone Cold Crazy" – 2:19
  3. "Enter Sandman (Demo)" – 5:05

International 12-inch vinyl single (4 tracks)

  1. "Enter Sandman" – 5:34
  2. "Holier Than Thou (Work in Progress...)" – 3:48
  3. "Stone Cold Crazy" – 2:17
  4. "Enter Sandman (Demo)" – 5:05

International 12-inch vinyl single (3 tracks)

  1. "Enter Sandman" – 5:34
  2. "Stone Cold Crazy" – 2:17
  3. "Enter Sandman (Demo)" – 5:05

International 7-inch vinyl single

  1. "Enter Sandman" – 5:34
  2. "Stone Cold Crazy" – 2:17

International 7-inch vinyl picture disc single

  1. "Enter Sandman" – 5:34
  2. "Stone Cold Crazy" – 2:17

Australian 2-track CD single

  1. "Enter Sandman" – 5:37
  2. "Stone Cold Crazy" – 2:19

Japanese 2-track 3-inch CD single

  1. "Enter Sandman"
  2. "Stone Cold Crazy"

Personnel

change

Personnel adapted from Metallica liner notes,[11][12] except where noted.

Metallica
Additional Personnel
  • Bob Rock's son – child talking[13]
  • Bob Rock – producer
  • Randy Staub – engineer
  • Mike Tacci – assistant engineer

References

change
  1. ↑ "Enter Sandman". Metallica.com. Archived from the original on September 24, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
  2. ↑ Divita, Joe (July 8, 2020). "The 12 Best Covers of Metallica's 'Enter Sandman'". Loudwire. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  3. ↑ Bryan Rolli (May 9, 2023). "The Best Metallica Song From Every Decade". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved May 21, 2023. This era would include plenty of baffling artistic decisions and PR snafus, but there's no denying the primal, hard-rock perfection of the Black Album's lead single.
  4. ↑ "The Making Of… Metallica's Enter Sandman". Uncut. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Metallica - Mainstream Rock Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Metallica - Hot 100 Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Top RPM Singles (October 12, 1991)". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Metallica – Enter Sandman". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  9. ↑ "34th Annual Grammy Awards: Winners & Nominees". Grammy Awards. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Behind the History and Meaning of the Metallica Song "Enter Sandman"". American Songwriter. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  11. ↑ Metallica (liner notes). Metallica. Vertigo Records. 1991. 510 022-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ↑ Metallica (liner notes). Metallica. Blackened Recordings. 2021. 00602577471063.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ↑ Armstrong, Chuck (October 17, 2012). "'Enter Sandman' – Story Behind the Song". Ultimate Metallica. Retrieved November 21, 2023.

Other websites

change
Retrieved from "https://simple.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Enter_Sandman&oldid=9758786"