Enter Sandman
"Enter Sandman" | ||||
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Single by Metallica | ||||
from the album Metallica | ||||
B-side |
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Released | July 29, 1991[1] | |||
Recorded | June 16, 1991 | |||
Studio | One on One (Los Angeles) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 5:31 | |||
Label | Elektra | |||
Composer(s) | ||||
Lyricist(s) | James Hetfield | |||
Producer(s) |
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Metallica singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Enter Sandman" on YouTube |
"Enter Sandman" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica. It 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 guitarist Hetfield wrote the lyrics, which deal with the concept of a child's nightmares.
The single reached number 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and achieved platinum certification for more than 1,000,000 copies shipped in the United States, spurring sales of over 30 million copies for Metallica and propelling Metallica to worldwide popularity. Acclaimed by critics, the song is featured in all of Metallica's live albums and DVDs released after 1991 and has been played live at award ceremonies and benefit concerts.
Writing and recording
"Enter Sandman" was the first song Metallica had written for their
An instrumental demo was recorded on August 13, 1990. The album Metallica was mostly recorded in Los Angeles at One on One Studios, between October 6, 1990, and June 16, 1991, although Ulrich, Hetfield, and Rock also recorded for a week in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, between April and May 1991. As the first to be produced by Bob Rock, it was recorded differently from previous Metallica albums; Rock suggested that the band members record in the studio while playing together, rather than separately.[9]
"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 "
Composition
The simpler songs in the album Metallica,[4] including "Enter Sandman", are a departure from the band's previous, more musically complex album ...And Justice for All.[12][13] Ulrich described "Enter Sandman" as a "one-riff song", in which all of its sections derive from the main riff credited to Kirk Hammett.[4]
"Enter Sandman" moves at a tempo of 123 beats per minute for the song length of 5:32 which is slightly above the average song length of the album.
Release and reception
Initially, the song "Holier Than Thou" was slated to be the opening track and first single from Metallica;[4] according to the documentary A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica, producer Bob Rock told Ulrich and Hetfield that the album has "five or six songs that are going to be classics", not only with fans but also on the radio, and that "the first song that should come out is 'Holier Than Thou'".[20] According to Rock, Ulrich was the only band member who felt, even before recording, that "Enter Sandman" was the ideal song to be the first single.[9] Ulrich has said that there was a "big argument"; however, after explaining his point of view to the rest of the band,[4] "Enter Sandman" eventually became the opening track and first single of the album.[21][22]
The single was released on July 29, 1991, two weeks before the release of Metallica.
"Enter Sandman" was acclaimed by critics. Chris True of AllMusic declared it "one of Metallica's best moments" and a "burst of stadium level metal that, once away from the buildup intro, never lets up".[13] According to him, the song's breakdown "brilliantly utilizes that 'Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep' bedtime prayer in such a way as to add to the scary movie aspect of the song".[13] Steve Huey, in AllMusic's review of Metallica, described it as one of the album's best songs, with "crushing, stripped-down grooves".[29] Robert Palmer of Rolling Stone described "Enter Sandman" as "possibly the first metal lullaby" and wrote that the song "tell[s] the tale" of the album's "detail and dynamic, [...] song structures and impact of individual tracks".[30] Sid Smith from the BBC called the song "psycho-dramatic" and noted that the "terse motifs served notice that things were changing" with Metallica's new album.[31] Blender magazine's Tim Grierson says that the lyrics "juxtapose childhood bedtime rituals and nightmarish imagery" and praises the "thick bottom end and propulsive riff".[8]
"Enter Sandman" has received many accolades. Rolling Stone magazine listed it as the 408th song on their "
Since the song's release, there have been claims that the main riff was taken from the song "Tapping into the Emotional Void" by
Music video
"Enter Sandman" was the second music video from Metallica and the first from Metallica. It was also the first of six Metallica music videos directed by Wayne Isham.[44] Recorded in Los Angeles, it premiered on July 30, 1991, two weeks before the release of the album.[21] The plot of the music video directly relates to the theme of the song, combining images of a child having nightmares and images of an old man (R. G. Armstrong) with shots of the band playing the song.[45] The child dreams that he is drowning, falling from the top of a building, covered in snakes, being chased by a truck and finally falling from a mountain while escaping the truck. During the part of the song in which the child recites a prayer, he is being watched by the Sandman. Throughout the video, the picture flickers continuously. The music video won Best Hard Rock Video at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards and was nominated for Best Cinematography and Best Editing.[26] Andrew Blackie of PopMatters has said the video's "narrative suits the sludgy riffs and James Hetfield's twisted lullaby lyric".[45]
Appearances and covers
"Enter Sandman" has been played in almost every Metallica live performance since its release. The band released live versions of the song in the videos
Motörhead covered "Enter Sandman" in 1998, and received a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards.
The song was also used by
During the
When
"Enter Sandman" is used in the polka melody "Polka Your Eyes Out" for "Weird Al" Yankovic's 1992 album Off the Deep End. The song was also sampled by British electronic duo Utah Saints and American rapper Chuck D on their track "Power to the Beats". This was the first time that Metallica had cleared a sample of one of their songs.[56]
Since 2000, "Enter Sandman" has been used as the entrance theme for the
Since 2021, "Enter Sandman" has been used as entrance music for the
It was used by Brock Lesnar as an entrance song during 5 of his MMA fights in the UFC. [citation needed]
Track listings
US single
- "Enter Sandman" – 5:37
- "Stone Cold Crazy" – 2:19
International CD single
- "Enter Sandman" – 5:37
- "Stone Cold Crazy" – 2:19
- "Enter Sandman (Demo)" – 5:05
International 12-inch vinyl single (4 tracks)
- "Enter Sandman" – 5:34
- "Holier Than Thou (Work in Progress...)" – 3:48
- "Stone Cold Crazy" – 2:17
- "Enter Sandman (Demo)" – 5:05
International 12-inch vinyl single (3 tracks)
- "Enter Sandman" – 5:34
- "Stone Cold Crazy" – 2:17
- "Enter Sandman (Demo)" – 5:05
International 7-inch vinyl single
- "Enter Sandman" – 5:34
- "Stone Cold Crazy" – 2:17
International 7-inch vinyl picture disc single
- "Enter Sandman" – 5:34
- "Stone Cold Crazy" – 2:17
Australian 2-track CD single
- "Enter Sandman" – 5:37
- "Stone Cold Crazy" – 2:19
Japanese 2-track 3-inch CD single
- "Enter Sandman"
- "Stone Cold Crazy"
Personnel
Personnel adapted from Metallica liner notes,[61][62] except where noted.
- Metallica
- James Hetfield – guitars, vocals, production
- Lars Ulrich – drums, production
- Kirk Hammett – lead guitar
- Jason Newsted – bass
- Additional Personnel
- Bob Rock’s son – child talking[63]
- Bob Rock – producer
- Randy Staub – engineer
- Mike Tacci – assistant engineer
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
|
Certifications and sales
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[91] | 5× Platinum | 350,000‡ |
Canada (Music Canada)[92] | Gold | 50,000^ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[93] | Platinum | 90,000‡ |
France ( SNEP)[94]
|
Gold | 100,000* |
Germany (BVMI)[95] | Platinum | 500,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI)[96] sales since 2009 |
Platinum | 50,000‡ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[97] | Platinum | 60,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[98] | 2× Platinum | 1,200,000‡ |
United States (RIAA)[99] Physical |
Gold | 500,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[101] Digital |
Platinum | 1,000,000^ / 3,169,026[100] |
Ringtone / Mastertone | ||
Canada (Music Canada)[102] | Gold | 20,000* |
United States (RIAA)[103] | Gold | 500,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
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External links
- Lyrics from Metallica's official website