Enter Sandman

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"Enter Sandman"
Song by Metallica
from the album Metallica
ReleasedJuly 29, 1991
RecordedJune 16, 1991
GenreHeavy metal, hard rock
Length5:31
LabelElektra
Songwriter(s)Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich
Producer(s)James Hetfield, Bob Rock, Lars Ulrich

"Enter Sandman" is the third single off of American metal band Metallica's fifth studio album Metallica. The song was released on July 29, 1991.

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.[1][2][3] Both the physical and mastertone releases were certified Gold and the digital release was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[4] It was nominated for Best Rock Song at the 34th Grammy Awards but lost to Sting's "The Soul Cages".[5]

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

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, jump off a building, gets covered in snakes and is chased by a semi truck. R. G. Armstrong plays the old man in the video.[7]

Virginia Tech uses the song for many of their athletic events.[8] American professional wrestler The Sandman used the song during his time in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW).[9]

References[change | change source]

  1. ↑ "Metallica - Mainstream Rock Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Metallica - Hot 100 Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Top RPM Singles (October 12, 1991)". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Metallica – Enter Sandman". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  5. ↑ "34th Annual Grammy Awards: Winners & Nominees". Grammy Awards. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  6. ↑ "The Making Of… Metallica's Enter Sandman". Uncut. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Behind the History and Meaning of the Metallica Song "Enter Sandman"". American Songwriter. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  8. ↑ "How Virginia Tech Teamed With Metallica for College Football's Greatest Entrance Tradition". Loudwire. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  9. ↑ "The Sandman". WWE. Retrieved September 3, 2023.

Other websites[change | change source]

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