Pick up Metallica vinyl, merch, magazines and more over at Revolver's shop
"Enter Sandman" isn't just Metallica's biggest song, it's possibly the most iconic metal track ever — and James Hetfield didn't even like it at first.
In a new episode of Metallica's Masterclass video series, the band's frontman revealed that during the writing process for "Enter Sandman," Hetfield was unsure about the song's potential until Lars Ulrich and producer Bob Rock suggested he go back to the lyrics and work on them some more.
"I didn't think 'Enter Sandman' was such a great song," Hetfield admitted. "I think Lars Ulrich and Bob Rock said, 'Go back. I challenge you to go back.'
"And I did, and that line, that catch-phrase, 'Off to never, neverland,' [came out]."
"What happens in our sleep? Why do we have nightmares? A lot of people could identify with that. Everyone has nightmares. What do you do with them? Why do they show up?"
It's wild to think that if Rock and Ulrich didn't hear the initial magic in "Enter Sandman," then Metallica may never have written it — and the entire "Black Album" might've resonated differently. Who knows where Metallica — and therefore metal writ large — would be today?
Check out the Masterclass clip above via YouTube.
