Welcome Home
.Metallica. Lyrics


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Welcome to where time stands still
No one leaves and no one will
Moon is full, never seems to change
Just labeled mentally deranged
Dream the same thing every night
I see our freedom in my sight
No locked doors, no windows barred
No things to make my brain seem scarred

Sleep my friend and you will see
That dream is my reality
They keep me locked up in this cage
Can't they see it's why my brain says rage

Sanitarium, leave me be
Sanitarium, just leave me alone

Build my fear of what's out there
And cannot breathe the open air
Whisper things into my brain
Assuring me that I'm insane
They think our heads are in their hands
But violent use brings violent plans
Keep him tied, it makes him well
He's getting better, can't you tell?

No more can they keep us in
Listen, damn it, we will win
They see it right, they see it well
But they think this saves us from our Hell

Sanitarium, leave me be
Sanitarium, just leave me alone
Sanitarium, just leave me alone

Fear of living on
Natives getting restless now
Mutiny in the air
Got some death to do
Mirror stares back hard
Kill, it's such a friendly word




Seems the only way
For reaching out again

Overall Meaning

The song "Welcome Home" by Metallica paints the picture of a man who is trapped in a mental institution where he feels he is not given the freedom to live his life as he desires. The first stanza of the song describes the man's surroundings which are characterised by an unchanging full moon, locked doors, and barred windows. The man dreams of freedom from this place where he is locked up like an animal in a cage. The second stanza reveals that the man believes the dream of freedom is his reality, and his state of confinement is causing his brain to rage.


The third stanza describes the psychological effect of being confined in a sanitarium where doctors and nurses try to convince the man that he is insane. They build fear in him concerning the world outside and tell him that he is mentally ill. Metallica creates a chilling contrast between what the doctors want the man to believe and what he actually knows to be true. The final stanza reveals a sense of urgency and determination in the man's quest for freedom. He is convinced that their captors see that they are trapped in the place, but somehow they believe they are being protected from going to Hell. Metallica uses powerful and intense lyrics to depict the struggle of a man who is confined and seeks freedom in every way he knows how.


Line by Line Meaning

Welcome to where time stands still
The singer is in a place where they feel powerless and stagnant, like time has stopped.


No one leaves and no one will
The singer is trapped in this place, and they feel like they’ll never be able to leave.


Moon is full, never seems to change
Even though time seems to stand still, the singer feels a sense of consistency with the full moon always present.


Just labeled mentally deranged
The artist is misunderstood and judged by others, who have labelled them as “mentally ill” or “insane” for being in this place.


Dream the same thing every night
The artist has a repeated dream where they envision their freedom.


I see our freedom in my sight
The singer visualizes a life without constraints, which they feel is within their grasp.


No locked doors, no windows barred
The singer longs for a life without physical barriers or limitations.


No things to make my brain seem scarred
The artist desires a life without mental trauma or emotional pain.


Sleep my friend and you will see
The artist wants their friends to understand their perspective and hopes they can see the world through their eyes.


That dream is my reality
The artist believes that their dream and their desired reality are one and the same.


They keep me locked up in this cage
The singer feels imprisoned by those who are supposed to care for them.


Can't they see it's why my brain says rage
The artist is angry because they are being contained against their will, which is affecting their mental health.


Sanitarium, leave me be
The singer pleads to be left alone and allowed to live their life as they see fit.


Build my fear of what's out there
The singer has anxiety about the unknown world beyond their confines.


And cannot breathe the open air
The singer longs for fresh air and open spaces, but they feel like they can’t breathe because of their current situation.


Whisper things into my brain
The people in charge are manipulating the artist’s thoughts and feelings, causing them distress.


Assuring me that I'm insane
The artist feels gaslighted by those in care, who make them feel like they are crazy, even though they are not.


They think our heads are in their hands
The people in charge believe they have full control over the patients, however this belief will lead to their own violent demise


But violent use brings violent plans
Using violence to control others will ultimately lead to a violent uprising.


Keep him tied, it makes him well
The patients are being confined, which the caretakers believe will help them get better.


He's getting better, can't you tell?
The caretakers believe that their methods are working, while failing to see the true harm they are causing.


No more can they keep us in
The patients have had enough of being confined and are ready to take a stand.


Listen, damn it, we will win
The patients are demanding to be heard and are determined to succeed in their uprising.


They see it right, they see it well
The people in charge know what the patients are planning, but they do nothing to stop it.


But they think this saves us from our Hell
The people in charge believe that by confining the patients, they are protecting them from countless horrors outside their walls.


Fear of living on
The patients, despite being confined, are still afraid of living in the real world.


Natives getting restless now
The patients are getting impatient and feel like they need to take action.


Mutiny in the air
There is a sense of rebellion among the patients.


Got some death to do
There will be casualties during the uprising.


Mirror stares back hard
The patients are finally seeing themselves more clearly and realizing what they are capable of.


Kill, it's such a friendly word
The patients are being driven to violence and killing, which they see as natural and justified.


Seems the only way
The patients feel like killing is the only option they have left.


For reaching out again
Violence is the only way for the patients to reclaim control of their lives.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: James Alan Hetfield, Kirk L. Hammett, Lars Ulrich

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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