A collaboration between Lou Reed and Metallica.

The conception of th… Read Full Bio ↴A collaboration between Lou Reed and Metallica.

The conception of the collaboration project began in 2009 when both Metallica and Lou Reed performed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 25th Anniversary Concert. After that performance, the two entities began "kicking around the idea of making a record together," but didn't start working together until two years later. In February 2011, Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett announced that in May 2011 the group would start working on something that's "not 100 percent a Metallica record. It's a recording project, let's put it that way." The secret project was publicly revealed to be a collaboration with Lou Reed once the recording of the album had been completed in June 2011.

The collaboration was originally intended to be Metallica re-recording various previously unreleased tracks Reed had written over the years. Among these unreleased demos was a collection of songs composed for a play called Lulu—a theatrical production of two plays originally written by the German playwright Frank Wedekind. Reed shared the demos of these songs with the members of Metallica to help bring the "piece to the next level,"and the group provided "significant arrangement contributions" to the material.[8] David Fricke of Rolling Stone heard at least two of the songs from the project in June 2011—"Pumping Blood" and "Mistress Dread"—and described their sound as a "raging union of [Reed's] 1973 noir classic, Berlin, and Metallica's '86 crusher, Master of Puppets."

Cheat On Me
Lou Reed & Metallica Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Why do you cheat on me
Why do I cheat on thee
Why do I cheat on me
Why do I cheat on me

I have a passionate heart
It can tear us apart
I have the loves of many men

But I don't love any of them

Why do I cheat on me
Why do I cheat on me
Why do I cheat on thee
Why do I cheat on me why
Why do I cheat on me

Why do I cheat on me

You have your feelings
I have mine
I spit upon you and change my mind
I have many hearts to break
And many, many, many more to take

Let the light of stars pour out
Like a candle in a spout
Let the wick recede and break
Let the starlight radiate

Why do you cheat on me
Why do I cheat on me
Why do I cheat on thee
Why do I desecrate me
Why do I cheat on me
Why do I cheat on me

Why do I cheat on me
Why do I cheat on me
Why do I piss my dreams
That's because that's what it is
I have the drive
I got the scope
If I, if I, if I, could I give you a rope

Your love means zero to me
I'm a passionateless wave upon the sea
Passionateless wave upon the sea
Why, why, why
Do you cheat on me
Why, why, why
Why do I cheat on me
Oh why, do I cheat on me
Why do I cheat on me
Why do I cheat on me
Why do I cheat on me
Why do I cheat on myself
Well I got nobody else

Why do you cheat on me
Why do I cheat, cheat, cheat, cheat, cheat on me
Why do I cheat on myself
Well, well, well I really have nobody else
Why do you cheat
Why do you cheat on me
Why do you cheat
Why do you cheat on me

Why do I cheat on me
Why do I cheat on me
Why do I cheat on me
Why do I cheat on myself
Well I got nobody else

Why do I cheat on me
Why do you cheat on me
Your love means zero to me

A passionateless wave
Your love means zero to me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Cheat On Me" by Lou Reed and Metallica explores the concept of cheating in a relationship, both from the perspective of the person being cheated on and the one doing the cheating. The song questions why either party feels the need to cheat, exploring the feeling of a "passionate heart" that tears them apart and makes them seek out other partners. The line "I have the loves of many men, but I don't love any of them" suggests a lack of emotional connection despite the physical connection.

The lyrics then turn to a more introspective approach, with the question "why do I cheat on me?" highlighting the self-destructive nature of cheating. The verse "I have many hearts to break and many, many, many more to take" suggests a lack of empathy towards the other party, and a desire to play the field and explore different relationships.

The song's refrain "why do you cheat on me, why do I cheat on thee" suggests a back-and-forth between the two people in the relationship, with both parties potentially guilty of infidelity. The final lines of the song, "your love means zero to me, a passionateless wave upon the sea", hints at the ultimate lack of fulfillment and emotional connection gained from cheating, and the realization that the person may be better off alone than constantly seeking out new relationships.

Line by Line Meaning

Why do you cheat on me
Questioning the partner's infidelity and seeking an answer

Why do I cheat on thee
Wondering why oneself is unfaithful to the loved one

Why do I cheat on me
Reflecting on one's own self-destructive behavior

Why do I cheat on me
Reiterating the self-questioning about infidelity

I have a passionate heart
Acknowledging one's own intense emotions but not necessarily directing them towards the partner

It can tear us apart
Realizing that excessive passion can lead to conflicts and chaos in the relationship

I have the loves of many men
Admitting to enjoying the company of multiple partners

But I don't love any of them
Admitting to the lack of emotional attachment to any of the partners

You have your feelings
Recognizing that the partner also has their own emotions and perspectives

I have mine
Asserting that one's own feelings are also important

I spit upon you and change my mind
Displaying a volatile and indecisive attitude towards the partner

I have many hearts to break
Boasting about the ability to seduce and hurt other people

And many, many, many more to take
Implying a continuous desire for new partners

Let the light of stars pour out
Expressing a longing for celestial beauty and romanticism

Like a candle in a spout
Comparing oneself to a flickering flame that can be extinguished easily

Let the wick recede and break
Invoking a sense of abandonment and impermanence

Let the starlight radiate
Emphasizing the importance of cosmic illumination and inspiration

Why do I desecrate me
Acknowledging the destructive behavior towards oneself

Why do I cheat on me
Repeating the introspective question about infidelity

Why do I cheat on me
Again questioning one's own motives of betrayal

Why do I piss my dreams
Noticing the self-sabotaging impulse towards self-realization

That's because that's what it is
Justifying the self-destructive behavior as an inherent trait or tendency

I have the drive
Claiming to possess the ambition and motivation for success

I got the scope
Asserting the ability to envision and plan for the future

If I, if I, if I, could I give you a rope
Expressing a hypothetical desire to harm the partner or oneself

Your love means zero to me
Asserting that the partner's affection is of no significance

I'm a passionateless wave upon the sea
Depicting oneself as an emotional void with no stable identity

Why, why, why
Emphasizing the intensity of the questioning and confusion

Why do I cheat on me
Reiterating the theme of self-imposed betrayal

Why do I cheat on me
Continuing the introspection and self-analysis

Why do I cheat on me
Stating the recurring question to encourage self-reflection

Why do I cheat on myself
Condemning the self-destructive act as an offense to oneself

Well I got nobody else
Admitting the lack of another person to blame or share responsibility

Why do you cheat on me
Questioning the partner's loyalty again

Why do I cheat, cheat, cheat, cheat, cheat on me
Intensifying the acknowledgment of the own infidelity

Why do I cheat on myself
Emphasizing the self-inflicted injury

Well, well, well I really have nobody else
Reiterating the lack of external influence on the self-destructive behavior

Why do you cheat
Challenging the partner to explain their actions

Why do you cheat on me
Demanding an answer to the puzzling question of infidelity

Why do I cheat on me
Final reiteration of the central theme of self-inflicted harm

Why do I cheat on me
Closing the song with the poignant question of introspection

Why do I cheat on me
Repeating the original lyrics as a haunting echo of self-doubt

Why do I cheat on myself
Final reminder of the internal nature of the problem

Well I got nobody else
Final confession of the loneliness and self-responsibility

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KIRK HAMMETT, JAMES HETFIELD, LOU REED, ROBERT TRUJILLO, LARS ULRICH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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