Damage, Inc. is the last track off Metallica's monumentally influential alb… Read Full Bio ↴Damage, Inc. is the last track off Metallica's monumentally influential album Master of Puppets. Following the trend of the album, the themes of destruction and violence are discussed. It is the only song in the whole Master Of Puppets album which contains profane language and is the last song to have all four members given writing credit during the Burton-Hammett era.

Cover versions include:
Swedish death metal band Crystal Age on Metal Militia - A Tribute To Metallica, Compilation CD, 1994 on Black Sun Records.

Damage Inc.
Metallica Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Dealing out the agony within
Charging hard and no one's gonna give in
Living on your knees, conformity
Or dying on your feet for honesty
Inbred, our bodies work as one
Bloody, but never cry submission
Following our instinct not a trend
Go against the grain until the end

Blood will follow blood
Dying time is here
Damage Incorporated

Slamming through, don't fuck with razorback
Stepping out you'll feel our hell on your back
Blood follows blood and we make sure
Life ain't for you and we're the cure
Honesty is my only excuse
Try to rob us of it, but it's no use
Steamroller action crushing all
Victim is your name and you shall fall

Blood will follow blood
Dying time is here
Damage Incorporated

We chew and spit you out
We laugh, you scream and shout
All flee, with fear you run
You'll know just where we come from
Damage Incorporated

Damage jackals ripping right through you
Sight and smell of this, it gets me goin'
Know just how to get just what we want
Tear it from your soul in nightly hunt
Fuck it all and fucking no regrets
Never happy ending on these dark sets
All's fair for Damage Inc., you see
Step a little closer if you please

Blood will follow blood

Dying time is here
Damage Incorporated

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Metallica's "Damage Inc." depict a chaotic, aggressive and rebellious attitude. The song is mainly about fighting against conformity and oppression, and living life on one's own terms, even if that means rebellion and violence. The lyrics encourage the listener to go against the grain, to have honesty as their only excuse, and never to submit or give in. The lines "Living on your knees, conformity / Or dying on your feet for honesty" express the idea that it is more important to stand up for oneself and live with integrity, even if it leads to one's downfall, than to submit to societal norms and expectations.

The lyrics also incorporate themes of dominance and power, as the band sings of causing damage and exerting their own strength on others. The lines "We chew and spit you out / We laugh, you scream and shout" show the band's control and ability to dominate others. The song also incorporates violent imagery, with references to blood and killing. The band members describe themselves as being "ripping jackals", hunting their victims at night.

Line by Line Meaning

Dealing out the agony within
Inflicting pain on ourselves to feel alive

Charging hard and no one's gonna give in
Pushing forward with determination, no matter the obstacles

Living on your knees, conformity
Choosing to follow the crowd instead of standing up for your beliefs

Or dying on your feet for honesty
Making the choice to stand up for truth and integrity, even if it means risking everything

Inbred, our bodies work as one
Working together with unity and strength

Bloody, but never cry submission
Facing struggles with courage and resilience, never giving up

Following our instinct not a trend
Trusting our own intuition rather than blindly following popular fashion

Go against the grain until the end
Continuing down our own unique path, even if it goes against the norm

Blood will follow blood
Retaliation and revenge for wrongs committed

Dying time is here
The end is near, life is fleeting

Damage Incorporated
Inflicting destruction and chaos, causing harm without regard for consequences

Slamming through, don't fuck with razorback
Breaking through obstacles fearlessly, without hesitation or restraint

Stepping out you'll feel our hell on your back
Consequences for crossing us, consequences for betraying our trust

Blood follows blood and we make sure
Retaliation and retribution for any harm done to us, with no mercy

Life ain't for you and we're the cure
You can't handle life on your own, we will be your salvation

Honesty is my only excuse
I will always tell the truth, no matter the cost

Try to rob us of it, but it's no use
Attempts to deceive or betray us will always be exposed

Steamroller action crushing all
Overwhelming force, crushing all who stand in our way

Victim is your name and you shall fall
Intimidation and dominance over those who oppose us and challenge our power

We chew and spit you out
We will destroy you without hesitation

We laugh, you scream and shout
Our power and dominance over you give us great pleasure

All flee, with fear you run
Our reputation precedes us, and people are terrified of crossing us

You'll know just where we come from
Our destructive nature and evil reputation will always precede us

Damage jackals ripping right through you
We will tear you apart with no mercy or remorse

Sight and smell of this, it gets me goin'
We love the thrill of causing destruction and chaos

Know just how to get just what we want
We are skilled at getting what we desire, no matter the cost

Tear it from your soul in nightly hunt
We will stop at nothing to get what we want, even if it requires great sacrifice

Fuck it all and fucking no regrets
We don't care about the damage we cause, or the consequences of our actions – we live without remorse or guilt

Never happy ending on these dark sets
Our path is one of destruction and chaos, there is no peace or redemption to be found

All's fair for Damage Inc., you see
We will do whatever it takes to get what we want, without regard for morality or ethics

Step a little closer if you please
Come closer, and we will show you the true destructive power of Damage Inc.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Clifford Lee Burton, James Alan Hetfield, Kirk L Hammett, Lars Ulrich

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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