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The God That Failed
Metallica Lyrics


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Pride you took Pride you feel
Pride that you felt when you'd kneel
Not the word, not the love
Not what you thought from above

It feeds it grows
It clouds all that you will know
Deceit deceive
Decide just what you believe
I see faith in your eyes
Never your hear the discouraging lies
I hear faith in your cries
Broken is the promise, betrayal
The healing hand held back by the deepened nail
Follow the god that failed
Find your peace
Find your say
Find the smooth road in your way
Trust you gave
A child to save
Left you cold and him in grave

It feeds it grows
It clouds all that you will know
Deceit deceive
Decide just what you believe
I see faith in your eyes
Never you hear the discouraging lies
I hear faith in your cries
Broken is the promise, betrayal
The healing hand held back by the deepened nail
Follow the god that failed

I see faith in your eyes
Broken is the promise, betrayal
The healing hand held back by the deepened nail
Follow the god that failed

Pride you took pride you feel
Pride that you felt when you'd kneel
Trust you gave a child to save
Left you cold and him in grave

I see faith in your eyes
Never you hear the discouraging lies
I hear faith in your cries
Broken is the promise, betrayal
The healing hand held back by deepened nail
Follow the god that failed
Follow the god that failed
Broken is the promise, betrayal, betrayal yeah

Overall Meaning

"The God That Failed" is a song about the loss of faith in God and religion. It talks about the pride one feels while kneeling and praying, and how that pride can be clouded by deception and betrayal. The song implies that the belief in God can be a source of comfort and healing, but it can also be a source of pain and disappointment, especially when promises are broken and trust is betrayed. The song encourages listeners to find their own way and to decide what they truly believe in, rather than blindly following a god that may have failed them.


The lyrics also touch on the theme of sacrifice, as the singer sacrifices their own pride and trust in exchange for the hope of saving a child. However, that sacrifice ultimately results in betrayal and tragedy, leaving the singer questioning their faith and the existence of a loving god.


This song is deeply personal to Metallica's frontman, James Hetfield, as it was inspired by the death of his mother due to her refusal to seek medical attention for religious reasons. Hetfield's lyrics express his anger and frustration with the idea that someone's faith could lead to their own demise.


Line by Line Meaning

Pride you took Pride you feel
You felt proud for taking pride


Pride that you felt when you'd kneel
You felt prideful even when you were supposed to be humbling yourself


Not the word, not the love
You didn't understand the true meaning of religion, which is love and compassion


Not what you thought from above
Your idea of religion was not what was actually intended by a higher power


It feeds it grows
Your pride grows as you feed it


It clouds all that you will know
Your pride blinds you from seeing the truth


Deceit deceive
Lies deceive


Decide just what you believe
You must determine what you truly believe


I see faith in your eyes
You appear to be faithful


Never your hear the discouraging lies
You don't listen to those who try to discourage you


I hear faith in your cries
Your cries show that you still believe


Broken is the promise, betrayal
The promise of religion has been broken, leading to a sense of betrayal


The healing hand held back by the deepened nail
Religion's healing power has been halted by those who use it for their own selfish purposes


Follow the god that failed
You continue to follow a deity that has let you down


Find your peace
You need to find inner peace


Find your say
You need to have a voice and express yourself


Find the smooth road in your way
You want an easy and simple path for yourself


Trust you gave
You put your faith in someone or something


A child to save
You hoped to save an innocent child


Left you cold and him in grave
Your trust led you to a cold and unhappy place, and the child died


Betrayal yeah
More emphasis is added to the betrayal you felt




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: James Alan Hetfield, Lars Ulrich

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Nino Amora


on No Remorse

im a dieharn fan of metalica

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