Enter Sandman
Metallica feat. San Francisco Symphony with Michael Kamen Lyrics


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Say your prayers, little one
Don't forget, my son
To include everyone
Tuck you in, warm within
Keep you free from sin
'Til the sandman, he comes

Sleep with one eye open
Gripping your pillow tight

Exit light
Enter night
Take my hand
We're off to never-never land

Something's wrong, shut the light
Heavy thoughts tonight
And they aren't of Snow White
Dreams of war, dreams of liars
Dreams of dragon's fire
And of things that will bite, yeah

Sleep with one eye open
Gripping your pillow tight

Exit light
Enter night
Take my hand
We're off to never-never land

Now I lay me down to sleep
Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
If I die before I wake
If I die before I wake
I pray the Lord my soul to take
I pray the Lord my soul to take

Hush, little baby, don't say a word
And never mind that noise you heard
It's just the beasts under your bed
In your closet, in your head

Exit light
Enter night
Grain of sand

Exit light
Enter night
Take my hand
We're off to never-never land, yeah

Uh
Yeah, yeah

Yo, oh

We're off to never-never land
Take my hand
We're off to never-never land




Take my hand
We're off to never-never land

Overall Meaning

"Enter Sandman" is a song that explores the fears and anxieties that children have as they go to sleep at night. The opening lines encourage "little one," presumably a child, to say their prayers before going to bed, including everyone in their thoughts. The song takes a dark turn when the "sandman" is mentioned, implying that he will bring nightmares to the child's dreams. The chorus urges the child to be vigilant, to sleep with one eye open and to grip their pillow tight, as they venture into the darkness of the night.


The second verse dives deeper into the nightmare-inducing thoughts that may plague a child's mind, from dreams of war and liars to dragons and other terrifying creatures. The song takes on a more foreboding tone, as the child is warned about the beasts that may lurk under their bed or in their closet, reinforcing the idea that perhaps the only safe place is within their own thoughts. The song ends with a continuation of the prayer from the beginning, with the hope that the Lord will protect the child's soul even if they should die.


The overall theme of the song is one of fear and anxiety about the unknown, with a focus on the fears that children may have as they go to sleep at night. Metallica is known for their heavy metal sound, and "Enter Sandman" is no exception. With its driving guitar riffs and pounding drums, the song captures the urgency of the feelings it portrays.


Line by Line Meaning

Say your prayers, little one
Begin your bedtime prayers, child


Don't forget, my son
Don't forget the people you care about while you pray, my child


To include everyone
Pray for everyone, and not just yourself


Tuck you in, warm within
I'll make sure you're comfortable and warm in bed


Keep you free from sin
I hope that your sleep will be peaceful and you'll be free from sin


'Til the sandman, he comes
Until the mythical creature known as the sandman appears, and you fall asleep


Sleep with one eye open
Be vigilant and aware, even as you sleep


Gripping your pillow tight
Hold on tightly to your pillow as if it's your only protection


Exit light
The night is ending, and the light is fading


Enter night
The darkness of night is here


Take my hand
I'll be with you through the darkness


We're off to never-never land
We're entering a place beyond our imagination and reality


Something's wrong, shut the light
There's something unsettling happening; turn off the light


Heavy thoughts tonight
Intense and worrisome thoughts are on your mind


And they aren't of Snow White
These thoughts are not of peace and happiness; they're darker


Dreams of war, dreams of liars
You're experiencing dreams of deceit and conflict


Dreams of dragon's fire
You're having dreams of dragons breathing fire


And of things that will bite, yeah
Other frightening creatures are appearing in your dreams and causing harm


Now I lay me down to sleep
I'm resting now and hoping to get some proper sleep


I pray the Lord my soul to keep
I'm asking God to take care of me while I rest


If I die before I wake
If I don't survive until I wake up


I pray the Lord my soul to take
I trust God to take my soul to heaven


Hush, little baby, don't say a word
I'm asking you not to talk and to fall asleep


And never mind that noise you heard
Ignore any distracting sounds you might hear


It's just the beasts under your bed
Those noises are just imaginary beasts hiding under your bed


In your closet, in your head
Your imagination is creating these beasts in your mind


Grain of sand
The smallest thing can have a big impact on our lives


Uh
An interjection with no specific meaning, used for emphasis


Yeah, yeah
An expression of excitement or agreement


Yo, oh
An expression used to grab someone's attention


We're off to never-never land
We're going to this imaginary, mysterious space once again


Take my hand
Let me lead and guide you


We're off to never-never land
We're entering this same mysterious space, one more time




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

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@terrytabisz4758

THIS NEVER GETS OLD !!!!

@claudiofrazao9757

This, ladies and gentleman, is the greatest band of all time.

@BH-gt5gy

True man. You are absolutely right!

@jasonmiller3134

Metallica is pretty good, too

@Ferd0210

AC/DC

@BH-gt5gy

@@Ferd0210 AC/DC sure, but not as great as METALLICA

@claudiofrazao9757

@@Ferd0210 AC/DC are great too, saw them in 2009, one of the best shows I’ve ever attended.

17 More Replies...

@Thinker77

Could you imagine the Orchestra people, telling their kids/grandkids? “I performed with Metallica…” 😎

@arthurmorgan42069

@@Jason.Moock09 until recently I'd agree. So many kids learned to love Metallica because of Stranger Things. I am so grateful for that. My 7 year old son loves Metallica now. It's a beautiful thing.

@dirkvanbarneveld7744

True love if they no!

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