Prong was founded in 1986 by singer/guitarist Tommy Victor (then a soundman at New York City's renowned CBGB's). With bassist Mike Kirkland (formely of NYHC band Damage and doorman at CBGBβs) and ex-Swans drummer Ted Parsons, Prong released two independent CDs that were noted for their brutal hardcore sound.
Epic Records saw the band's potential and signed them in 1989. Prong's major label debut album Beg to Differ, was released in 1990.
In the following year, Kirkland left the band and was replaced by Ex-Flotsam and Jetsam bassist Troy Gregory. Prong issued their fourth release Prove You Wrong which saw the band experiment with programming and electronic samples while still retaining an aggressive yet melodic sensibility.
By 1994, Troy Gregory was out of the band and was replaced by Paul Raven (bassist) and John Bechdel (keyboard), both from Killing Joke and Murder, Inc. The new line up released Cleansing (Prongβs 5th major release). With a strong industrial sound that still managed to be hard and heavy, Cleansing contained songs that are still considered Prong classics ("Broken Peace" and "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck") and is Prongβs most successful release to date. The videos for these two songs became staples of MTVβs legendary Headbangers Ball.
Prong's sixth album Rude Awakening was released in 1996. The album was not as successful as the last three albums. Shortly thereafter Parsons left the band to join Godflesh. Tommy Victor left New York and moved to Los Angeles. As the band Prong sat idle, Tommy Victor worked with legends of the rock world, including Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, celldweller and Glenn Danzig.
In 2002, Victor re-formed Prong with bassist Brian Perry, drummer Dan Laudo and guitarist Monte Pittman (Madonna). In 2002, after a 42-show American tour that was recorded for a live CD (100% Live, Locomotive Music) Prong entered the studio and recorded a new CD titled Scorpio Rising which was received with mixed responses.
Victor played on and off again with Glen Danzig from 1998 -2005 in between time with Prong. His final goal of playing and writing on a Danzig record was met with Circle of Snakes in 2004.
Prong released a live 2-disc DVD in 2005 entitled "The Vault" which features performances from the Hulstsfred and With Full Force festivals and a full show in Amsterdam. This disc has Mike Longworth on bass as well, who later replaced Perry. As a result of the drum performance on Scorpio Rising , band members Tommy Victor and Monte Pittman decided a change needed to be made. This resulted in the firing of Dan Laudo and the enlistment Aaron Rossi, who used to be in the bands Strife (Victory Records), Shelter (Century Media Records), John 5 (Shrapnel Records), and Ankla (Bieler Bros. Records)
Victor and Raven joined Ministry in 2005 to write and tour in support of their album Rio Grande Blood (2006). They were nominated for a Grammy in 2007 for the song Senior Peligro in the "Best Metal Performance" category. The two also appear on Ministry's follow up album The Last Sucker (2007), although in a more limited capacity.
On June 4th, 2007, Prong posted a MySpace bulletin stating that they were recording in El Paso, Texas. The band left Locomotive Music, and were signed to Al Jourgensen's 13th Planet Records, who released their latest album Power of the Damager on October 2, 2007.
The band embarked on the "Slicing Across America" and "Slicing Across Europe" tours supporting Power of the Damager in 2007 and early 2008. Joining Tommy Victor in the current live membership of the band is bassist Monte Pittman and drummer Aaron Rossi.
Paul Raven died of an apparent heart attack in his sleep on October 20, 2007 at the age of 46. He was recording with French recording artists Treponem Pal on their new album with Ted Parsons at the time of his death.
Aaron Rossi was joining Ministry as their new drummer on the "C U LaTour" which started in March 2008.
In February 2008, Headbanger's Ball premiered the video "Power Of The Damager".
Enter Sandman
Prong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't forget my son
To include everyone
I tuck you in, warm within
Keep you free from sin
'Til the sandman he comes
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)
Pray the lord my soul to keep
(Pray the lord my soul to keep)
If I die before I wake
(If I die before I wake)
Pray the lord my soul to take
(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
BUM! Yeah yeah!
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
We're off to never-never land
We're off to never-never land
"Enter Sandman" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica, and its cover by Prong is an interpretation of the song made to fit their own sound. The song is a lullaby sung by a parent to their child, reminding them to say their prayers and keeping them safe until the Sandman comes. However, the song takes a dark turn, as the child's thoughts turn to nightmares of war, dragons, and beasts under the bed.
The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a child's active imagination and the struggles that come with it. The parent urges the child to "sleep with one eye open," emphasizing the importance of caution and vigilance. The line "Exit light, enter night" signifies a shift from safety and comfort to the unknown and unpredictable. The child and parent are "off to never-never land," a reference to the Peter Pan story, which suggests a fantasy world of escape from reality.
Overall, the song portrays the themes of fear, vulnerability, and the struggle between safety and the unknown. The lyrics and music combine to create an ominous atmosphere that is unsettling yet captivating.
Line by Line Meaning
Say your prayers little one
Encourages the listener to pray.
Don't forget my son
Assumes a parental role in instructing on prayer.
To include everyone
Instructs the listener to include others in their prayers.
I tuck you in, warm within
A soothing image of being tucked into bed.
Keep you free from sin
A prayerful wish to keep the listener from sinning.
'Til the sandman he comes
Until the listener falls asleep.
Sleep with one eye open
A warning to stay alert and cautious even while sleeping.
Gripping your pillow tight
A physical manifestation of the cautionary message of the previous line.
Exit light
The song begins to shift to darker themes.
Enter night
The dark themes are more fully embraced.
Take my hand
Offers to guide the listener through the darkness.
We're off to never-never land
A fantasy realm of darkness, uncertainty, and danger.
Something's wrong, shut the light
Introduces suspense and fear.
Heavy thoughts tonight
The sense that something sinister is lurking.
And they aren't of Snow White
The darkness is not a fairy tale or bedtime story.
Dreams of war, dreams of liars
The listener's fears and anxieties become manifest in dreams.
Dreams of dragon's fire
The dreams become more fantastical and otherworldly.
And of things that will bite, yeah
The dreams become more dangerous and threatening.
Now I lay me down to sleep
Returning to the prayerful tone from earlier, with a more ominous feeling.
Pray the lord my soul to keep
A request for divine protection while sleeping.
If I die before I wake
Acknowledges the possibility of danger and death in the darkness.
Pray the lord my soul to take
The same request for divine protection, but in more dire circumstances.
Hush little baby don't say a word
Returning to the soothing tone from earlier, but with a darker context.
And never mind that noise you heard
The listener's anxieties are dismissed or ignored.
It's just the beasts under your bed
Acknowledging the fear without validating it.
In your closet in your head
The source of fear is both real and imagined.
Grain of sand
A reference to the sandman from earlier, but with a new, more sinister interpretation.
BUM! Yeah yeah!
An exclamation of excitement or triumph, but also a possible reference to a sudden, violent sound.
We're off to never-never land
Repeating the earlier refrain, but now with a more desperate or frantic tone.
Take my hand
The offer of guidance now feels more like a desperate plea.
We're off to never-never land
The earlier fantasy realm is now a desperate escape route.
We're off to never-never land
Repeating the line again reinforces the urgency and tension of the song.
Writer(s): Kirk Hammett
Contributed by Samantha N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Leo Thrash
Muy buen cover!! excelente!!
Jared Van Buren
Badass man!!! βοΈππΈπππΉπ―
Weirdo Sheep
They should've covered something groovier, like Voivod or Pantera. Thanks for upload :)
Aldana
buen cover..
Joshua Roberts
The 90s hadn't become grungy yet when the Black album came out. Nevermind wasn't even released until a month after the album.
JustCallMeDan
Hetfield probably sings with more passion while showering
Sam Hain
Metallica poses after Justice...
Rockabilly Rebel
hahahahahaha i was waiting waiting waiting..and then he starts singing and i started LAUGHING !!!!!
Rob Black
Thats the problem everyone has, they were the kings. How the mighty have fallen. The black album was the beginning of the end.
TV Pinguinha
Nuno Bettencourt completely Owns Kirk Hammet on his own Song.