Analysis Blog #2// Analyzing a Song

For this, I have chosen to analyze the song "One," by Metallica.

Here are the lyrics:
I Can't Remember Anything
Can't Tell If this Is True or Dream
Deep down Inside I Feel to Scream
this Terrible Silence Stops Me
Now That the War Is Through with Me
I'm Waking up I Can Not See
That There's Not Much Left of Me
Nothing Is Real but Pain Now
Hold My Breath as I Wish for Death
Oh Please God,wake Me
Back in the Womb its Much Too Real
in Pumps Life That I must Feel
but Can't Look Forward to Reveal
Look to the Time When I'll Live
Fed Through the Tube That Sticks in Me
Just like a Wartime Novelty
Tied to Machines That Make Me Be
Cut this Life off from Me
Hold My Breath as I Wish for Death
Oh Please God,wake Me
Now the World Is Gone I'm Just One
Oh God,help Me
Hold My Breath as I Wish for Death
Oh Please God Help Me

((Bridge))
Darkness
Imprisoning Me
All That I See
Absolute Horror
I Cannot Live
I Cannot Die
Trapped in Myself
Body My Holding Cell
LandmineHas Taken My Sight
Taken My Speech
Taken My Hearing
Taken My Arms
Taken My Legs
Taken My Soul
Left Me with Life in Hell


Metallica was often overlooked by people as just another heavy metal band. However, in this song, "One," it goes a lot deeper than just big hair and death metal...it is about the global unrest that was going on in the late 1980's and the war (Desert Storm). First off, they have chosen an intense beat that switches a lot to keep the listener on their toes. If you actually listen to the beat, as soon as the listener gets used to it and almost memorizes it, it switches. Metallica did this on purpose so people would listen and get the message. Between each main part, there are a lot of guitar solos, and then the beat switches. In the beginning of the song, it is almost calm, and beautiful, however, you do hear machine guns in the back. After he starts singing, the music in the background gets more intense, and as the subject they are singing about becomes more sensitive, the beat gets harder.

In the actual lyrics, there is not a lot of symbolism going on: he basically just tells you how it is. It's almost as if he is talking from a personal point of view, but speaking for everyone. His basic message is that the "war is through with me," meaning it used him up for everything that he had in him and now he's just here. This song and these lyrics definitely appeal to a certain audience. It is intended for a rough crowd, who has been through a lot, who can relate to these words.

At the bridge (I have written bridge before it), it is a whole other story. There is a long guitar solo and then the drums come in and the song gets to its hardest point. After the softer music and him explaining what has happened almost calmly in the past due to the unrest, the music gets heavy and he starts singing about what has made him angry and how he feels trapped. In the lyrics "Darkness/ Imprisoning me/ All that I see/ Absolute Horror," it's almost like a cry for help because he says he "trapped in myself." It's as if he cannot get over how this "war" ravaged him.

Earlier on, it had been established that this song was written around a sensitive time, in 1988. However, with this song it is easy to draw parallels to other things. Another reason why I think that this song is intended for a certain type of "rough" crowd who have experienced a lot of turmoil is that this song is almost empowering. Definitely empowering actually. If you listen to the actual song with the music and everything and yo ulisten to the lyrics about his "war," and "darkness imprisoning" him you start to think about other things. Many people go through their own personal, whether it be public, or private wars. This could also mean it's is a war within himself and he's fought it so much that he cannot possibly do it anymore. In the lines "Trapped in Myself/ Body my holding cell..." the listener really gets the idea that he is going through some angst in his life and he can't get away from the problem...himself.

Whatever the war may be, this is a very intense song, and it's a must-hear.



Metallica. "And Justice for All..." Elektra Records: 1988. Songname: "One"

"One." Metallica. http://www.darklyrics.com/lyrics/metallica/andjusticeforall.html#4