Hear the isolated vocals of James Hetfield on Metallica track ‘Enter Sandman’
There’s a famous story that James Hetfield likes to tell about ‘Enter Sandman’. As the trusty vocalist and lyricist for thrash metal gods Metallica, Hetfield basically gets carte blanche regarding whatever he wants to sing about. Sometimes it’s war, sometimes it’s drug addiction, and very rarely, it can even be a traditional love song. But Hetfield is the guy who is singing those words, so he should be able to call the shots on the actual lyrics.
During the recording of 1991’s Metallica, however, he was challenged. Hetfield had brought in what he thought was the final draft for the band’s new song, ‘Enter Sandman’, and was ready to hop in the booth to record the vocals. That’s when producer Bob Rock and drummer Lars Ulrich stepped in, telling Hetfield that he needed to do better when it came to the lyrics. Even though he was initially taken aback, Hetfield eventually decided to take on the challenge, composing a new set of lyrics around a child’s nightmares.
That version of the lyrics was good enough to get the green light, even though they don’t really make much sense (a particularly egregious example being “Something’s wrong, shut the light, heavy thoughts tonight / And they aren’t of Snow White”). The reality is that Hetfield’s lyrics probably could have been about anything, and in truth, they probably could have been that rejected first draft. It wouldn’t have mattered because ‘Enter Sandman’ was always going to be huge.
Featuring an all-time iconic riff from Kirk Hammett and one of Hetfield’s catchiest choruses, ‘Enter Sandman’ was the first Metallica song with real crossover pop potential. Probably because of that, the band dress it up with lots of dark touches, including Hetfield’s demonic recitation of ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ in the song’s breakdown section. Again, it didn’t matter: ‘Enter Sandman’ was a top 20 hit in America, an unprecedented success for even the most mainstream heavy metal bands.
At the centre of the mix is Hetfield’s aggressive vocal performance. Bursting out of the gate with a shouted, “Say your prayers, little one!” Hetfield scream-sings his way throughout the track without ever losing hold of the song’s catchy melody at the heart of the arrangement. He even gets a signature “Yeah!” shout in there, something no Metallica song is complete without.
Also of note are the harmonies that sneak into the brief pre-chorus. They could be coming from Hetfield, but it seems more likely they came from bassist Jason Newsted. Newsted is credited for backing vocals on the album and would perform them live during the band’s shows, hitting the same notes on the record. He and Hetfield have an impressive interplay between their voices, showing that the group weren’t utterly averse to pop touches now and again.
Check out the isolated vocal track from ‘Enter Sandman’ down below.
