Metallica Songs With the Best Lyrics

Metallica songs ranked by lyrics. The most beautiful, poetic, and inspirational.
The Top Ten
1 One

Darkness imprisoning me
All that I see
Absolute horror
I cannot live
I cannot die
Trapped in myself
Body my holding cell
No doubt this has the best lyrics for a metallica song.

One is a timeless classic and will go down in history as one of the best written songs

2 The Unforgiven

The lyrics really are relatable to kids with very rough childhoods. The second verse is absolutely unbelievable. One of my favorite lines are, "You labeled me, I label you! " What makes it even better is that James wrote it when he was 13.

One of the best lyrics in all of music history! Epic!

In The Unforgiven you can hear every drop of James's emotions in the lyrics. An absoulute work of art.

3 Fade to Black

This is the song that I want to be played on my funeral. It says everything

Their 1st ballad and one of the most beautiful music pieces ever created.

Another emotional piece by Metallica, which has helped countless of suicidal kids across the world

4 Welcome Home (Sanitarium)

SANITARIUM!
Welcome to where time stands still
No one leaves and no one will
Moon is full, never seems to change
Just labeled mentally deranged
Dream the same thing every night
I see our freedom in my sight
No locked doors, No windows barred
No things to make my brain seem scarred

Sleep my friend and you will see
That dream is my reality
They keep me locked up in this cage
Can't they see it's why my brain says Rage

This song has a large backstory to it, about someone who is trapped in a mental hospital being abused. The lyrics are very powerful and meaningful.

5 Wherever I May Roam
6 Master of Puppets
7 Nothing Else Matters

James didn't want to use this song in the album, said "it's gonna make us look weak". Ended up being one of the best.

Although the original meaning of Nothing Else Matters is ignored. It dosen't Need a deeper meaning. A great written songs in which listeners can find a meaning for themselves

8 For Whom the Bell Tolls

The lyrics are chilling and James' voices aids in the lyrics being even more powerful. "Take a look to the sky just before you die, it's the last time you will! " DAMN

9 Until It Sleeps

I'll tear me open, make you gone
No more can you hurt anyone
And the fear still shakes me
So hold me until it sleeps
James wrote this about his mother. The lyrics are really showing the pain he went through,

10 Disposable Heroes

Bodies fill the fields I see, hungry heroes end

No one to play soldier now, No one to pretend

Running blind through killing fields, Bred to kill them all

Victim of what said should be, A servant 'till I fall

Incredible lyrics. I gave my vote to One, but otherwise this is the Metallica song with the best lyrics.

Soldier boy, made of clay
Now an empty shell
Twenty one, only son
But he serves us well
Bred to kill, not to care
To do as we say
Finished here
Greetings, Death
He's yours to take away

The Contenders
11 Creeping Death
12 Bleeding Me

One of the greatest songs ever written. Deep meaning and everything is on point. In my opinion, it's really underrated.

13 Don't Tread On Me
14 My Friend of Misery
15 Harvester of Sorrow

Why is this last what? The lyrics are epic

16 Dyers Eve

Dear mother dear father, What is this hell you have put me through

Believer, Deceiver, Day in day out live my life through you

Pushed onto me what's wrong or right

Hidden from this thing that they call life

Dear Mother, dear Father

Every thought I'd think you'd disapprove
Curator, dictator

Always censoring my every move
Children are seen but are not heard

Tear out everything inspired

17 Sad But True
18 Hero of the Day

"Excuse me while I tend to how
I feel
These things return to me that still seem real
Now, deservingly, this easy chair
But the rocking stopped by wheels of despair

Don't want your aid
But the fist I make
For years can't hold or feel
No, I'm not all me
So please excuse me while I tend to how I feel"
Unbelievable lyrics.

19 Eye of the Beholder

"It doesn't matter what you see, or intuit what you read, you can do it your own way, if it's done just how I say" this is so powerful. This whole album speaks on the injustice of the world and the irony of it all. I love this album.

How come nothing from Justice is here! It's the album with the best lyrics!

20 Orion
21 The Outlaw Torn

Unlike many others, I think Load is one of Metallica's best albums - their only better album is the Black Album. This is such an underrated track, it's so sick! It also happens to be one of Metallica's longest tracks, clocking in at just under ten minutes!

Hear me
And if I close my mind in fear
Please pry it open
See me
And if my face becomes sincere
Beware
Hold me
And when I start to come undone
Stitch me together
Save me
And when you see me strut
Remind me of what left this outlaw torn
So sad, but James definitely took his time. The lyrics are absolutely amazing. Especially at this part.

22 Fixxxer

I don't know how James keeps writing songs as amazing as these. The chorus is my favorite part of the song. "But tell me, can you heal what fathers done? " Man those lyrics are awesome.

23 The Unforgiven III

Wow. This song changed my life; my favorite Metallica song since 2012. This lyrics mean so much to me, it's incredible the work James has done with this one. Brilliant from start to finish.

24 ...And Justice for All
25 Low Man's Lyric

So low, the sky is all I see
All I want from you is forgive me
So you bring this poor dog in from the rain
Though he just wants right back out again

And I cry to the alleyway
Confess all to the rain
But I lie, lie straight to the mirror
The one I've broken to match my face
This is not the normal Metallica song, it's different, but I think it has amazing lyrics. It's also just an amazing song in general.

8Load More
PSearch List