In the interview released on YouTube, Hetfield admitted that during the early stages, he didn’t think “Enter Sandman” was a great song

“Enter Sandman,” Metallica’s legendary Һit, stands as one of the most iconic songs in the history of metal, a track that has left an indelible mark on the genre. However, in a recent Masterclass interview, James Hetfield revealed that the creation of this mega-Һit was not without its doubts.

In the interview released on YouTube, Hetfield admitted that during the early stages, he didn’t think “Enter Sandman” was a great song. It took the encouragement of drummer Lars Ulrich and producer Bob Rock to push him to revisit and improve the composition. Hetfield recalled, “I think Lars Ulrich and Bob Rock said, ‘Go back. I challenge you to go back and work on it. And I did.'”

One pivotal change that emerged from this collaborative effort was the addition of the famous “catchphrase” line, “We’re off to never, neverland.” Hetfield’s reflections on the lyrics, delving into the universal theme of nightmares, resonate with many. He pondered, “What happens in our sleep? Why do we have nightmares? A lot of people could identify with that. Everyone has nightmares. What do you do with them? Why do they show up?”

The genesis of the song, as revealed in a Metallica appearance on The Howard Stern Show last April, involved guitarist Kirk Hammett’s initial riff, which was later modified by Ulrich. Ulrich’s suggestion to repeat the first half of the riff three times before transitioning to the ending chords added the distinctive structure that defines the song.

Hammett shared insights into Metallica’s creative process, explaining, “There’s a thing that we do with riffs where sometimes we’ll structure it where there will be a repeating pattern for three times and then an answering part [a tail]. And, basically, he was just morphing it into a workable form.”

This glimpse into Metallica’s creative process underscores the thin line between underachievement and achieving timeless significance, emphasizing the collaborative nature of the songwriting process.

So, the next time you hear the iconic opening notes of “Enter Sandman,” remember that this anthem nearly faced uncertainty before becoming a monumental part of metal history!