The Metallica Song Lars Ulrich Said No One Believed In: “You Just Don’t Get It”
In the realm of metal, the approach to sales differs markedly from the conventional pop model. While every band desires widespread recognition and listenership, groups like Iron Maiden or Black Sabbath aren’t typically concerned with tailoring their music for radio play or crafting tunes with mass appeal. Metallica, during their heyday, epitomized this ethos, with Lars Ulrich confessing that even getting them to consider ‘Enter Sandman’ as a single required a bаttle.
Metallica’s history with selecting singles wasn’t exactly spot-on. In their thrash metal era, a song like ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’ might have been the closest they came to a mainstream track. Even when they decided to dip their toes into the MTV waters, their choice of ‘One’, a seven-minute thrash epic revolving around the horrors of wаr, signaled their reluctance to pander to the chart-topping antics of bands like Pоisоn or Europe.
By the 1990s, Metallica’s musical trajectory was shifting, especially with their collaboration with Bob Rock. Coming off albums where they meticulously crafted every riff to be as heavy as possible, Rock’s expertise in creating massive soundscapes meant a departure from their usual penchant for lengthy compositions.
Despite hits like ‘Sad But True’ and ‘The Unforgiven’, their songs still surpassed the typical length of a radio-friendly single, each clocking in at around five minutes. However, ‘Enter Sandman’ possessed an undeniable allure, with Ulrich being its staunchest advocate once the record was mixed.
Reflecting on their time in the studio, Rock recalled Ulrich’s persistent championing of ‘Enter Sandman’, stating, “Lars knew just from the demos that ‘Sandman’ was the song. I didn’t hear it.” Ulrich himself recounted the band’s insistence on ‘Holier Than Thou’ as the lead single, remarking, “They were like ‘Holier Than Thou’—the first song on the record and the first single, and I was sitting there like, ‘Guys, you don’t get it.'”
But let’s entertain a counterargument for a moment. If ‘Holier Than Thou’ had indeed been released as the lead single, perhaps fans would have been more accepting of the band’s evolving sound. However, it’s doubtful that mainstream audiences would have taken notice. ‘Enter Sandman’, with its infectious riff and anthemic chorus, provided a gateway for new listeners, making it easier for them to connect with Metallica’s music, especially in a live setting.
In hindsight, Metallica should be grateful that ‘Enter Sandman’ served as their introduction to a wider audience. Had their first impression been a softer ballad like ‘Nothing Else Matters’, the backlash from metal purists accusing them of selling out might have been severe. ‘Enter Sandman’ struck a balance between accessibility and staying true to the band’s roots—a pop-friendly structure that never forgot its metal origins.
