Song Meaning: Ride the Lightning by Metallica

ARTIST: METALLICA | ALBUM: RIDE THE LIGHTENING | RELEASED: 1984

Metallica's second studio album

One of Metallica's greatest songs, "Ride the Lightning" perfectly culminates the talent of all four members of the band. Song is the title track of their second album, which is now regarded as one of heavy metal's greatest of all time. Cliff Burton's bass was a perfect; Lars was on fire on drums. Lyrics show some of James' best writing given that Metallica is still new to heavy metal scene. Kirk's solo is perfectly sets the gloomy atmosphere discussed in lyrics. Accordingly, the song has become a permanent fixture on Metallica's live setlist, and also my personal favorite :-)

At the time of producing their second album, Lars and James were exploring the themes of death. Evidently, signature song from the the album like Creeping Death, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Fade to Black, and Ride the Lightning all discuss some from of death.

Ride the Lightening particularly talks about a poor person being sent to the electric chair for crimes that, supposedly, he isn't responsible for:

But damn it, it ain't right - unlawfully accused of committing a crime, like in the movie Shawshank Redemption

There's someone else controlling me - "someone else" refers to the invisible hand of injustice

Strapped in the electric chair - electrocution as a way of punishment

It's the beginning of the end - time get ready... to die

Time moving slow / The minutes seem like hours - time does move slowly in unpleasant situations, like when you are about to be electrocuted, or worse, doing a Computer Science midterm on functional programming!

Freed from this frightening dream - it was all a very bad dream, maybe a foreshadowing! nice twist :-)

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1. Guilty as charged
2. But damn it, it ain't right
3. There's someone else controlling me
4. Death in the air
5. Strapped in the electric chair
6. This can't be happening to me
7. 
   
8. Who made you God to say?,
9. I'll take your life from you
10. 
    
11. Flash before my eyes
12. Now it's time to die
13. Burning in my brain
14. I can feel the pain
15. Wait for the sign
16. To flick the switch of death
17. It's the beginning of the end
18. Sweat, chilling cold
19. As I watch death unfold
20. Consciousness my only friend
21. 
    
22. My fingers grip with fear
23. What am I doing here?
24. 
    
25. Flash before my eyes
26. Now it's time to die
27. Burning in my brain
28. I can feel the pain
29. 
    
30. Someone help me
31. Oh please, God help me
32. They're trying to take it all away
33. I don't want to die
34. 
    
35. (SOLO)
36. 
    
37. Someone help me
38. Oh please, God help me
39. They are trying to take it all away
40. I don`t want to die
41. 
    
42. Time moving slow
43. The minutes seem like hours
44. The final curtain call I see
45. Im through with this
46. Just get it over with
47. If this is true, just let it be
48. 
    
49. Wakened by a horrid scream
50. Freed from this frightening dream
51. 
    
52. Flash before my eyes
53. Now it's time to die
54. Burning in my brain
55. I can feel the pain

Lyrics from http://www.sing365.com/