The entire Master of Puppets album is preserved in the Library of Congress for being culturally significant to the country. Every song in it is great and worth a listen in my opinion.
Back in the mid/late 80's i used to sit in my parents car in the driveway for about 30-40 minutes every morning waiting on the bus to show up. Was a good way to keep warm in the winter, but also i'd jam to my favorite tunes to pass the time. I listened to this album every morning for my entire 8th grade year.
The cover is related to the songs , the helmet is for disposable heroes the hand is for the master of puppets , the graves is because the all album is about destruction like battery or damage inc.
One thing i love about how this song was structured is that a third stanza hits you when you least expect a third stanza........and done very masterfully. Same with "Seek and Destroy", the very first Metallica song i learned to play on the guitar Tabletures.
It's about drugs like others have said. Often times Mettalica's lyrics are open to interpretation. Often unless you're really listening and paying close attention, it's easy to come away having no clue what they're talking about, but hey, at least the guitars are fast. But one part in this song that really crystallizes what it's about... Needle work the way, never you betray Life of death becoming clearer Pain monopoly, ritual misery Chop your breakfast on a mirror Definitely cocaine/heroine imagery there.
This specific song is about drug addiction, but the general theme of the album is control/helplessness. Most songs are about outside factors trying to control a person. I recommend you to check out Disposable Heroes or Leper Messiah, though just about any song is good. Definitely one of the most important albums in their career.
I have always felt that the melodic bridge in this song DeLuca the addict getting sober. Then it twists and gets dark and chaotic as the addict relapses... just my thoughts though
Well explained, but imo this is the most important metal album of all time... RTL was the first step but this was a masterpiece.. why oh why the f did cliff have to be taken away from us... Can only imagine what else they may have come up with with him. But have to thank the legend and the rest of Metallica for giving us all what they have and obviously for enabling the legend that is Jason to have had a crack at it.
@@gabrielstratton1775 it's more like the addict GOT his fix and is in the euphoria of the hit, where everything is nice and feels good... but as the song creeps towards harsher and harsher notes as time goes on, that's the hit wearing off and the addict starting to feel the need gnawing at them until it's almost painful. At which point they can't help but cry out about the loss of that high, the sensation it brought. They even curse the drug with "you promised only lies", and yet they will still go looking for the next fix. Because it's now a hunger. It runs through them, and rules them, teasing them with that blissful high that gets further and further from reach.
Part of me just wants to ask new Metallica listeners what took them so long, but the other part just makes me jealous that they get to experience for the first time. I wish I could relive that moment. Watching the reactions is the closest I can ever get anymore.
Yah - Seeing young millenials react to this song specifically is what started me on my craze for watching reaction channels. I didn't know this was even a thing 3 years ago. If it wasn't for a RU-vid title on my suggested feed "Rap fan - First time hearing Metallica" I may never have known this was a thing, never would have found Lilly, and may never have heard of Tom MacDonald, since I gave up listening to rap more than 15 years ago (Eminem - Encore was the last rap album I purchased or cared about until Discovering Tom in 2020 thanks to my growing addiction to watching reaction channels listening to the music I grew up on in the 80s - was like hearing these songs again for the first time).
don't be jealous of them; you've had the privilege of having these awesome songs accompany you for only you know for how long - let us just be happy that they now also get to get these awesome companions
@@dalefleming6427 Lost in Vegas had a few pop up for me. I wasn’t subscribed nor had I seen their channel. I watched a couple…then they did Them Bones, by AIC, of course. Blasts immediately in a heavy distorted 7/8 riff for the intro/verse and switches Ruth to 4/4 for the chorus. When I introduce people to Alice In Chains, it’s not my go-to. I’m surprised and happy they (LIV) enjoyed it. Dude on the left’s enthusiasm was awesome and dude on the right was good too.
This song is about addiction, with the drug being the master and the addicted being the puppet. You will notice that when the music gets melodic in the middle it is the addicted getting their fix and things are good. It slowly builds louder and faster as the effects of the drug wear off and the user is left wrecked, disillusioned and begging for another fix.
Can also relate to people who believe in politics and the government is always right and believe in their false promises. Politics is the equivalent of drugs. Seeing people at rally believing in false promises are the addicts crawling to their master. Then you obey your master burning your brain away with countless lies and overwhelmed by such negativity until when suddenly your life burned faster when you voted the MASTER and you pray to your master and ask where the dreams that they "promised " only to find out you were lied to since day 1. Laughter Laughter the master laughing at your cries. It's all a show and just as deadly as drugs.
And the master of puppets is the president and you were all his puppets. You see how you can find the similarities between politics and drugs? It's all the same straight to the core. Even rehab exists...But only for those who were smart enough to cut theirs strings. And truly live.
Drug addiction is everywhere including the military, I think the album cover still fits Master of Puppets perfectly fine in addition to fitting in pretty well for quite a few of the songs.
@Lilly Jane Reacts , This was the last recorded album featuring Metallica bass guitarist Cliff Burton. He was with them on tour to support the album in Sweden. On September 26, 1986, Cliff was tragically killed in an accident involving the tour bus outside of Stockholm. He was 24. RIP Cliff Burton (1962-1986). We miss you dearly.
Fun fact: we had a Chihuahua named Casper that my hubs called the Master of Puppies and he would sing this song to the dog. We lost him in 2020 at 15.5 to old age but every time I hear this song, I get to think of him and smile. ❤
The lyrics are about addiction, but even the music itself plays into that. The beginning is the frantic search for the high The middle is the calming euphoria of the high (also appropriately the shortest part of song) The last section is the spiraling frustration and angry come down and hunger for the next hit
love how it goes from the drug's perspective in the beginning to the addicts during the end when he's realizing drugs are killing him but wanting the next hit.. then the drugs are back in control again
The album art was for Disposable Heroes. I seem to remember Lars saying it was going to be the title track, but they realized that Master was the stronger title. There are very few perfect albums. This is one.
This is one of those "concept" albums that is only conceptual in the context that all the songs have a similar theme, as opposed to the traditional "concept" of having all the songs tell parts of an arcing story (each song serving as a chapter in a book). This album's concept is, as other have probably said, about control, subservience, helplessness, despotism, enslavement, etc, the kind of control that usually ultimately kills you (either literally, metaphorically, or both), hence the puppet strings and grave markers on the album cover. Some of the tracks (8 in total) : Master Of Puppets = drug addiction Welcome Home (Sanitarium) = mental illness (being institutionalized, which may or may not include the meds factor) Disposable Heroes = military conformity and exploitation (as the title suggests) Leper Messiah = religious oppression
Of course, Sanatarium is mis-named, as a sanitarium dealt primarily with infectious/incurable diseases, as a precursor to modern hospice care. It was _asylums_ where the mentally ill were institutionalized.
I love that you don't pause it too much. My only recomendation with Metallica songs is to listen to the lyrical videos so you can see the lyrics. Their lyrics are always deep and have a place in society still today. This is as close to a perfect song lyrically and musically at telling a story as you will see in music.
Hey, just want to give you a little mic tip. The Blue yeti you are using has a mic in the front and back, not the top. Best to have it in cardiod and the Blue logo pointing towards you. Right now the way you have it, it's picking up sound at the desk which is why when you tap on the desk or put your elbows on your desk it's very audible.
you want to see something REALLY moving by them? check out their live concert in Russia in 1990, literally a million people (some say 1.8 Million) at this concert.....could you even imagine being a band and playing infront of that much humanity? simply insane and a beautiful thing all at once
This track is actually about drug addiction, specifically cocaine, and how it takes over your life. Also, this is why I love rock and metal. Every instrument is felt and it just hits, no matter the emotion they’re trying to express.
Actually it's specifically about heroin (which can also be snorted and chopped up on a mirror). Cliff got the inspiration for the song from observing an old bandmate. Also it has been said that the two solo's reflect the high that come from opioids, calm and melodic at first but when the high ends you're in a frantic race to get your next fix
@@derekclark254 Yes the crash, meaning you are coming down from the high. Cocaine is an upper, it males you manic with energy. So the two solos should be reversed.
Here are some other great songs from legendary metal bands, that you could react to: Metallica - One Megadeth - Holy Wars Pantera - Cemetery Gates Slayer - Seasons in the Abyss Iron Maiden - Hallowed Be Thy Name Judas Priest - Painkiller
I'm gonna assume all your questions have been answered and you were told that the song is dealing with drug addiction, the drug being the master and the user being the puppet. As someone two and half yrs clean the song is actually kind of sad lyrically. Musically speaking metal in it's complexity musically is a close kin to classical music. Not just anyone can play it. Nice to see you going down this rabbit hole.
As many have said, this is arguably their finest album. Disposable Heroes & Welcome Home (Sanitarium) are 2 more highly polished gems from this masterpiece. Enjoy your journey!
Metallica is the greatest heavy metal band of all time. Their first 4 albums are all they need to cement their status and it will never be topped. Kill’em All, Master of Puppets, Ride the Lightning, and And Justice for All.
Yes , you are correct the mosh pit for them was brutal . My buddy was brave enough to attend to one of their concerts and promptly received a black eye . He still kept going to their later concerts even after the injury .
James Hetfield (vocals & guitar) said he wrote 'Master of Puppets' having experienced people in the scene snorting up lines of white powder and being too scared to try it... The album cover depicted the 'master' pulling strings... but the album also has a song called 'Disposable heroes' about how young soldiers are sacrificed to wars... and that was depicted w/ the crosses lined up like in a veterans' cemetery capped w/ a soldier's helmet and military tags. However, the members of Metallica did fall to vices and substance abuse in their career... James Hetfield to alcohol abuse... lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and drummer Lars Ulrich to certain 'white powders'... and alcohol... and their bassist Jason Newsted (who joined in 1986 after the death of bassist Cliff Burton, who played on 'Master of Puppets') admitted to abusing prescription painkillers in the band before he quit the band in 2001.
Sanitarium (Welcome Home) is also one of Metallica's best and I would love to see your reaction to that. I would recommend that if/when you react to One, do it in two different ways, first a lyric video, then the official music video. Doing it that way from what I have seen from most reactors is the best way, the official video can be overwhelming with the song if your not used to the song. Just what I hope is helpful advice based on what I have seen from many reactors.
Wow! I remember buying the cassette tape of this in 1986. Used a butter knife to remove my mothers older car stereo to install one with a cassette player. Great reaction! Great to see the younger generation appreciate this style of music.
Battery, Sanitarium,Disposable Heroes, and Orion(Instrumental) are all great songs on this album. Be sure to check out Fade To Black and Creeping Death on the Ride the Lightning album🤘🤪🤘
Im sure youve been told by now from all these comments the song is about addiction and HE is your MASTER . Lyrics like "chop your breakfast on a mirror " . Cocaine , pills etc... "i will occupy , i will help you die " and " taste me you will see , more is all you need " . Addiction is no joke . Ive lost easily 50 friends and or acquaintances over the last 20 years . Mainly to heroin/fent . Crazy shit . Luckily i escaped and now 4 and half years clean except some beers ! lol
The dog tags is for song on album "Disposable Hero's" about the young going to war trained to be servants /killers but absolutely not a negative to the soldiers it's a reality of us that's had our youth taken to serve which is something that becomes a love hate for some dealing with the shit that's duty (not speaking for everyone) Metallicaaaaa
Metallica is so good at turning emotion into song. First the helplessness and frustration of One, then the neverending cycle of ups and downs with Master of Puppets. When it starts back up again at 8:20, I actually feel exhausted, like a druggie who hasn't slept in days but just got another hit and is starting another high.
The song is about drugs and the album cover fits with the song bc the strings are attached to the graves and it's like all the people drugs have killed
I remember I took this album to music class in the fifth grade or we could bring a music and listen to and everybody looked at me like I was freaking crazy when we were playing this song because metal was not in the main stream at the time
The first time I heard this, I was like 15, high, and drunk and all lit up in some basement with friends, and your reaction is exactly the same as mine was. The guitars. Songwriting. All of it. Welcome to Metallica. It changed my life.
The album cover is a mashup of several songs. Battery, as in military Battery, along with Disposable Heroes is a representation of the crosses. The Hands and the strings are for Master of Puppets, and the red color is for Orion, as in Orion's Belt. Damage Inc, could be included with the military aspect. This album deals with a lot of being controlled and fighting out against it. MOP is a strong focus on drug addiction. Orion is my favorite Metallica song. It's an instrumental. My favorite album is ...And Justice for All. But this album is solid with every song being it's own masterpiece.
UMMM I have listened to this since the day it came out, battery is about domestic violence, master is about drugs, disposable is about how we treat our heroes, etc etc
Battery isn't about war or DV, Battery is the name of a street in san Francisco where Metallica used to play at a night club in their early years the song is about the band and their fans coming together to release their pent up aggression via thrash metal
Great reaction Lilly!!! Now you're going through the Metallica's journey, I suggest you to react to Fade to Black, For whom the bell tolls, Disposable heroes, One, The day that never comes. You won't regret!!! 🤘🏼🎶
Chop your breakfast on a mirror Taste me you will see More is all you need Dedicated to How Im KILLING YOU!!!! song of addiction...and its a nasty banger for sure!!!
They were on their way to becoming one of the greatest bands on this album and then the bus crushed their bass player overseas and kinda screwed them up a bit but they went on still to become one of the great bands of all time.
I was 20 or 21 when this came out. I reconnected with a friend from high school, and we literally spent a decade doing everything in this song. Cocaine is a HELL of a drug. Finally got away from it. NEVER going back. Great song!!!!
If you think it was mind blowing every song of their is like that they arebthe masters of chang ups, kirk is insanr on solos james is an amazing rythem guitarist and vocalist, one of the best voices in metal and he sounds better as he gets older, Lars is the beast on drums and now on their 3rd bassist the 1st one was cliff burton and the man was a legand at 20 years old i cant imagine how good hed be if he hadnt died after this apbumn, and MetallicA is one of the very very very few bands that sound better live, so check out some live master of puppets, and check the energy from the crowd, they gove there all to the crowd, crowd goes insane, and theMetallicA feeds of that energy put give and even better show, then the crowd goes more insane..... Its an endless cycle and they love the fans and interact and are transparent with them like Tom Macdonald is with his. And girl, i know you love you some Tom Macdonald.
The album cover represents the song Disposable Heroes, the hands represent the politicians who send soldiers to die in wars for their country's financial and political gain. The song Master of Puppets, well, you know by now. Huge misconception that the hands on the cover represent the Master aka drug addiction. Some people think it's a religious statement about god but the band shot that theory down right from the get go, before the release they stated it was not religious in any way, it represented the system, The Man.
The only thing religious about the cover are the cross grave markers, they're based on the ones in Arlington National Cemetery, the burial place of US soldiers going back to the Civil War.
Well you picked a good one to get started on! Great song. And yes, react again. If you like the excessive guitars like this one, try out "And Justice for All" or "Blackened"
The first 6 albums were gold, I spent 2 years trying to turn my friends on to Metallica, they didn’t like them, then master of puppets came out( master of puppets is about drug abuse, and addiction) then everyone loved them. I had to buy it 7 times because people kept stealing it. I met them in Savannah Georgia for the and justice for all tour. They talked with us for an hour and took pictures with us. Me , my buddy and jame Hetfield took a picture with the rocker screaming face. They are real dudes and awesome people.
My favorite Song by them is "Fade To Black" I also like "The Thing That Should Not Be" as well...truth is, it's hard to really pick a favorite...everything they do is really quite awesome...Definately follow this journey, it's a good "One"...you'll get that last part later...lol
The album cover is referencing two of the songs on the album. The puppet strings obviously referencing the title track, and the unnamed graves, the dog tags and army helmet referencing the song Disposable Heroes, a song about sending soldiers off to die in the front lines.
You just entered the most seductive rabbit hole in all music….Metallica’s🔥🔥🔥🤘🤘🤘. The Master is the drug and Puppets are the ones who are addicted. Next one; Disposable Heroes from the same album 🔥🔥🔥. You have at least 60 Metallica-bangers in front of you and you will get addicted to them 🔥🔥🔥….and by the way; do lyric versions first before you react to their above and beyond live performances as Metallica’s lyrics are very deep and meaningful….
This was the day you stepped into the metal world. Pantera is a band you really need to react to, Slayer plus Metallica=Pantera. Groove Metal Lily. No Good, Attack the Radical and Avoid the Light. The first 2 tunes you should check out. You will be hooked
This song is so important for music. Some of the best guitar riffs ever recorded. Not by technicality, just by how damn powerful and cool they sound. Learning this song, getting inspired by this song, has been part of the journey of countless guitar players from all over the world. And probably will continue to be for many more years to come.
I'm not the biggest fan of Metallia but I do like listening to their music, but using context clues on the cover and listening to the lyrics of the song, you can understand what the cover means. On the cover, you have a bunch of graves, and seems similar to the National Cemetery. You also have hands from the sky with string attached looking like someone/something is controlling them until their death. So my guess it's either about the government using their soldiers like property, or it's about a cruel god that forces people to do what they want and control their fate. I'm going with the second one though. Either way it's about someone/something controlling people like they're trash.
The meaning of the Song Master of puppets is about Addiction to drugs and the drug being the puppet master of the addict. The Album cover likely has more to do with the song Disposable heroes which is on the same album. However there are strong themes on most songs on the album about being a slave to something sush as Drugs, Mental illnes, Rage, Religion, The Military etc
The song is about drug addiction. The line “chop your breakfast on a mirror” is a reference to cutting lines of cocaine on a mirror to snort. The guitar sounds remind me of how a person’s life spirals out of control the longer the addiction goes on.
