Battery

From MetallicaWiki

Battery is the first track on Metallica's 1986 album Master Of Puppets.

In keeping with the general "control" theme of Master of Puppets, the lyrics of "Battery" discuss the control that anger can have over one's behavior. The title refers to "battery" in the sense of "assault and battery", as shown by these lyrics: "Smashing through the boundaries / Lunacy has found me / Cannot stop the battery". In addition to the thematic interpretation of "battery" as control, the song is an homage to the Old Waldorf Club on Battery Street, San Francisco. Some critics contend that the title actually refers to an artillery battery; Punknews interpreted it as "Hetfield (singing) of a war tactic as the aggressor," personifying destruction.

When played live, the song may stop before the interlude, and James Hetfield asks the crowd "Are you alive?... How does it feel to be alive?" (this can be heard on the live album S&M) and followed by the solo played by Kirk Hammett. The beginning is not played by the band but instead the actual recording is used (recently dropped 1/2 step in key, since the band tunes 1/2 step down). When performed with the San Francisco Symphony in 1999, the intro up to the thrash riff was instead played by string players in the symphony, utilizing pizzicato in the beginning (the original acoustic) then with bows for the rest.

Lyrics

Lashing out the action, returning the reaction
Weak are ripped and torn away
Hypnotizing power, crushing all that cower
Battery is here to stay

Smashing through the boundaries, lunacy has found me
Cannot stop the battery
Pounding out aggression turns into obsession
Cannot kill the battery
Cannot kill the family, battery is found in me

Battery

Crushing all deceivers, mashing non-believers
Never-ending potency
Hungry violence-seeker feeding off the weaker
Breeding on insanity

Smashing through the boundaries, lunacy has found me
Cannot stop the battery
Pounding out aggression turns into obsession
Cannot kill the battery
Cannot kill the family, battery is found in me

Battery
Battery

Circle of destruction, hammer comes crushing
Powerhouse of energy
Whipping up a fury, dominating flurry
We create the battery

Smashing through the boundaries, lunacy has found me
Cannot stop the battery
Pounding out aggression turns into obsession
Cannot kill the battery
Cannot kill the family, battery is found in me

Battery

Notes

Written By: Hetfield/Ulrich
Copyright © 1986 Creeping Death Music (ASCAP)
International Copyright Secured
All Rights Reserved