Showing posts with label metal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label metal. Show all posts
Monday, April 20, 2009
Image by Getty Images via Daylife
So what does a thrash metal ("an extreme subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized by its fast tempo and aggression") band have to do with palliative care? It was recently pointed out to me (by my husband) that Metallica's lyrics are often based on their life experiences. In fact, Metallica vocalist James Hetfield once said "All our songs deal with my youth in various ways." "Until it Sleeps" was written by Hetfield and Metallica drummer, Lars Ulrich based on Hetfield's experiences and losses.
Hetfield was raised as a Christian Scientist. When he was 16, his mother (a devout Christian Scientist who is said to not have believed in or sought traditional medical treatments) died from cancer. Her death is also said to have been the inspiration behind the songs "The God That Failed" and "Leper Messiah" (obviously a recurring theme!). Many years later, his father also died from cancer. Per music lore, Until It Sleeps was written about cancer.
The song starts " Where do I take this pain of mine, I run but it stays right by my side". He goes on to describe something inside that "grips", "stains", "hates". Something that needs to be torn out and washed away. At first, I interpreted this as being the cancer. But could it be the pain and loss caused by the cancer? Sort of a way of showing the similarities between the two (the physical form of the cancer eating away at the body and the emotional pain eating away at soul). Why does he say "And the hate still shames me"?
The video is inspired by the Renaissance painting, The Garden of Earthly Delights, (particularly the third panel of the painting representing hell) by Hieronymus Bosch (Wikipedia link has a great close up of the painting when you click on it) and other works of art that depict the fall of man. There is a lot of religious imagery which could represent some of Hetfield's own struggles with religion.
A word of warning: This is a heavy metal video and some of the imagery is disturbing. These images do not represent the views or opinions of Pallimed or any of it's writers. Note prominent the fall-of-man themes throughout.Where do I take this pain of mine
I run but it stays right by my side
So tear me open and pour me out
There's things inside that scream and shout
And the pain still hates me
So hold me until it sleeps
Just like the curse, just like the stray
You feed it once and now it stays
Now it stays
So tear me open but beware
There's things inside without a care
And the dirt still stains me
So wash me until I'm clean
It grips you so hold me
It stains you so hold me
It hates you so hold me
It holds you so hold me
Until it sleeps
So tell me why you've chosen me
Don't want your grip, don't want your greed
Don't want it
I'll tear me open make you gone
No more can you hurt anyone
And the fear still shakes me
So hold me, until it sleeps
It grips you so hold me
It stains you so hold me
It hates you so hold me
It holds you, holds you, holds you until it sleeps
AND IT WONT IT WONT IT WONT IT WONT IT WONT IT KNOWS
So tear me open but beware
There's things inside without a care
And the dirt still stains me
So wash me 'til I'm clean
I'll tear me open make you gone
No longer will you hurt anyone
And the hate still SHAMES me
So hold me until it sleeps
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Monday, April 20, 2009 5
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