The introduction to Metallica's “Don't Tread on Me” uses an eight-bar phrase from “America.”
“America” is a song from the musical West Side Story, with music by Leonard Bernstein. Metallica incorporated the recognizable phrase into the instrumental opening of its Black Album track, creating a musical reference that is easy to miss if listeners focus only on the heavy guitar arrangement.
“Don't Tread on Me” also connects to American historical imagery through its title and lyrics. The words are the motto of the Gadsden flag, whose design includes a rattlesnake. A snake derived from that flag appears on The Black Album's cover, linking the song and packaging.
The song was issued as a promotional release to rock radio but was not one of the album's five commercial singles. It was also not performed live until Metallica's European Black Album anniversary tour in 2012.
The “America” reference is therefore a specific musical quotation, not the use of a national anthem. That distinction separates the song from several commonly guessed alternatives.