Which 1991 Metallica album song interpolates Leonard Bernstein’s “America” from West Side Story?

“Don’t Tread on Me” interpolates Leonard Bernstein’s “America” from West Side Story on Metallica’s 1991 album.

The quotation appears in the song’s introduction, linking Metallica’s patriotic imagery to a melody originally composed for Bernstein’s musical West Side Story. “America” is performed in the musical’s “America” number, whose music became widely recognizable beyond the stage production.

The Metallica song takes its title from the motto associated with the Gadsden flag, whose snake also appears on The Black Album’s cover. That visual and musical connection gives “Don’t Tread on Me” a distinctive place in the album’s design. The song’s lyrics use historical and national imagery rather than the nightmare theme of “Enter Sandman” or the personal tone of “Nothing Else Matters.”

“Don’t Tread on Me” was issued to rock radio after the album’s release but was not released as a commercial single. That detail often causes confusion because the album’s five principal singles are listed separately. The song was written by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, with Kirk Hammett and Jason Newsted credited as performers.