Which 1991 Metallica track interpolates Leonard Bernstein's “America” in its intro?
Answer
Don't Tread on Me
“Don't Tread on Me” interpolates Leonard Bernstein's “America” in its intro.
The track appears on Metallica's 1991 self-titled album, commonly known as The Black Album. Its opening uses a melody associated with “America,” which Bernstein composed for the musical West Side Story. The interpolation is brief and appears before the song's main heavy-metal section.
The song's title refers to the Gadsden flag and its famous rattlesnake slogan. That imagery also relates to the snake on the album cover, though the cover's design and the song's political symbolism are separate details.
“Don't Tread on Me” is often confused with one of the album's official singles. It was sent to rock radio after release, but it did not receive a commercial single release. The album's five commercial singles were “Enter Sandman,” “The Unforgiven,” “Nothing Else Matters,” “Wherever I May Roam,” and “Sad but True.”