The melody interpolated at the start of Metallica’s “Don’t Tread on Me” is “America” from West Side Story.
“America” was written by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim for the musical West Side Story. On the Black Album track, Metallica uses the recognizable chorus melody as a brief introductory reference before the song moves into its own heavy arrangement.
The interpolation is easy to miss because “Don’t Tread on Me” is not a cover of “America.” Metallica’s song remains an original band composition, while the opening passage draws on Bernstein’s earlier musical idea. The track’s title refers to the Gadsden flag motto and uses patriotic imagery in a complicated, reflective way.
The song was also unusual in the album campaign because it was sent to rock radio but did not receive a commercial single release. Metallica’s five commercial singles were “Enter Sandman,” “The Unforgiven,” “Nothing Else Matters,” “Wherever I May Roam,” and “Sad but True.”