Which member of Metallica wrote the lyrics for “Enter Sandman” from The Black Album?

James Hetfield wrote the lyrics for “Enter Sandman” from Metallica's The Black Album.

The music was credited to Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, and Kirk Hammett, while the lyric credit belongs to Hetfield. This division is a useful distinction because all three musicians contributed to the song's composition, but Hetfield supplied the words and vocal narrative.

The lyrics center on a child's nightmares and bedtime fears. The song's prayer passage reinforces that child-focused imagery, while the heavy riff and tense arrangement make the familiar bedtime setting feel threatening rather than comforting.

“Enter Sandman” was the first song written for the album but the last to receive its lyrics. It became the opening track and lead single, and its success helped make the album a worldwide breakthrough. Bob Rock's son supplied the child's spoken prayer in the recording.