Which Metallica song opens with a melody from “America” in West Side Story?

“Don't Tread on Me” opens with a melody from “America,” composed by Leonard Bernstein for the musical West Side Story.

The borrowed melody appears in the song's introduction before Metallica moves into its own heavy-metal arrangement. The reference is easy to miss because the surrounding production and guitar sound are unmistakably those of the Black Album.

The song's title comes from the “Don't Tread on Me” motto associated with the Gadsden flag. The album cover also includes a coiled snake derived from that flag, creating a visual connection between the packaging and the track.

Although “Don't Tread on Me” was sent to rock radio after the album's release, it was not issued as one of the five commercial singles. That distinction separates it from “Enter Sandman,” “The Unforgiven,” “Nothing Else Matters,” “Wherever I May Roam,” and “Sad but True.”