West Side Story provides the melody quoted in the introduction to Metallica's “Don't Tread on Me.”
The song opens with an eight-bar phrase from “America,” a popular number in the musical West Side Story. The musical's score was composed by Leonard Bernstein, with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
“Don't Tread on Me” appeared on Metallica's self-titled 1991 album and draws on American Revolutionary imagery, including the Gadsden flag's snake and motto. That connection explains why the song's title and album artwork share related symbolism.
The track was sent to rock radio promotionally but was not released as a commercial single. It is therefore often listed separately from the album's five official singles, even though it became a recognizable deep cut.