“Don’t Tread on Me” was sent to rock radio from Metallica’s The Black Album without receiving a commercial single release. This distinguishes it from the album’s five official singles.
The song’s title and imagery draw on the Gadsden flag, whose famous motto is “Don’t Tread on Me.” The same coiled snake appears on the album cover, linking the song’s subject to the record’s visual design.
Metallica’s official singles were “Enter Sandman,” “The Unforgiven,” “Nothing Else Matters,” “Wherever I May Roam,” and “Sad but True.” “Don’t Tread on Me” was instead promoted to rock radio shortly after the album came out, but it did not receive a commercial single release and did not chart as one of the album’s official singles.