“Holier Than Thou” was initially planned to open Metallica's The Black Album before “Enter Sandman” took that position.
The early plan also considered “Holier Than Thou” for the album's first single. Producer Bob Rock believed the record contained several songs with major radio and audience potential, but he argued that “Enter Sandman” would make the strongest introduction.
The change affected the album's public identity. “Enter Sandman” became the lead single and the opening track, while “Holier Than Thou” remained the second song on the final sequence. The decision helped present the album with a dramatic, highly recognizable entrance rather than beginning with the more direct thrash-oriented attack of “Holier Than Thou.”
The two songs are therefore easy to confuse in discussions of the album's intended sequencing. “Holier Than Thou” was an early choice, but it is not the final opener. The released album begins with “Enter Sandman,” followed by “Sad but True.”