“Enter Sandman” was the first song written but the last to receive lyrics for Metallica’s 1991 album.
The song began as a musical idea during the album’s early writing period. Kirk Hammett contributed the central riff, and James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich developed the arrangement. Although its instrumental foundation was established early, the vocal words took longer to complete than those for the other songs.
The finished lyrics explore nightmares, sleep, and the unsettling figure of the Sandman. That subject helped give the track a memorable combination of familiar childhood imagery and heavy-rock menace. Its concise structure and huge riff made it a natural choice for the album’s lead single.
The songwriting timeline can be confused with the recording chronology. Four demos, including “Enter Sandman,” were recorded on August 13, 1990, before the main sessions began at One on One Recording Studios in October. The song ultimately became track one and the album’s best-known commercial introduction.