Attitude by Metallica Lyrics Meaning – Deciphering the Aggressive Hunger for More
Lyrics
Suppose I say
I’m never satisfied
Suppose I say
You cut some root to make the tree survive
Just let me kill you for a while
Just let me kill you for a smile
Just let me kill you once I’m oh so bored to death
Oh, I hunger
I hunger
I eat
Born into attitude
Asleep at the wheel
Throw all your bullets in the fire
And run like hell
Why cure the fever?
What ever happened to sweat?
Suppose I say
The vultures smile at me
Suppose I say
I’ve sent them down and they plan to pick you clean
And satisfaction this way comes
And satisfaction this way comes
And satisfaction’s here and gone, gone yeah gone again
Oh, I hunger
I hunger
I eat
Born into attitude
Asleep at the wheel
Throw all your bullets in the fire and stand there
Born into attitude
Twist mother tongue
Throw all your bullets in the fire
And run like hell
Why cure the fever, what ever happened to sweat?
Just let me kill you for a while
Just let me kill you for a smile
Just let me kill you once for me
I’m bored to death
And satisfaction this way comes
And satisfaction this way comes
And satisfactions here and gone, gone, gone again
Yeah, I hunger
Oh, I hunger
I eat
Born into attitude
Asleep at the wheel
Throw all your bullets in the fire
And stand there
Born into attitude
Twist mother tongue
Throwing all your bullets in the fire
And run like hell
Why cure the fever, what ever happened to sweat?
At a glance, ‘Attitude’ by Metallica is a high-octane track that throttles the listener with its fierce instrumentals and James Hetfield’s signature, hard-edged vocal delivery. However, to merely bob one’s head to its aggressive beat would be to overlook the profound examination of discontentment and the human condition that Metallica embeds within the song’s razor-sharp lyrics.
Despite its place on the underappreciated ‘Reload’ album, ‘Attitude’ is a song that refuses to be overshadowed. It bursts with themes of restless dissatisfaction and the intrinsic, raw hunger that underlies the human psyche—challenging listeners to peer into Metallica’s well of depth and darkness.
An Insatiable Hunger Cloaked in Sound
Metallica’s ‘Attitude’ is more than just auditory aggression; it’s an introspection into dissatisfaction. When Hetfield snarls ‘I’m never satisfied’ it’s an acknowledgment of the endless pursuit of something more—more power, more success, more control. It’s a primal scream into the void of human desire which seems to scream back that nothing is ever enough.
‘Just let me kill you for a smile, Just let me kill you once I’m oh so bored to death,’ Hetfield growls. These lines may strike as Luddite, yet they resonate with the universal feeling of being jaded. Metaphorically, it reveals the destructive tendencies we might harbor when we feel our lives stagnate, when our internal drive conflicts with external complacency.
Born With a Silver Spoon of Discontent
The phrase ‘Born into attitude’ suggests an inherency of discontent and rebellion that is almost genetic. It’s as if Metallica is saying that from the moment of birth, there’s a defiant stance against the status quo built into the human spirit. This inborn ‘attitude’ is further exemplified by the image of being ‘asleep at the wheel,’ which implies a life lived without consciousness, without questioning.
By repeating the call to ‘Throw all your bullets in the fire,’ there’s also a sense of rejecting the tools of aggression we may use to guard ourselves against complacency. Metallica is perhaps advocating for a form of catharsis or a declaration of non-conformity that burns away the need for defensive posturing.
Satisfaction’s Here and Gone: The Fleeting Nature of Contentment
Metallica masterfully captures the fleeting chase for satisfaction in ‘Attitude.’ Each proclamation of ‘And satisfaction this way comes’ quickly dissolves into ‘And satisfaction’s here and gone.’ It is a pointed reflection on how temporary any form of happiness can be, how quickly it can dissipate and leave us chasing the next fleeting moment of contentment.
This ephemeral dance with satisfaction paints a picture of the modern condition, where endless pursuits—be it professional achievement, personal milestones or material accumulations—are never quite enough to quell the hunger inside.
The Unvarnished Truth in ‘Why Cure the Fever?’
In one of the most striking lines of the song, ‘Why cure the fever? What ever happened to sweat?’ Hetfield captures a particular frustration with quick fixes and a culture that often values the illusion of health over the struggle of real growth. Metallica challenges the listener to embrace the ‘fever’, to own the suffering and effort that leads to genuine progress.
The ‘sweat’ here is symbolic of hard work, the toil necessary to achieve anything worthwhile. These lines underscore a recurrent theme in Metallica’s work: authenticity and self-reliance. To become comfortable with the discomfort that breeds strength—as opposed to seeking an easy way out—is a sentiment that resonates at the core of ‘Attitude’.
Finding the Hidden Meanings Among the Shredding
The visceral potency of ‘Attitude’ is evident, but it’s within the song’s darker nuances and the urgent cry for understanding the inner workings of dissatisfaction that one finds its hidden depths. Metallica is not simply providing a soundtrack for rebellion; they are philosophers of the discontent, unpacking the human experience through raw lyricism.
Through ‘Attitude’, Metallica dares to confront the void, wrestling with the notion that within every human lies a chaotic desire for more and a dread for stagnancy. It’s this unflinching examination that makes the song resonate with such intensity, prompting listeners to look beyond the thunderous riffs and find reflections of their inner selves among the echoes.
