From the minute you hear the hauntingly beautiful opening notes of “One,” you know you’re listening to an epic metal classic. The build up, the riffs, the breakdown … it’s all a testament to Metallica’s talent and genius. There’s a reason the song earned the band their first Grammy, after all. Yes, the playing is phenomenal, but the story Hetfield sings is downright horrific once you really listen to it.
According to Louder, the song is about a soldier who loses his limbs and senses (sight, hearing, etc.) during war — but remains conscious. He’s essentially trapped in a brutal state of existence, unable to do anything. Hetfield drew inspiration for “One” from Dalton Trumbo’s 1939 book “Johnny Got His Gun,” a story that tells the story of that soldier and highlights the atrocities of war. At its core, “One” is very much an anti-war song that echos Trumbo’s main themes: war is hell, and its effects go beyond the battlefield (via Far Out Magazine). You can even see clips from the 1971 “Johnny Got His Gun” movie (based on Trumbo’s book) in the song’s music video. Seeing the grim story unfold as Metallica plays is chilling, but eye-opening.
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