The Meaning Behind Metallica's Master Of Puppets

Songs can have different meanings for people, but for Metallica, "Master of Puppets" is about the destructive effects of taking drugs. James Hetfield shared his insights with Thrasher magazine in 1988, as reported by Story of Song. Hetfield said that a person who takes drugs initially controls what and how much to take, but eventually, it's the drugs that control the person. His explanation is clear in the lines, "Taste me you will see / More is all you need / You're dedicated to / How I'm killing you."

The song gives drugs a persona in the form of the master, with the addict as the puppet. "I'm pulling your strings / Twisting your mind and smashing your dreams," is about the devastating effects drugs can have on an addict. After the song was written, Hetfield also related "Master of Puppets" to his own struggle with alcoholism, as noted by Song Facts. Hetfield had been sober for 15 years when he relapsed and voluntarily checked himself into a rehab facility in 2019. "I know that I could go back and f*** things up pretty quickly and I don't need to do that," he said (via Harmony Recovery Center).

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